How Much Time Do You Spend On the Phone?

As business owners, we spend a fair amount of time on the phone speaking to different people: potential clients, existing clients, virtual assistants, web hosting companies, etc. If we allowed each conversation to be unclear and unfocused, we could be spending additional time on the telephone and less time on our work and the things that we need to do to build our business. So, ask yourself - how much time do you spend on the phone?

Spending less time on the phone is easy if you know how. Here are a few tips to get back some of that lost time:

(1) Before You Call, Get Clear and Focused

If you place a call to someone without being clear and focused on what it is you need to talk about, you can spend a lot of time trying to remember what it is you wanted to talk about and / or discussing things that weren’t on the agenda. Before you make your call, list the items you need to talk to that person about so that once you are on the phone, you can be clear, concise and quick! What I do is keep my appointment in Microsoft Outlook and when I think of items I want to bring to the conversation, I open up that appointment and make a note in the notes section of the appointment.

(2) Bring the Discussion Back

A lot of phone conversations go on for longer than anticipated because a lot of social banter and idle chat occurs. While this is normal and helps build relationships, you should also be aware of it and bring it back to the reason for the call. Socializing is wonderful but there has to be some sort of time limit or you’ll never be able to get any work done! If you notice the conversation veering off and you want to bring it back, just say “So, going back to the ‘x’, what are your thoughts on that?”

(3) Schedule the Calls in a Strategic Manner

Choose one or two days (depending on how many calls you are on) in your work week to have your calls. By doing so, you’ll save the other workdays for uninterrupted work. You’ll start to get into a routine and when that particular day hits, you’ll be prepared for your telephone call and you’ll stay focused and on task. Schedule the calls far enough apart to give yourself some time to discuss your items but don’t give it too much time. By having a deadline, you can keep the call within a set amount of time and not go over that.

This should help cut down the amount of time you spend on the phone and give you more time to focus on the “good stuff”...

-- About the Author --

Erin Blaskie is the owner of Business Services, ETC.BSETC is a virtual assistance company that gives freedom to small business owners, coaches and speakers by managing the BS, etc.

-- For More Information --

Erin has a blog located on the main page of her website in which she provides advice on small businesses and running a virtual assistance company. She has recently started a free bi-weekly telecall for virtual assistants where they can come together with other VAs and get support.