• Required equipment: a pad and pen/pencil near every phone.

• A planned phone call takes less time than an unplanned call. You can literally save up to an hour by planning return calls. Make sure you take notes on each call as necessary. Avoid relying on memory.

• Schedule a specific time of day to do all of your return phone calls. Statistically the best time of day for this is 20 minutes before lunch, and 20 minutes before quitting time. People tend to be less verbose, and more succinct at this time of day, which greatly reduces the amount of time spent on each call.

• If you have voice mail or an answering machine, let it take your messages during specific times of the day. A lot of return calls are informational. This is an ideal use for voice mail or an answering machine because it cuts down many informational interruptions through out your working day and allows you time necessary time to continue your train of thought.

• Make sure your recorded message is professional. Identify who you are, your company name and when you anticipate being in the office. Ask callers for a day and evening phone number, as well as the best time to call them back in order to avoid telephone tag.

• When required to return calls that are informational only, call at a time when you specifically know that you can leave a voice mail message. This will considerably reduce the time spent on the phone.

• Return all calls on a regular basis and people will begin to trust leaving messages. Punctuality in response is of the utmost importance for this system to truly work professionally!

• If you must return a call to someone who always manages to keep you on the phone longer than necessary, precede your conversation with: "Sorry John, I only have 5 minutes, here is the information you requested ", or "I have to be in a meeting in 10 minutes..." etc. This lets the person know upfront that you do not have time to waste and it will them in giving you the bottom line quicker.

• When returning phone calls always see if you can get the information you are seeking from an assistant if your party is unavailable rather than having to call back again.

• If you need to speak directly to a specific person, always let them know the best time to call back so you can avoid telephone tag and an interruption at a inopportune time later.

• Set a precedent in all return calls. Speak clearly, enunciate appropriately and by all means slow down when it is time to leave your phone number. Have you ever noticed how the message can be so clear and yet you may have to play it back 3 times to get the phone number correct? This is a common habit for many people because their phone number is so familiar to them.

• If you need to speak directly to the person, always let them know the best time to call back so you can avoid telephone tag.

• Make sure there is a set time of day that your visitors and phone calls will be handled by someone else, so that you can steal that quiet time for working uninterruptedly.

• Consolidate desk space for the answering machine and telephone. Invest in a phone caddy. various acrylic stands can contain phone books, note pads and pens. (See our resource section for product recommendations.)

Most voice-mail message pads have a standardized order in which to record information. Hmmmm...have you ever noticed that when you retrieve a message, in most cases, the information is completely out of order in reference to the pad?

So now you find yourself jumping from section to section in order to capture the pertinent information. Inevitably, it never fails -- you have to rewind the tape several times to capture what was said. Argh!!!

Using a standard telephone message pad from Adams Business Forms, follow the these tips when leaving a message: