Let me tell you about a phone call that made me want to launch into a customer service training session mid-conversation. It wasn’t just awkward – it was a masterclass in how not to handle a call. And it reminded me why call control is one of the most underrated skills in business today.
The Call That Sparked This Post
Toward the end of last month, I was dealing with some pretty strong knee pain. I took myself to Urgent Care, got checked out, and was handed a prescription and some paperwork recommending physical therapy. The paperwork said, “to be scheduled,” but didn’t clarify who was doing the scheduling.
A few days later, I still hadn’t heard anything, so I called Urgent Care to ask if I should schedule it myself or wait for a referral. They said, “They’ll call you.”
On September 29th, I got that call – from someone who sounded, frankly, stoned out of her mind. The conversation was a mess: mumbled name, no clear greeting, no structure. She asked if I’d made an appointment. I explained I was told they’d handle the referral. She said she’d schedule it now and asked how far I was willing to drive. After several minutes of fumbling, she found a clinic in a neighboring town (couldn’t find anything in my town – even though we have many who are in my insurance plan) and put me on hold.
When she came back, she said the clinic needed a referral. I asked, “Isn’t that what we’re doing?” Silence. She then asked if I wanted her to submit one. I said yes. She put me on hold again to connect us with the clinic. Then she came back after a few minutes and said they’d submit the referral, and the clinic would call me.
Dead air. No confirmation. No next steps. No “Is there anything else I can help you with?” Just silence.
I had to ask, “So I just wait to hear back from them, right?”
More silence. “Um, yeah.”
“Okay, thanks,” I said.
“Ok. Goodbye,” she replied. End of call.
After 30 minutes on the phone, it ended leaving me feeling like something wasn’t quite right.
The Aftermath
A few days later, I got a call from a confused physical therapy office admin. They’d received a request for medical records from the Urgent Care. No referral. Just a paperwork mix-up asking for records from the place they were supposed to be referring me to.
Luckily, the scheduler at the PT office took control of the call. She was clear, courteous, and efficient. I asked if we could just work it out directly. She said yes – and I was in her office the next day.
What Call Control Actually Looks Like
Back in the ’90s, my first “real” job was at a call center. I hated it – but I learned a lot. They taught us how to conduct a call:
- Greet the customer clearly
- Ask the right questions to guide the conversation
- Avoid dead air
- Provide next steps
- Close the call with confidence so the customer knows what happens next
Those skills stuck with me. And now, they’re baked into SOHO Admin Force.
What You Can Do to Improve Your Own Call Handling
Whether you’re a freelancer, a small business owner, or someone who just wants to sound more professional on the phone, here are a few tips:
- Start strong: Introduce yourself and your role. Set the tone.
- Lead the call: Ask guiding questions and keep the conversation moving.
- Avoid dead air: If you need time, narrate what you’re doing. Silence breeds uncertainty.
- Clarify next steps: Make sure the caller knows what happens after the call.
- Close with care: Ask if they need anything else. Thank them. End with intention.
Most importantly, don’t just hop on the phone or put someone on the phone who is not prepared!
The steps above aren’t scripted. It’s just a common flow. Scripting was popular in years past and still is at some call centers. As a customer, I prefer just a natural flow rather than listening to an agent stumbling through a script full or words they wouldn’t use in everyday talk – especially if I’m on the phone with a small business. Avoid scripts if you’re a small business. If they want something scripted, let them call an AI agent or their credit card company lol.
Additionally, role-playing helps a most agents who are new to working the phones. Role-playing is awkward, but it does let you work through scenarios and allow you to get more comfortable talking on the phone in a professional setting. Role-play with a peer. No peers around? Role-play with AI. Today, having a conversion with Copilot, ChatGPT or Alexa+ is easy and free. Just tell your AI chat that you want to practice taking calls for work and AI will take from there. I know it’s an old saying, but practice really does make perfect.
How SOHO Admin Force Handles Calls Differently
I promise you this: when you speak to someone from SOHO Admin Force, you’ll never have an experience like the one I had. We value manners, courtesy, and basic etiquette. We may have a sense of humor and a little Okie-Texas twang, but we take professionalism seriously.
Because your time – and your trust – deserve better.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject!
Happy Wednesday,
Jeff
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