[How to Effectively Drive Action via Telephone Communication]-[BEP023c-Mob]

Business English Podcast-Telephone English · A2 ·

📋 Summary

Mastering the Art of Getting Action Over the Telephone

In a professional setting, productivity often hinges on our ability to mobilize others. When emails fall short, a phone call is frequently the most direct tool to ensure tasks are completed. However, simply demanding action can be perceived as bossy or aggressive. To achieve results while maintaining professional rapport, one must employ a structured approach to communication.

1. Establishing Urgency and Directness

When you need to get things done, it is essential to be "firm and direct." This begins with identifying yourself clearly and stating the purpose of the call immediately, avoiding excessive small talk. If a deadline is looming, you must emphasize its importance to the other party. Using phrases such as "today’s the deadline for proposals, you know" helps highlight the gravity of the situation without resorting to rudeness.

2. Introducing Key Issues Effectively

Transitions are vital when you need to steer a conversation toward a specific requirement. If a previous attempt to communicate has failed, don't dwell on the past. Instead, use a transition like "but, more importantly" to pivot to the core issue. This phrase acts as a signal to the listener that the upcoming point is critical, such as: "But, more importantly, do you have all the right information to make your proposal?"

3. Securing Commitments Through Guarantees

To ensure that your expectations are met, you must move beyond polite requests and ask for a "guarantee." A guarantee is essentially a personal promise from the other party. When you ask, "Are you absolutely sure you'll be able to send that to me today?" you are seeking a firm commitment. The responder should then provide reassurance, using language like "we guarantee this will be on your desk by 3 p.m." or "I promise you," which confirms their accountability.

4. Confirming and Closing

To be 100% sure that the action will occur, the final step is to confirm the specific steps being taken. This can be done by asking the other person to notify you once a milestone is reached—for instance, "Can you call us when you give it to the courier?" This serves as a final verification step. By confirming the action, you ensure that both parties are aligned and that the task will be executed as discussed.

Summary of Key Techniques

Reassuring an Angry Caller: If you are the one being called, apologize, explain briefly, and provide a concrete promise of action.
Emphasizing Information: Use expressions like "I'm sure you're aware that" or "at the end of the day, what's important is that" to focus the listener's attention.
Professional Idioms: Phrases like "working night and day" (meaning working very hard) and "big mess" (meaning a significant problem) help convey urgency and the consequences of inaction effectively.

By following this framework—stating your purpose, emphasizing importance, asking for guarantees, and confirming the next steps—you can effectively drive action over the telephone while remaining professional and respectful.

🎯Key Sentences

I'm trying to find out if you are still interested in this contract.

I wish you had let me know you were sending it to us today.

Did he pass that on to you?

I guess he was pretty busy.

I just wanted to make sure.

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📝Key Phrases

get action

lead into the main issue

finish off by confirming

get to the point

reassure an angry caller

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📖 Transcript

You're listening to Business English Pod, the Business English podcast for professionals on the move.

Hello, and welcome back to Business English Pod.

My name's Edwin, and today we're going to look at how to get action over the telephone.

Being productive at work means getting stuff done.

And sometimes to get our own work done, we need other people to get things done.

So when you need action from someone, what's the best or quickest way to get it?

Or study on the web version →