4 Sneaky ways to cut calls short with clients
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 52 seconds
You’re working, concentrating hard when suddenly the shrill ring of the phone jerks you to the present. You scowl at your phone, try to stare it down, even throw your most imaginative expletive at it but the phone keeps ringing.
It’s your client calling and you know it’ll take ages to get off the phone.
We’ve all been there. Those of us who get nervous (read terrified) talking to clients break out in a sweat at the thought. To us, 15 minutes seem like 50.
If only there was some way to cut those calls short and hold future correspondence through email!
The good news is that with a little ingenuity, it is possible. Be prepared to take drastic measures though.
Call back when the client is busy
Every now and then, let your voice mail pick up your client’s call. Then call back at a time when your client is most likely to be busy. Either the client won’t pick up and you can shoot him an email immediately or he’ll tell you that he’ll call back.
Don’t say “All right” if the client says he’ll call back. Jump in and say “No problem. I’ll email you instead”. If the client is due to give feedback, simply saying “Email would be better.” will work too.
Since the client is busy, he won’t have the time to come up with an alternative. Hang up with a cheerful good bye and do a little jig. Go on, just a little one.
Get an ‘assistant’
Can’t keep those client calls on track at all? Have an ‘assistant’ start picking up your calls. You don’t have to have a real assistant of course – your spouse or child can act the part. Get them to screen your calls and email the clients instead.
If you’re alone and really want to avoid a client call, then be your own assistant. Come on, you can do it!
Pretend that you don’t know
So you can’t avoid this call and it’s dragging on. The client wants to know something. You have the answer but if you give it to him, he’ll only just want to discuss it more. Grab the chance and tell him you’re not sure about it but you’ll find out and get back to him ASAP – via email!
Hey! I was just writing you an email!
As soon as you pick up the client’s call, immediately give them a big greeting and let them know you were just writing an email to them with update/details/whatever.
“I’m almost done. Why don’t I finish writing it and send it to you? You can get back to me through it.”
Hang up and get typing that email – fast!
Got any more ideas?
Do you have trouble talking to clients on the phone? How do you deal with your chatty clients? Make sure you leave a comment and let us know. We can never have enough of these types of tips in reserve 
May the freelancing gods save us all from clients who love to talk and call back frequently for updates. Amen.
Editors Note: If you’re looking for more phone tips like this to boost your productivity and cut down on distractions, you can check out Samar’s previous article on how to cut calls short with family and friends – it’s a good one too, full of great tips.
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How about: never give out your phone number?
I don’t give out a phone number. 9 times out of 10, it’s never even an issue (or the client doesn’t even ask for it).
Most of the time, it’s possible to get away without giving out your number but if a client asks for it, there’s no easy way to refuse without the client losing (at least) some amount of trust in you.
I’ve found that local clients tend to ask for a number even if you meet them than those who’re in another city or country.
Skype is a good alternative to phone numbers!
I wait until any substance in the conversation is over, after all if the client has an actual issue, it’s better to deal with it right away. Then I use my cell, land line or Skype to call the number I’m on and make sure I’m talking when the call waiting tone sounds, so they know I have a call coming in.
Then I apologize to my talkaholic client that I have to take the call, and to send me mail if there’s anything else they need.
It’s funny how preventing me from talking to someone else is usually important enough to get off the line, but letting me work on their project isn’t.
Thanks for the comment Anonymous Coward
I like your idea of calling yourself. Good idea.
I really hate talking on the phone, but some clients just feel more comfortable with it than email, so I am sensitive to that and try to cater to those clients preferences. I find instead of avoiding calls or playing games, it is best to be honest with the client and just let them know that while you love to get calls from them, it is most productive for both of you if calls can be scheduled – that way you know when it is coming and can be ready to get the conversation wrapped up in an efficient way. Also, scheduling calls makes clients more aware that you ARE busy… “I’ll have about 20 minutes for you that I can block out at 3PM on Tuesday, want to talk about this at that time?”
If you are concentrating on a project, just let the call go to voice mail.
You just have to make sure you get back to people in a timely manner.
I’m a teacher, so I can always use a upcoming class to cut a call short. But meetings and appointments can also work – especially if you mention at the start of the call that you only have 5 minutes. It’s the same idea as the scheduled call – a reminder that you do have other work that requires your attention.
Thanks for the sharing, I think I’ll take a tip or two and see if it works. I’m using Skype to chat with my clients and I’m always straight when it comes to cutting calls. If I am really busy, I’d cancel the call and say we can just send emails to each other. As long as you don’t sound impolite, I guess being honest why you have ton cut the call short will work. It’s tough when you’re working with someone from a different time zone, specially when your phone rings in the middle of the night. I’d say both parties should respect each other’s time.
Since I work full time and freelance on the side, I have a message line which is just a cheapie monthly prepaid cell phone I keep at home.
On the voicemail, I specify my “call hours” which are T-Th 7:30-10 pm – because of this, clients tend to keep conversations short or if they feel the conversation needs to be long, the call hours force them to email me and then we can conduct business through email.
ask for a fee for phone calls and meetings. It’s working time spent for a client after all