Phone Call

Hey Tom, I tried reaching the client's procurement department earlier, but I got their voicemail.

That's not unusual for a Monday morning. Did you leave a detailed message?

I did, but I'm not confident they'll get back to me promptly. Should I request a callback?

Absolutely. When dealing with large vendors, it's essential that you explicitly request a callback within a specific timeframe.

Good point. I'll mention that the matter is time-sensitive and ask them to call by Wednesday.

Also, if you do get through, the receptionist might put you on hold for quite a while.

That happened last time. I was on hold for nearly fifteen minutes before anyone picked up.

In that case, politely ask to be transferred directly to the project liaison instead of waiting.

That makes sense. What if the liaison isn't available either?

Then leave a concise voicemail outlining the deliverables and the deadline we're working against.

Should I also follow up with an email so there's a written record?

Without a doubt. Never should you rely solely on a phone call for critical communications.

Understood. I'll call them again this afternoon and handle it the way you suggested.

Great. Let me know once you've heard back, and we'll take it from there.