Before you make a telephone call, you must make sure that you understand clearly what the problem is about and what you hope to get out of the telephone call. In other words, you must prepare yourself properly before making the telephone call.

Always introduce yourself to the other person. Tell the person you are telephoning on behalf of your client.

Always write down the name of the person to whom you are speaking, and the date and time of the telephone call.

Never change the story of your client. You must only say what your client told you. If you don’t know how to answer the other person, say that you must speak to your client and you will call back.

Be polite but firm about your client’s rights and never lose your temper over the phone. Try not to become involved in an argument on the telephone, because you might end up saying things that could harm your client or your future relationship with the official.

Make rough notes while you are speaking on the telephone, then write them down in more detail as soon as you have finished. This is because it is not always possible to remember everything that was said on the telephone. You might have to remember the details later for a court case.

If you reach any agreement with the other person, you must confirm what you agreed in a letter to that person.