A call report is an important aspect of running of successful business. Salespeople and other professionals use call reports to record the details of all the phone calls they make, as well as visits to potential and existing clients. Call reports typically include what was discussed, the outcome of the conversation and any other relevant information. These reports are then submitted to supervisors and are used to keep a record of contacts with clients. They can also give supervisors valuable feedback about an employee's job performance.

1. Note Who You Were Speaking To

Start by documenting who you were speaking with. Include detailed information about this person. It might be a client, potential client or returning client. The call report should include the person's name, job title, company, contact information and any other defining characteristics. An example characteristic might be that this person is up for a promotion that would give him more power within the company.

2. Record the Presence of Others

Include in the report whether you spoke with anyone else during the call or visit. You may have spoken with a receptionist or assistant, or someone else from the company might have sat in on the sales call. Be sure to include relevant information about the third party, such as if she has the ability to make a decision about whether the company buys from you.

3. Write the Purpose of the Call

Write down the purpose of the call, and whether it was in person or on the phone. You might have been trying to make a sale, get information or just catch up with an existing client. Detailing the purpose of the call is important because you and your supervisor will need to analyze whether or not the call was successful.

4. List the Outcome

Add your opinion about the success of the call to the call report example. The success is usually determined by the result. For example, if the final result was a sale, the call was most likely successful. However, the success isn't always black or white. You might have been trying to make a contact with a potential new client. Therefore, if you were able to talk with this person, the call was successful regardless of whether or not a sale was closed.

5. Include Other Relevant Information

Include any other information you believe was relevant in the outside sales call log template. The look and feel of the office or the mood of the person you were speaking with could all be potentially relevant to the final result of the call or visit. Also, such information can dictate how you approach contacting this person in the future. For example, if a potential client seemed annoyed by your sales approach, your supervisor may suggest that another salesperson in your office with a different sales approach attempt contacting this particular person in the future.

Tip

Be sure to use proper spelling and grammar in your call reports. You don't want to annoy your supervisor with simple mistakes. After all, he may be using your call reports to evaluate your job performance and worth to the company.