What to do about unsolicited phone calls

- Among the biggest annoyances that people report in their work day are calls from unsolicited sources. I'm talking about sales calls, or those courtesy calls that your bank makes to you. Now, I recognize that this is not a one-sided issue. Getting connected with the right sales rep can indeed save your company time and money. Problem is, you already have so many interruptions in your day including questions from coworkers, incoming email, and the thoughts in your head.

Even from the best of sources, unsolicited calls are unwanted distractions. Here are a few things that you can do. First, you can add your number to a do not call list. I'm not familiar with every country, but I do know that in the United States at donotcall.gov they have a place where you can list your phone number. It's added to a registry that alerts telemarketers that they are not allowed to call that number.

Take a look at the laws where you live and explore the options you have for something similar. In the US, keep in mind that this does not stop non-profits or true survey companies from calling you. It also doesn't include companies with which you've done business in the last 180 days, but it's a starting point. Next, I do recommend that you use a caller ID service. Some mobile phone providers include that for free.

I have to pay a few dollars each month, but it's well worth it to see the name and location attached to the phone number. As a general rule, if I don't recognize the name and location I do not answer the phone. Additionally, you can add an app to your phone, such as Hiya, that not only provides the caller ID but will flag numbers that have been reported by other people as spam or unwanted calls.

This makes it easier for you to know which numbers you should reject. There are many similar apps that allow you to blacklist a phone number. This is the best approach to use, because if you pick up a call from a telemarketer, all it does is communicate that this is a valid number that people are using. Rather than distracting your day and telling someone not to call you again, just set up the app to automatically block the numbers. Finally, a comment about corporate environments.

If you have a gatekeeper, such as a receptionist, clearly communicate to that person what kind of calls should always be rejected and what calls should be pushed through. Also, teach them how to properly screen those calls in a friendly, but professional way. A few minutes spent addressing the issue of unwanted phone calls can save you hours every single year.