Tips and Tricks

Work smarter with these time-saving tips for Easy Calling

Master Easy Calling with these pro tips. Here's how experienced agents save time every day.

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Quick Wins (Do These Right Away)

1. Pin Easy Calling to Your Sidebar

Why: Access Easy Calling with one click instead of searching for it.

How to do it:

1. Open Easy Calling in Microsoft Teams

2. Right-click the app icon

3. Select "Pin"

Time saved: 5-10 seconds every time you open it (adds up to 30+ minutes per week)

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2. Enable Desktop Notifications

Why: Never miss a call, even when you're working in another app.

How to do it:

1. Go to Teams Settings → Notifications

2. Ensure "Incoming calls" is enabled

3. Set notification sound to your preference

Time saved: Catch calls instantly instead of checking the dashboard every few minutes.

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3. Use the Search Bar in Call History

Why: Find past calls in 3 seconds instead of scrolling forever.

How to do it:

• Type the caller's name, number, or keywords from your notes

• Press Enter

Example: Manager asks, "Did we hear from Acme Corp today?" Type "Acme" → Found in 3 seconds.

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4. Create Email Templates for Common Responses

Why: Send follow-up emails in 10 seconds instead of typing the same thing over and over.

How to do it:

1. In Outlook, create Quick Steps or Templates for common scenarios:

• "Thanks for calling–here's the info you requested"

• "As discussed on our call, here are the next steps"

• "Following up on your voicemail"

1. When you click "Send Email" in Easy Calling, paste your template and personalize it

Time saved: 2-3 minutes per email = 30-60 minutes per day

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Advanced Tips for Agents

5. Take Notes During the Call (Not After)

Why: You'll remember more details, and follow-ups are easier.

How to do it:

• While the caller is speaking, type quick notes in the notes section

• Use shorthand or bullet points

• Clean up the notes after the call if needed

Example:

- Password reset for admin account
- Emailed instructions to [email protected]
- Follow-up needed: Check if issue resolved tomorrow

Time saved: No need to try remembering what was discussed–it's all documented.

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6. Use Color-Coded Filters to Prioritize Callbacks

Why: Spot missed calls and voicemails at a glance.

How to do it:

1. Open Call History

2. Click "Missed Calls" filter (shows red indicator)

3. Review and create tasks for callbacks

Pro Tip: Do this first thing in the morning and after lunch to ensure no callbacks slip through the cracks.

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7. Create Personal Tasks for Quick Callbacks

Why: Get reminders without cluttering your team's Planner.

How to do it:

• Click "Create Task" after a call

• Choose "Personal Task" (Microsoft To-Do)

• Set a due time (e.g., "Call back at 2:00 PM today")

Time saved: No more sticky notes or trying to remember callbacks.

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8. Transfer with Context Notes

Why: The next agent knows what's going on without making the customer repeat themselves.

How to do it:

• Before transferring, add a note:

• "Customer needs billing help–account #12345"

• "VIP customer, very frustrated"

• "Already tried password reset–didn't work"

What the customer experiences: "Oh, I see you already tried that. Let me check something else..."

Result: Customers feel heard, transfers are seamless.

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9. Save Frequent Callers as Contacts

Why: Next time they call, you'll instantly see their name.

How to do it:

• After a call, click the person icon

• The caller is saved to your Microsoft contacts

Pro Tip: Do this for anyone who calls more than once a month.

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10. Use the "Opt Out" Feature Strategically

Why: Avoid burnout by controlling when you receive calls.

When to use it:

• You're in a meeting or training

• You need 30 minutes of focus time for urgent tasks

• You're about to leave for the day

How to do it:

1. Toggle your status to "Unavailable"

2. Other agents will cover calls

3. Toggle back to "Available" when you're ready

Pro Tip: Coordinate with your team so someone is always available.

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Tips for Voice App Managers

11. Check the Dashboard Every Hour

Why: Catch issues before they become problems.

What to look for:

• Are wait times climbing?

• Are multiple agents on break at the same time?

• Are calls piling up in the queue?

Action: Send a quick Teams message to the team if you spot an issue.

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12. Export Weekly Reports on Monday Morning

Why: Share performance data with leadership without scrambling.

How to do it:

1. Open Analytics → Weekly Report

2. Click "Export"

3. Email to your manager

Time saved: 30 minutes of manual data gathering.

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13. Update Voicemail Greetings for Special Events

Why: Set customer expectations during holidays, training, or system outages.

Examples:

• "Our team is currently in training. Wait times may be longer than usual."

• "Our office is closed for the holiday. We'll return your call on [date]."

• "We're experiencing high call volume. Please leave a message, and we'll call you back within 4 hours."

How to do it:

1. Go to Voice App Manager → Settings → Audio Configuration

2. Record a new greeting

3. Save

Time taken: 2 minutes.

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14. Stagger Lunch Breaks

Why: Avoid the "everyone's on lunch at the same time" missed call spike.

How to do it:

• Create a rotating lunch schedule

• Ensure at least 2 agents are always available between 12:00-2:00 PM

Result: Fewer missed calls, happier customers.

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15. Use Analytics to Understand Queue Performance

Why: Data-driven decisions improve service levels and team efficiency.

How to do it:

1. Open Analytics → Statistics

2. Review call queue statistics and look for patterns:

• High missed call rates → Review staffing or queue capacity

• Long average wait times → Consider adding more agents to the queue

• Consistently good answer rates → Recognize and share the winning approach with the team

Pro Tip: Share positive stats with the team in weekly meetings to boost morale.

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Workflow Hacks

16. Use Two Monitors (If Possible)

Setup:

• Monitor 1: Microsoft Teams + Easy Calling

• Monitor 2: CRM, email, or reference materials

Why: No more alt-tabbing between apps.

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17. Create a "Call Prep" Checklist

Before your shift:

• Easy Calling is open and pinned

• Headset is working

• Status is set to "Available"

• Voicemails from yesterday are checked

• Callback tasks are reviewed

Time taken: 3 minutes at the start of your shift = smoother day ahead.

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18. Use Microsoft To-Do for Daily Callbacks

Why: Keep personal callbacks separate from team tasks.

How to do it:

• Create a To-Do list called "Callbacks"

• Add tasks with due times

• Get reminders throughout the day

Example:

• 10:00 AM – Call Sarah about invoice #12345

• 2:00 PM – Follow up with Tom on password reset

• 4:00 PM – Call Jane about software update

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19. Set Up Outlook Quick Steps for Follow-Up Emails

Common Quick Steps:

1. "Send Call Follow-Up" – Opens email template for post-call follow-ups

2. "Request Callback Time" – Template for scheduling callbacks

3. "Send Password Reset Instructions" – Pre-written email with password reset steps

How to create Quick Steps:

1. Open Outlook → Home tab → Quick Steps

2. Click "New Quick Step"

3. Create your template

Time saved: 2 minutes per email = 30+ minutes per day.

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20. Use Voice Shortcuts (If Available)

Check with your admin: Some organizations enable voice commands for answering calls, transferring, etc.

Example:

• "Answer call"

• "Transfer to John"

• "Send to voicemail"

If available, this can save seconds per action.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting to Toggle Back to "Available"

Problem: You go on break, toggle to "Unavailable," and forget to toggle back. Calls keep going to other agents.

Solution: Set a timer or reminder to toggle back after your break.

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Not Adding Notes During Calls

Problem: You finish the call and can't remember the details.

Solution: Type notes while the caller is speaking. Even bullet points help.

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Transferring Calls Without Context

Problem: The next agent has no idea what the call is about. The customer has to repeat everything.

Solution: Always add a note before transferring: "Customer needs help with [issue]"

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Ignoring Missed Calls

Problem: Missed calls pile up, and customers don't get callbacks.

Solution: Check the "Missed Calls" filter daily and create tasks for callbacks.

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Not Using Search in Call History

Problem: You scroll through hundreds of calls trying to find one from yesterday.

Solution: Use the search bar! Type the caller's name or number.

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Pro Tips from Experienced Agents

From Sarah (3 years with Easy Calling):

"I use Microsoft To-Do for all my callbacks. Every voicemail turns into a task with a due time. I've never forgotten a callback since I started doing this."

From Tom (Team Lead, 2 years):

"As a manager, I check the dashboard every hour. If I see wait times climbing, I send a quick Teams message: 'Can anyone hop back from break?' It takes 10 seconds and prevents missed calls."

From Lisa (Top Performer, 1 year):

"I created Outlook templates for the 5 most common follow-up emails. Now I can send a follow-up in 10 seconds instead of 3 minutes. Over 30 calls a day, that saves me an hour."

From John (New Agent, 3 months):

"I was overwhelmed at first. The tip that helped most: Take notes during the call, not after. Even just bullet points. It makes follow-ups so much easier."

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Want to Share Your Tips?

Have a time-saving trick that's not on this list? Email us at [email protected] and we'll add it!

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Learn More

• Quick Start Guide – Get up to speed in 5 minutes

• Best Practices – Call Life Cycle – Step-by-step walkthrough

• Day in the Life Guides – See how real users work with Easy Calling

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Ready to work smarter? Try 3 tips from this list today and see the difference!