Business English Podcast · Phone & Video Calls · Episode 14

Handling an Unexpected Sales Call Politely

A sales call out of the blue? Four rules for handling it in English — politely, professionally and in under three minutes.

B2 · Monologue · 4 Min. · free

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Editorially reviewed by James Simmonds – English teacher since 2004Published 24 September 2026

SceneTuesday morning, you are deep in a report — and an English-speaking salesperson calls unannounced. Trainer Andrew shows the four rules that keep you polite and in control.

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Tip: listen to the episode twice before you start the test. · Worksheet (PDF)

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Andrew — Business English trainer

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Transcript

The full transcript opens after the comprehension test — so you train real listening instead of reading along.

German support

AndrewPicture this: it's Tuesday morning, you're deep in a report, and the phone rings out of the blue. A friendly voice from London wants to sell you software you've never heard of. Today I'll show you how to handle that unexpected sales call in English — politely, professionally and in under three minutes.

AndrewFirst rule: stay calm and buy yourself a second. The caller will open with something like 'How are you today?' You don't need a long answer. A simple 'Very well, thank you — how can I help you?' is polite and moves the call forward immediately.

AndrewSecond rule: find out quickly what the call is about. Ask directly but warmly: 'Could you tell me briefly what this is regarding?' The word 'briefly' is your friend here — it signals that your time is limited, without sounding rude.

AndrewThird rule: be honest about your situation. If you're not the decision-maker, say so: 'I'm afraid that's not my area — you'd need to speak to our procurement team.' And if there's simply no need, say it clearly: 'Thank you, but we're happy with our current supplier.'Seien Sie ehrlich: nicht zuständig? Kein Bedarf? Klar und freundlich sagen.

AndrewNow, here's a classic German moment. Many of my clients want to say 'Ich mache es kurz' and produce 'I make it short'. Please don't — in English, you 'keep it short'. 'Let me keep it short: we're not interested at the moment.' That's clear, polite and final.„Ich mache es kurz“ = „Let me keep it short“, nicht „I make it short“.

AndrewFourth rule: if the offer might be useful later, don't burn any bridges. Say: 'Could you send me the details by email? I'll have a look when things calm down.' You stay in control, and the caller gets a polite next step instead of a hard no.

AndrewAnd when it's time to end the call, watch out for 'Wir hören uns'. The direct translation 'we hear us' doesn't exist in English. The natural phrases are: 'Speak to you soon', 'Talk soon' or simply 'Have a good day'.„Wir hören uns“ = „Speak to you soon“, niemals „we hear us“.

AndrewLet's put it all together. 'Thanks for calling, but we're happy with our current supplier. Feel free to send the details by email — I'll keep it short today, I'm afraid. Have a good day.' Thirty seconds, no stress, relationship intact.

AndrewSo remember: stay calm, ask what it's regarding, be honest, keep it short and end with 'speak to you soon'. The next unexpected sales call won't feel like an ambush — it'll feel like a routine you already know.

Key phrases

out of the blue

suddenly and without warning

A headhunter called me out of the blue with a job offer.

to move the call forward

to make progress in a phone conversation

A short, clear answer moves the call forward.

what this is regarding

what a call or message is about

Could you tell me what this is regarding, please?

decision-maker

the person with the authority to make a decision

I'm not the decision-maker — you'll need to speak to our director.

procurement team

the department responsible for buying goods and services

All software purchases go through our procurement team.

current supplier

the company that currently provides a product or service

We're happy with our current supplier, thank you.

to burn bridges

to destroy a relationship you might need later

Decline politely — you never want to burn bridges in business.

to keep it short

to be brief — never "make it short"

Let me keep it short: we can't take part this year.

Language notes

An unexpected sales call in English? This episode gives you four rules for handling it politely, professionally and in under three minutes — including the translation traps "Ich mache es kurz" and "Wir hören uns" (level B2).

Politely fending off: the four rules

The framework: stay calm and answer the greeting briefly ("Very well, thank you — how can I help you?"), find out what it is about ("what this is regarding"), be honest about your situation ("not my area" or "happy with our current supplier") and close cleanly. Every rule comes with a ready-made phrase — under stress you do not invent anything, you simply retrieve it.

"How are you today?" is a ritual, not a question

English cold calls almost always open with "How are you today?" — a politeness ritual, not a genuine health enquiry. Germans often answer at length or sound irritated; the professional response is short and warm ("Very well, thank you"). Second cultural rule: a clear, polite no is respected in British and American sales culture — a vague "maybe later" only earns you weeks of follow-up calls.

Two translation traps to take away

First: "Ich mache es kurz" is not "I make it short" but "I keep it short" — "make" produces something, "keep" holds it in a state. Second: "Wir hören uns" is not "we hear us" but "Speak to you soon" or "Talk soon". Listeners usually understand both mistakes — but they mark you instantly as a translator rather than a speaker.

Keep practising: Learn business English online — with real teachers from Simmonds, since 2004.

Frequently asked questions

What language level is this episode for?

Level B2 (CEFR). The monologue uses natural trainer English with ready-made model phrases; the vocabulary list explains all eight key phrases bilingually.

How do I end a sales call politely in English?

With three building blocks: thank them ("Thanks for calling"), decline clearly ("we're happy with our current supplier") and close naturally ("Speak to you soon" or "Have a good day"). Optionally in between: "Feel free to send the details by email."

What is "Wir hören uns" in English?

"Speak to you soon" or "Talk soon" — the literal translation "we hear us" does not exist in English and sounds odd to native speakers.

Where can I practise phone situations like this live?

In the online business English courses from Simmonds Language Services: live lessons with real teachers on Zoom, for companies and individuals across Germany. Book a free consultation at englisch-lehrer.com/online — we will find the right course format for your goals.

Are the voices real?

Episodes are produced with high-quality AI voices (Hume) and editorially reviewed by our trainer team — the same method as our interactive lessons.

Want to practise these phrases in a real conversation?

The podcast trains your ear — in our online lessons you practise the conversation yourself, with real teachers. For companies across Germany since 2004.

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