t never fails. You've worked diligently on the perfect presentation for that all-important prospect. You've made the proper introduction at your first meeting. You leave the merchant with a positive impression and have a handshake agreement for a callback. It comes ... and are you in your office to get it? Of course not! The prospect calls at the exact moment you've dashed out for a late lunch.

Don't lament. Even though the prospect may call a competitor who might be in, you'll win points by returning that call ASAP. In addition to wasting no time in returning merchant calls, here are some additional tips to keep in mind the next time a prospect or even a customer calls you when you're out:

• Never let your receptionist or even your answering service ask the person to call back. They've used their dime to make contact. Show them the same courtesy by taking responsibility for returning the call.

• Train your staff to ask the appropriate questions. And those questions are: name, company, phone and the most convenient time for them to receive your return call. If you have voicemail, specify the same request on the recording.

• Keep your system simple. If a prospect has to maneuver through your company's automated voicemail service with the same agility as if they'd entered an obstacle course, they'll hang up and call a competitor for sure.

• Even if you have the most extraordinary answering system, it won't replace inaccessibility. In today's world of pagers and cell phones, you should be able to be reached at all times. If the caller doesn't want to place a second call to your cell phone or pager, make sure your staff or your system does.

• Whether it be a live person or a recording, make sure your prospect hears delight on the other end of the line when they call. Indifference or - even worse - impoliteness will quickly translate to a potential sale gone sour. The prospect just as easily could have chosen to call another provider ... and still can.