The 15-minute pre-call routine for a business finance call

The difference between a finance call that ends with “here are your options” and one that ends with “send me a few things and I’ll get back to you” is often fifteen minutes. Not fifteen hours of paperwork — fifteen minutes of getting the right things in front of you before the phone rings.

This is the routine we’d suggest to anyone who’s asked for a call-back and has a window coming up. It works whether the call is about an ATO balance, a piece of equipment, a cash flow gap or something you’re not quite sure how to describe.

Why bother with a routine at all?

Because a first finance call is a fact-find. The specialist needs to understand the purpose, the amount, the timing, how the business trades, what it owes, whether there’s any property involved, and how a loan would be repaid. Every one of those you can answer on the spot is a question that doesn’t need a follow-up call.

It also takes the stress out. Owners who come to a call with their numbers ready tend to feel more in control of the conversation — and they ask better questions, because they aren’t busy trying to remember their bank balance.

Minutes 0 to 3: open the things you’ll need

Start with access. It’s surprisingly common for a call to stall because someone can’t remember a login.

• Online banking. Log in and download recent business bank statements as PDFs. You don’t need to send them yet; you just need them ready.
• Accounting software, if you use it. Open the profit and loss and the list of money owed to you.
• ATO Online services for business, if the call involves tax. It shows balances, overdue amounts and payment plans, and lets you download transaction history.
• Your email, so you can find the quote, contract or letter that’s driving the need.

If a login fails, note it and move on. Better to know now than halfway through the call.

Minutes 3 to 6: write your one-sentence summary

Write down, in one sentence, what you need, what it’s for and when. For example (illustrative only):

“About $80,000 to buy a used excavator from a dealer who needs payment by the 20th, so we can start a civil contract next month.”

Or:

“Around $35,000 to cover a BAS and two pay runs while we wait on a progress payment due mid-November.”

That sentence is how you’ll open the call. It gives the specialist the purpose, the amount and the deadline in about ten seconds, and it stops the conversation wandering. If you’ve already used the call-prep tool, your topic, amount and urgency are a good starting point.

Once you’ve written it, you’re most of the way to a useful call. If you haven’t requested one yet, pick a window and ask for your call-back here.

Minutes 6 to 9: jot down the business numbers

On the same page, write down the handful of figures the specialist is almost certain to ask about:

Figure	What to write
Monthly turnover	A typical month, and whether it’s seasonal
Time in business	Years and months trading
What the business owes	Each loan, card, merchant advance, ATO balance — rough figures
Repayments	What leaves the account each week or month for existing debt
Property	Address, rough value and what’s owed, if you own any
Anything awkward	ATO debt, a past default, a dispute — with dates

Estimates are fine, as long as you say they’re estimates. “About $60,000 a month, lower in winter” is far more useful than “it varies”.

Minutes 9 to 12: open the deadline document and list your questions

Find the document that explains why you need the money now:

• the ATO letter or payment plan terms
• the supplier’s quote or pro-forma invoice
• the contract or purchase order
• the payout figure from an existing lender
• the settlement date on a property contract

Have it open. The specialist may ask about specific figures or dates in it.

Then write down three or four questions of your own. If you’re not sure where to start, these cover the most important ground:

1. What would this cost in total, in dollars, including all fees?
2. What security or personal guarantee would be involved?
3. Can I repay early, and what would that save?
4. What happens next, and how long does each step usually take?

Our page of questions to ask a business lender on the first call has more, grouped by topic.

Minutes 12 to 15: set up where you’ll take the call

This part gets overlooked, and it matters more than you’d think.

• Find somewhere quiet. A compressor, a coffee grinder or a busy shop floor turns a twenty-minute call into a frustrating one.
• Be near your laptop if the topic involves figures you might need to check.
• Turn off silent and allow unknown numbers — the call may come from a number you don’t recognise.
• Check your voicemail box isn’t full, in case you miss the first attempt.
• Have a pen and your one-page summary in front of you.

If someone else knows the numbers better — a business partner, a bookkeeper, your accountant — consider having them nearby or on speaker. Our guide on whether your accountant should join the call weighs up when that’s worth it.

What should I say when the call starts?

Open with your one-sentence summary. Then, before the specialist starts asking questions, mention anything awkward:

“Just so you know up front — there’s an ATO balance of about $40,000 on a payment plan, and I had a default on a supplier account in 2024 that’s since been paid.”

It feels uncomfortable to lead with that, but it saves time and builds trust. The specialist can steer straight towards options that consider those things, rather than discovering them later. Past credit issues and ATO debt are considered case by case — but only if they’re on the table.

What if the call comes early, or not at all?

If it comes early and you’re not ready, it’s fine to say so and suggest a better time within the next hour or two. If it doesn’t come in your window, check for a voicemail or text. Our page on missed call-backs explains how to reconnect without starting over.

Remember, too, that windows are in your own local time. If you’re in Perth or Adelaide, or daylight saving has just started or ended, the call times by state page shows how windows line up across the country.

What should I do straight after the call?

Spend five more minutes writing down what was said: the options discussed, the costs mentioned, the documents requested and the next step. It’s much easier while it’s fresh. Our guide on what to write down after a finance call has a simple template.

A printable version of the routine

Minutes	Do this
0–3	Log in to banking, download statements; open accounting software, ATO Online services and email
3–6	Write your one sentence: amount, purpose, deadline
6–9	Jot down turnover, time trading, debts, repayments, property, anything awkward
9–12	Open the deadline document; write three or four questions
12–15	Quiet spot, near a laptop, sound on, pen ready

If you’d like to know how ready you are before you start, the eight-question Call-Ready Check takes two minutes and gives you a gaps list.

Ready for your call?

Fifteen minutes of preparation turns a first conversation into a useful one. At Loan Hotline, asking for a call-back carries no credit check, your details stay with one team instead of being spread across lenders, and the specialist reads your request before they dial — so the call starts where you are.

When you fill in the request, please be accurate with the amount, your state and any property you own. It’s the single biggest thing that helps us match you properly on the first call. Request your call-back and choose a window.