If your sales data is a mess, you’re not alone. A lot of teams struggle to figure out what’s really happening on their calls, and the culprit is often bad disposition settings. If you’re using Calltools, the good news is, you can actually fix this—if you know what to tweak and what to ignore. This guide is for sales ops folks, managers, or anyone who actually has to make sense of call reports (and is tired of guessing what “Callback-2” means).
Let’s cut through the fluff and get your dispositions working for you.
What Are Dispositions in Calltools—and Why Bother?
A “disposition” is just the label your team adds to a call when they hang up—like “Sale,” “Not Interested,” or “No Answer.” It sounds simple, but if your list is full of confusing or overlapping options, your data’s basically junk.
Why it matters: - Bad dispositions = bad reporting (and wasted time). - Reps get frustrated if they can’t find the right option, so they just pick whatever. - Managers can’t track what’s actually working.
So, spending a couple of hours here saves you hours of headaches later.
Step 1: Audit Your Current Dispositions
Before you start adding or deleting anything, take a hard look at what you’ve got now.
What to check: - Are there too many options? If your list scrolls for days, nobody’s using it right. - Are options too vague? “Other” or “Misc” are basically useless for reporting. - Do options overlap? “Not Interested” vs. “No Longer Interested” is just splitting hairs.
Pro tip: Pull a report of your last 1,000 calls. Which dispositions actually get used? Which never get touched? That’s where to start.
Step 2: Decide What You Really Need to Track
You can’t track everything. The trick is to focus on what you’ll actually use to make decisions.
Core dispositions most teams need: - Sale/Closed Won: Obvious, but don’t overcomplicate. - Not Interested: Self-explanatory. Don’t split hairs. - Callback/Follow Up: Use for “call them back later,” but don’t create a callback for every day of the week. - No Answer/Voicemail: One or two versions, tops. - Do Not Call: For legal compliance.
What to skip:
- Ultra-specific stuff like “Callback – Tuesday Afternoon.”
- “Other.” If it’s truly “other,” you probably don’t need a disposition for it.
Pro tip: If you have to explain a disposition to every new hire, it’s probably too complicated.
Step 3: Clean Up and Standardize Naming
If your team can’t tell the difference between “Left Message” and “Left Voicemail,” neither can your CRM.
How to fix it: - Use plain English. Avoid jargon, codes, or inside jokes. - Every disposition should be self-explanatory. - Keep names short and consistent.
Example cleanup: - “Sale” instead of “Closed – Successful – Confirmed.” - “Not Interested” instead of “NI,” “No Interest,” or “Unqualified.”
Step 4: Set Up Dispositions in Calltools
Now you’re ready to build your clean, focused disposition list inside Calltools.
How to update dispositions: 1. Go to the admin panel: Only admins can change dispositions. 2. Edit your existing list: Remove anything nobody uses or that’s redundant. 3. Add your new, simplified options: Stick to your shortlist from Step 2. 4. Set required fields for key outcomes: For example, require a note for “Do Not Call.” 5. Save changes and notify the team: Don’t just spring it on them—tell them what’s changing.
What works:
- Fewer, clearer choices—reps can actually pick the right one, fast.
- Required notes for tricky dispositions (like “Do Not Call”).
What doesn’t:
- Overloading with every possible scenario. You’ll just create more confusion.
Step 5: Train (Briefly!) and Get Feedback
Don’t book a two-hour meeting for this. Instead:
- Share a one-pager or quick video showing the new options.
- Explain why you trimmed things down.
- Invite feedback after a week—see what’s actually working or causing friction.
Pro tip: If reps are regularly picking the “wrong” disposition, ask why. Nine times out of ten, the options don’t match the real calls.
Step 6: Monitor, Tweak, and Don’t Overthink It
You’re not done after launch. Watch how your new dispositions are working.
How to stay on top of it: - Spot-check reports weekly: Are people defaulting to “Callback” for everything? - Ask reps directly: Is anything missing or unclear? - Adjust as needed: It’s not set in stone—make changes if you spot patterns.
What to ignore:
- The urge to add more options every time someone requests it. Push back unless it’s truly necessary.
Common Pitfalls (and How to Dodge Them)
Even smart teams fall into these traps:
- Too many “callback” types: Just use one. Trust me.
- Letting “Other” fill up with everything: If lots of calls are “Other,” your list is off.
- No “Do Not Call” tracking: This is a legal risk, not just an annoyance.
- Ignoring data hygiene: If you see wild inconsistencies (“Sale” on a voicemail), dig in and retrain.
Reporting: Making Sense of the Data
Once your dispositions are cleaned up, your reports actually mean something.
What you’ll get: - Clear conversion rates (calls to sales, callbacks, etc.) - Real insights into why calls aren’t converting - Easier coaching and process tweaks
But: If your team isn’t using the system, or if your list is still bloated, you’ll just get garbage in, garbage out.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Don’t try to build the perfect system all at once. Start with a tight, useful set of dispositions, see how they work, and adjust. Most teams need fewer options than they think, and the real value is in clarity—not in tracking every edge case.
If you keep things simple and listen to your team, your Calltools data will finally be something you can actually use—not just another spreadsheet to ignore.