Call Disposition refers to the outcome status assigned to a sales or support call after it has taken place. It is typically used by Sales Development Representatives (SDRs), call center agents, and customer success teams to record what happened during a call and inform the next steps in the outreach or support sequence.
Call dispositions are essential for tracking engagement, analyzing performance, improving conversion rates, and optimizing follow-up workflows in CRM systems.
What Is Call Disposition?
Call disposition is the label or status code an agent selects to describe the result of a phone call. This can be a sales outcome (e.g., “Interested,” “Not a Fit”) or a logistics outcome (e.g., “No Answer,” “Left Voicemail”).
Each disposition entry answers questions such as:
- Was the call connected?
- Was the prospect qualified?
- Did the lead request a follow-up?
- Is the contact no longer viable?
Why Call Disposition Matters in B2B Sales
✅ Organizes outreach results in a structured way
✅ Helps SDRs prioritize follow-ups and recycle leads
✅ Tracks performance of sales campaigns and reps
✅ Triggers automation for email follow-ups or next steps
✅ Improves accuracy in forecasting and pipeline reporting
✅ Helps managers identify coaching opportunities
Dispositions are often a required field in sales engagement platforms and CRMs to keep pipelines clean and trackable.
Common Call Disposition Categories
| Disposition | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ✅ Interested | Lead is a good fit and wants more info or a meeting |
| ❌ Not Interested | Lead declined or doesn’t see a need |
| 🕒 Call Back Later | Prospect requested future outreach |
| 📅 Appointment Booked | Call converted to a scheduled meeting or demo |
| 📞 No Answer | Call rang but was not picked up |
| 📬 Left Voicemail | Voicemail was left, but no contact made |
| 🧍 Wrong Contact | Person was not the decision-maker |
| 📵 Disconnected Number | Invalid or inactive number |
| 🧊 Do Not Contact (DNC) | Prospect asked not to be contacted again |
Each business may customize dispositions to reflect its unique sales process.
Where Call Dispositions Are Used
- 🔁 Cold calling campaigns (SDRs/BDRs)
- 📈 Sales engagement sequences
- 📞 Customer support and success follow-ups
- 🧠 Account-based marketing outreach
- 🧾 Lead scoring and CRM status updates
- 📊 Call analytics dashboards and reporting
How Call Disposition Impacts CRM & Automation
| Action | Triggered by Disposition |
|---|---|
| 📧 Email follow-up automation | “Call Back Later” or “Voicemail Left” |
| 🔄 Lead status update | “Appointment Booked” → Lead → Opportunity |
| 📋 Do-not-contact list update | “Do Not Contact” or “Unsubscribed” |
| 🧠 Lead scoring adjustments | “Interested” → +10 points |
| 📊 Rep performance tracking | Conversion rates by disposition category |
Using dispositions enables smart workflows and reduces the manual overhead of follow-ups and re-qualifications.
CUFinder and Call Disposition Optimization
CUFinder supports appointment setting and prospecting teams by:
- ✅ Providing accurate B2B contact information, improving connect rates
- ✅ Reducing the volume of bad numbers and DNC flags
- ✅ Enriching lead records to reduce “Wrong Contact” outcomes
- ✅ Powering CRM enrichment with verified phone, email, and job titles
- ✅ Supporting multi-channel cadences tied to disposition data
Best Practices for Call Disposition
✅ Define a clear and limited list of disposition options
✅ Train reps on what each label means — keep it consistent
✅ Use CRM rules to require disposition before call log is saved
✅ Tie automated workflows to common dispositions (e.g., “Send follow-up”)
✅ Monitor trends (e.g., high “No Answer” rate = bad timing or data)
✅ Regularly audit dispositions to remove unused or redundant statuses
✅ Use disposition data in rep coaching and performance reviews
Tools That Support Call Disposition Logging
| Platform Type | Tools |
|---|---|
| ☎️ Dialers & VoIP | Aircall, RingCentral, Kixie |
| 🧠 Sales Engagement Platforms | Outreach, Salesloft, Apollo |
| 📋 CRMs with Call Logging | HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho CRM |
| 📊 Analytics Dashboards | Gong, Avoma, Revenue.io |
| 🔁 Marketing Automation | HubSpot Workflows, ActiveCampaign, Pardot |
Legal & Compliance Considerations
- ✅ Always mark “Do Not Contact” when requested
- ✅ Add DNC contacts to suppression lists in CRM and dialer
- ✅ Comply with GDPR and CCPA by tracking opt-out requests
- ✅ Do not reassign “Do Not Contact” leads without legal basis
- ✅ Respect National DNC lists and update regularly
- ✅ Store call recordings or notes in accordance with privacy laws
Dispositions help demonstrate a company’s compliance with opt-out and consent laws by logging outcomes with appropriate labels.
Cited Sources
- Wikipedia: Call centre
- Wikipedia: Customer relationship management
- Wikipedia: Sales
- Wikipedia: Lead generation
Related Terms
- Cold Calling
- Appointment Setting
- CRM
- Sales Engagement
- Lead Qualification
- Direct Dial
- Phone Prospecting
- Sales Intelligence
- Outreach Automation
- Sales Cadence
- Call Script
- Lead Scoring
FAQ
What is call disposition?
Call disposition is a label assigned after a call to describe the outcome (e.g., “No Answer,” “Interested,” “Not a Fit”). It helps track outreach, automate follow-ups, and analyze rep performance.
Why is call disposition important in outbound sales?
It ensures that every call is accounted for, triggers the right next action, and allows for accurate reporting on campaign success.
What should I do if a lead says ‘do not call again’?
Mark them with the “Do Not Contact” disposition, and ensure they are removed from all future dialer and email workflows. This is a legal requirement under DNC, GDPR, and CCPA.
How does CUFinder help improve call dispositions?
CUFinder provides verified direct dials and role-based data that reduce “Wrong Contact” and “Disconnected” dispositions, leading to more booked meetings.
Can I customize call disposition labels in my CRM?
Yes — most CRMs and sales engagement platforms allow custom disposition fields, so you can tailor them to your sales process.