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Using the Telephone

A young David Jason tries and fails to master sales calls in this highly enjoyable 1970s corporate film

1970 18 mins

Overview

"No one is suggesting you try to sell by phone", assures the presenter of this jokey film, from a time before telesales had become a commonplace nuisance. This tutorial aims to guide employees on how to use the telephone effectively for business, through a series of staged demonstrations. Comic relief is supplied by a young David Jason, demonstrating the wrong way to do business.

While not a household name at the time the film was released, David Jason had established himself as a comic actor, notably as Captain Fantastic in the comedy series Do Not Adjust Your Set. Using the Telephone is clearly aimed at businessmen, with the emphasis on 'men' - the only woman featured is a secretary with scant screen time. Despite the blokey humour, the script was co-written by a woman, Rossaline Kerley. It's part of the training film series The Customer and You, advising professionals on how to improve their sales performance.