Be courteous to the people you talk to

This is something else that seems basic to me... be courteous when talking to people on the phone, especially when you're applying for a product or service.  When I talk about being courteous, I'm not just talking about watching your language, either - I've actually had instances where I've been on the phone with someone and they've asked me to hold on while they take another call.  I know people don't like to wait forever to talk to someone - neither do I - but remember when you call someone to order a product or service, there are often other people waiting on hold, so unless you absolutely have to take a call, please ask the person that's calling you if you can call them back in a few minutes.  It will make things go much faster for both you and the person you're talking to.