Even ten seconds of skimming what you talked about last time is a meaningful advantage. The agent who remembers details is the one they remember back.
Pick one thing you genuinely appreciate about them, and bring it into the call. It cannot be fake — the brain detects insincere praise instantly.
Calls that try to accomplish three things end up feeling like an agenda being run on the person. Calls with one clear goal feel like a real conversation.
Match their energy in the first sentence. If they sound stressed when they pick up, slow down. If cheerful, match it. Most agents have one phone voice — that mismatch costs warmth in the first ten seconds.
Always ask "is now still a good time?" Most agents skip it. The act of asking respects their time and creates a small commitment that makes the rest easier.