Evidence citation
A pointer from a claim about a conversation back to the exact moment in the recording or message where it happened.
Use this definition in team training or when clarifying a sales note.
Definition
An evidence citation links an observation to its source. If a report says the customer asked about cancellation terms and nobody answered, the citation is the timestamp in the recording where the question was asked, or the message in the thread where it sat unanswered. The manager clicks and hears it.
Citations matter most when the claim is negative. Telling a rep that an appointment was never asked for is an accusation until the recording is playing, at which point it becomes a conversation about what to do differently on the next call.
Why it matters
Any summary of a conversation is a claim, and claims about people’s work get argued with. A citation ends the argument before it starts, which is the difference between a review that changes behavior and one that produces a defensive meeting. It also keeps your own reporting honest, since a claim nobody can trace back to a recording should not be acted on.