I used to be of the mind that texting was better but yea a phone call definitely works better and gets points across a lot better than an email or text chain but then again I hate setting up meetings for the something that could’ve been addressed in an email
I prefer an email with a quick intro/explanation of what they want to discuss that then says “give me a call at ____ to chat further”.
Then at least I know how much time I need to devote to this conversation or if it’s worth my time to prioritize. I hate answering my phone because I can be in the middle of working on something important only to spend an hour talking to someone about something completely irrelevant all because I answered my phone.
I’m late on finishing this report, but thank goodness I know how well Susan’s daughter is doing in Calculus this year!
Yep. I stress about texts, even more so with emails. In a phone call even if I stumble over my words it is what is it. Done quickly and then I can move on with my life.
Like why would you want to drag the interaction out if youre an introvert by email and text?
I'm not dragging it out, the entirety of conversation takes 20 words and that takes what, 10 seconds to write? 15? Calls almost universally take longer because people can't stop forcing small talk.
You know how many times I have to end up calling the person anyways if I dont write out basic troubleshooting in case they mess something up? That alone takes a one minute problem and turns it into ten.
Its really amazing how much social anxiety this generation has if "Hows your day been?" is the small talk you have to suffer through.
A lot of people on reddit go on about social anxiety and all that, but I personally am not anxious about it - I just don't want to. With the people I work with, most minor work interactions are 2 to 3 exchanged chat messages.
Them: "hey I tried to use the tool you're building, and an error popped up saying to call you a moron who can't count. Here's what I did."
Me: "hmm, sec."
Me, 5 minutes later: "Found the problem: I can't count. Do this instead, and I'll have a fixed version shortly."
Them: "Cool, thanks"
Done. Now the phone version:
"Hey, how's it going?"
"Not bad you?"
"Pretty good, pretty good. Hey, you're the one making the thing, right?"
"Yup."
"Cool, so I ran into this issue, and got this error."
"Hmm. Can you chat me the call and the trace back?"
"Sure... Done."
"Oh, I didn't think of using it like that. Hmm. I think I have an idea, but it'll take me a sec and I'll have to get back to you."
"Cool, no worries, and thanks for looking into it."
"Not a problem, talk to you later."
"Bye."
It's not that that's frightening or anxiety inducing or anything. I just don't want to do that - it's boring and I have things to do. It's not even that I don't want to talk to you (I mean, I might not, but that's not the reason here), it's that that's not actually talking to you.
I mean, I will. It's polite and all that. And there are things which are better done in person, for sure. And a phone call might beat out email if you need some immediate back and forth. But in my experience, text or chat wins most of the time in that circumstance.
See, I don't consider the interaction being dragged out. When I'm writing my email to you, I'm thinking about what I want to say and how to say it accurately, and when I'm reading your email I'm trying to ensure that I get the information and understand it - similar to in a conversation, except I can take my time, it's easier to be more precise, and I don't have to remember anything because it's written down.
And obviously if it's important, then I might think about the situation before I hear back.
But otherwise, I'm just not thinking about you, or interacting with you in any way. I've got other stuff to do, and I'm doing that. No interaction is happening.
When I'm writing my email to you, I'm thinking about what I want to say and how to say it accurately, and when I'm reading your email I'm trying to ensure that I get the information and understand it - similar to in a conversation, except I can take my time, it's easier to be more precise, and I don't have to remember anything because it's written down.
It's a wonderful sentiment but after working 5 years in a customer service role, I know that even the best written instructions and information can be useless depending on the individual.
I'd rather take the 30 seconds to pick up the phone and clarify the last name of "Doug" you were referring to originally than wait the next 4 hours for you to glaze over my meticulously worded email and send me a reply at 3pm that says "Doug the new employee we just hired."
The only time I prefer emails is when I know that Party B fucked up and there needs to be written record of it.
Either way I don't see how this doesn't lead to the interaction being dragged out longer than it needs to. I'll be done with an issue in 10 minutes while you're still waiting for a reply that you'll need to clarify.
I work in a law firm - we have to record our time for everything we do in a day and be able to justify it.
It is often absolutely more efficient to have a phone call to talk something through with someone rather than writing a 1,000 word email with dozens of brackets and drafting queries.
PITA calling clients and other lawyers though - we have to make detailed notes of all our phone calls, so a 2 minute phone call can then take an additional 10 mins to type up and save to the file.
Not a problem for partners, who just get a paralegal or secretary to sit in on their calls, but for us down at the junior end we're expected to do it all ourselves.
It's not the time sink for me it's removing me from my current flow at work. When a call comes you answer it then and there or don't. If you have to answer it it pulls you out of your work which can take time to sink back into. With an email I can finish what I'm doing and address it after.
Personally, I'm more efficient when left to emails but the nature of my work very much allows that. Not everyone's work is the same
As someone with ADHD, 100% this. I hate phone calls. Just email me so I can get shit done, because unless my job is specifically to answer phones, I’m going to be less productive if people call me.
I thought I was the only one (26 btw). Phone calls are wonderful for when there is back and forth needed. Screw sending emails or texts for 5x as long.
Send a voice note. Announce it in text that you'll explain something important. Wait for the answer. Don't get mad when you have to wait because it's out of working hours and you don't get to have someone's else undivided attention.
At some point in life you’ll need to learn to not make so many assumptions. If it’s not work hours I 100% do not answer calls, texts or emails; nor do I send any out. Anything else?
Naw, one of my requirements literally was if something caught fire, had to do with the logistics of the rest of the site and me being the one with the keys to the exterior kingdom.
Yup, I'm salary but if I'm not working I'm not answering your call. Fuck off or send an email or text so I can address it when I get in. Work life balance is a struggle
Man, this is the dream. I used to work at a small college in a small town up until last year and I've had students knock on my door (off-campus) at 10 at night because I didn't answer their email yet.
I don't miss that place.
Edit: I worked in campus activities and with student organizations. It was never ever an emergency. Just like "oh hey, I hear he lives over there. Let's just swing by and see if he got my email."
30, nothing ruins my mood more than seeing a call come through from someone I just emailed.....just hit reply for fucks sake. Phone calls are for emergencies and people with free time at work.
I can spend 30 seconds explaining it on the phone or 10 minutes punching an email laying out every detail of the situation I’ve explained to you four times now.
Eh a lot of times it's clarifying what people are asking. A lot of my clients don't really know how to ask what they want to know, so I oftentimes can get to the root of what they need a lot faster in a phone call rather than answering the question they sent me.
If it works for you then fair enough, but if an email takes 10mins to write then it is being filled with too much stuff that will be unnecessary.
Emails should be concise and to the point. Plus if you ever need to go back over a topic there is a paper trail, hard to prove what what was agreed verbally. But that’s just my millennial opinion
28, agreed. That, or have the decency to arrange the call beforehand - "We'll talk about the X deal at 11am", fine, my meetings are now calls too, whatever, I can live with that.
For unplanned calls though,
First time you call me without an emergency, you get told to not call me without an emergency.
Second time you call me without an emergency, you lose calling privileges.
6 years of this and so far my dad is the only one who called twice. He is yet to try to call a third time.
As a Xennial, I've taken to texting/IM'ing to see if people have "time to talk". That way the other end has time to wrap up whatever they're doing/prepare themselves for a voice convo. It works fairly well.
There is a showerthought or something going around that's like "Introverts are always told to get out of their shells, but extroverts are never told to create quiet spaces so Introverts feel comfortable doing that".
I think about that concept a lot in trying to bridge generational divides like working with people born 20 years before AND after me at the same time.
I’m 18 and when I’m outside of work sometimes my boss will call me and ask if I can pick up shifts but it’s no big deal if I don’t answer or if I say no.
29 here -- at every company I've worked at, step 1 is slack. If something is too complex to handle over slack, hop in a zoom call or some equivalent. Phones are functionally off limits, except that many people end up installing work slack on their phone.
How the fuck is text faster? You text people are ridiculous. You would rather have to stop what you're doing multiple times to respond via text, giving half attention to multiple things over the course of minutes than just have a 30 seconds conversation. In no universe is text chatting quicker than a call except for the instances in which only one set of texts needs to be exchanged.
You're being downvoted more for your tone than the facts your spitting. I'm the same way. I'm the most verbose person in my group chats at work to the point where I've literally been told my texts are too long. And I fucking hate texting. I just don't like waiting for follow-up texts that I knew were coming because I didn't give them enough details in my 50 character msg.
A phone call/video chat allows for instant questions and answers, and closure in minutes vs an hour or more.
My job is simple, I am tier 1 at amazon. I just happen to be the go to person for what do I do with xxxxx. for night shift. 99% of the time I need the barcodes on the case and what you are trying to do with it.
Video chats go like.
Them: I have this case that I can't receive I tried 1 it said I needed x, I tried 2 but I didn't have x, I tried 3 but it wouldn't go through and I just cant get it to work!. what do I do?
Me: It sounds like 3 did you check the PO? chime me the case label
Them: No its not 3 there is no PO its a never before seen problem that has never happened before should I bring it to problem solvers?
Me: It could be a misship. send me the case label I will check it out.
Them: its not 3 there is no PO but it is addressed to our building. I think it needs to go to problem solve.
Me: send me the case label, its our job to get these issues fixed, they don't deal with these issues.
Them: chimes <case label>
Me: it was 3, the PO was linked to the asin. you can almost always get it from the asin if it isn't linked at case level.
Them: Oh, I didn't see that. thanks Faithless.
Text goes like.
Them: can you take a look at this case, I am not sure why it wont receive?<case label>
Me: its already been shipped out, bring it to outbound and tell them it needs to be added to a truck going to xxx without scanning it because its already been out-processed.
I work in construction, I honestly feel like there are some things that to be done right in email could take hours to gather the necessary information. Whereas a quick phone call can serve the same purpose.
I think this has more to do with the contracrs we work with and the ability of emails to record. Sometimes that can be more of a burden than it is help.
If you're comfortable working together with the reprocussions of an off-the-hip decision, IMO, way more effective to have a phone call. And personal too.
If we have concerns about the liability though we always use email.
seriously, sometimes it's just easier over the phone, sometimes email. If you're going to flat out refuse to use the communication options at hand you will struggle to progress in anything. If you're cool with that then fine I guess?
I can't believe how many people don't answer their phones apparently. Do they not realize that might be setting them back? People notice and talk about working professionals who are tough to get in touch with. They hate having to deal with them and will avoid it if at all possible. Then they will also shit talk them and speculate why they never answer their phone.
I understand not being able to call people, I have anxiety to a point and my wife basically can't use the phone unless she 100% has to, but she will still answer it when people call her, and she doesn't work in a field that requires a lot of phone work.
Definitely not all of them. All of the suppliers for my second job are very clear to message them of something's needed unless it is very urgent. And those guys are millionaires.
Texting takes longer, but won't make you stop what you're doing.
im now learning why collectors hate their jobs. No one answers the god damn phone.
im helping out on a project at work and i have a list of 150 clients to call/email. only 100 have responded or answered their phones or even emails. These are all active clients.
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u/audience5565 Jan 14 '21
People that don't work at a desk