It allows me to think. It allows me to use my SAT tutor’s vocabulary drilled into my brain many years ago. It also gives me a safe place to hide from uncomfortable topics, making it easier to deal with them. Sometimes, even I, the perpetual wordsmith, need to make a phone call.
Even though it may seem like calls are diminishing in importance, there are still times when they are essential, especially if the subject is sensitive. It’s time to get out of the way and take a deep breath before dialling. Here are six reasons why a phone call can be more important than an email. Take a look and get started.
An email is better than a phone call
When you want to apologize
Most people learn that when we make a mistake, we should apologize 96% of parents believe it’s important to have their children say sorry 88% of parents believe the same, even if it’s not intentional. What is a sincere apology?
It can be so difficult to admit that we are wrong. It can be difficult to say “I’m sorry” out loud. We have the option to type it in an email or text message quickly. It can be more significant when someone calls to apologize. If the person is honest, we can understand their remorse.
If you are afraid that you will make a mistake when you apologize, you can still write it down before making the call. This can give you a better idea of what you want to say and reduce the chance of mumbling it. It’s important to sound natural. An apology will not seem authentic if you read from a script.
When you anticipate a lot of questions
It turns out she was correct. He explained that calls with many questions could be more difficult to handle via email because it’s not a live conversation. You can talk to someone on the phone and ask a question, then move on to another.
Ye and her counterpart were able to answer all questions by phone, which was much more efficient than sending out a series of emails. You risk losing track of the questions and answers you have received if you do not take notes during calls. There’s one catch: if you don’t take notes during a call, it’s easy to forget what was discussed. This is due to our decreasing attention span and retention of details .
It is possible to combine a phone conversation with an email. It is a good idea to follow up by writing after a conversation. This helps you keep track of the conversations and provides a reference point.
Explaining Complex Problems
As a reference point, written instructions can be very helpful. See the above. If you are trying to understand a complex series of steps or are just new to the process, it can be extremely helpful to have someone speak to you.
My colleague Adrianne Ober, a channel consultant deals with this phenomenon every day. She says that email is great for getting to point and staying on task, but that a conversation will provide more context.
Ober states that while it is great to be friendly it is equally important to keep the conversation on track. This is especially true if you have a good relationship with the person you are speaking to. Keep in mind the main purpose of the conversation and stay focused until the problem is resolved.
When it takes you too long to respond
It is difficult to estimate how many emails remain unread in an average person’s inbox. Just over 37% of my colleagues replied that they have between 11 and 50 unread emails.
This is why emails can easily be forgotten or overlooked. It’s true. How many times have we opened an email, marked it “unread”, and then hoped to answer it later? This habit allows messages to become quickly buried in incoming emails.
Two possible solutions exist to this problem:
- You can organize your inbox using resources such as HubSpot sales or any of the email management tools listed here.
- Call the sender if you have missed something important.
Remember our advice to phone when you need to apologize. This is a great example of when it’s especially helpful. Inbox overload is becoming an epidemic in the workplace. It’s likely that the person you call will be able to understand some of your neglect. It speaks volumes that you actually called the person to address the issue, rather than sending an email that will just flood their inbox. This sends the message that this person is important and not something to be done last.
When you need to discuss something personal
Simply put, life happens. Sometimes it’s not so amazing. Sometimes, we have to temporarily take a step back from some responsibilities like work.
We’ve stressed that using the spoken word instead of email can make your counterpart feel more important and help you to fully understand what you’re talking about. If you have to raise something personal like a family issue or medical concern, don’t send an email. Instead, have a conversation.
This helps instill empathy. Researchers at the University of Michigan discovered that certain populations had a 40% decline in empathy. This was due to an increase in technology. This is a sign that you are hiding behind a screen and cannot associate emotion with what’s said.
We recommend that you use the phone (or an in-person conversation if possible) when you need to talk about anything important.