Doing business over the phone versus via email

[Flint]

Some people seem to think that picking up the phone is always the best way to do business, because it is more direct and personal. There may also be some element of the “old school” who are not completely comfortable with computers. For whatever reason, they consider email to be somehow inferior, or not a “professional” mode of communication.

Here are some reasons why I like email:

• You can read it whenever you get the chance. You do not have to be at your desk when the phone rings, or check your voicemail, or play phone tag all day. I even think that it might be a little rude to call someone and interrupt what they are doing with your non-emergency phone call. Emails let us all work on things in due time, in an orderly fashion.
  
• Email is communication AND documentation. It keeps track of information that you can save and reference later. When a phone call happens, none of the information that is exchanged can ever be verified or reproduced.

But what about the elusive element of “tone” that we worry about? Will the email be misinterpreted? I believe that if you are using professional, formal speech instead of “joking around” there is much less room for error.

Regarding the phone call method (the reason I wrote this thread): what if, in the course of this direct and personal chat, I find out that I don’t like you (or vice versa)? I just talked to a vendor who, over the phone, struck me as insulting. If he could have just emailed me a quote, I would have looked at it when I had a chance, and evaluated it on its merits--not on whether I wanted to be best buddies with some asshole I’ve never met before, who calls and interrupts my busy day with a bunch of useless jabber.

[xoxoxoBruce]

For those of us that don't hear well, email is a godsend. Especially with service/information's little helpers in India.

[lumberjim]

what?

[Cloud]

Emails can be just as professional, especially if set up properly. That means:

--an informative subject line which indicates whether there is a request, action needed, etc.
--concise, businesslike wording
--a saluation and complete signature

[glatt]

I generally prefer e-mails, but there are some times that a 2 minute phone conversation will accomplish as much as two days of sending e-mails back and forth.

[dar512]

Originally Posted by glatt

I generally prefer e-mails, but there are some times that a 2 minute phone conversation will accomplish as much as two days of sending e-mails back and forth.

A major life-skill in business these days is being able to tell the difference.

[regular.joe]

More gets done by email where I work then by the phone. I sometimes wonder how the Army ran before email. If I didn't check mine for 1/2 a week I'd never get caught up.....and I'm a little fish in a big pond. I secretly think the big fish have email helpers.

[Cloud]

Originally Posted by dar512

A major life-skill in business these days is being able to tell the difference.

totally agree.

Emails are great for documentation and paper trail, but there's a pitfall there, too, as major corporations have found out to their pain. Too much documentation can be a bad thing!

[xoxoxoBruce]

Not unless you're a slimeball.

[lookout123]

You don't have to be a slimeball to get screwed by email. The other guy who has a slimeball attorney can work wonders with a perfectly innocent written message.

[dar512]

In my case, it's more that email discussions can go on forever without resolving anything. Being able to identify which issues really require a meeting and which can be handled by email is a useful skill.

And also how to move a discussion from email to a meeting when the thread has gone on too long.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by lookout123

You don't have to be a slimeball to get screwed by email. The other guy who has a slimeball attorney can work wonders with a perfectly innocent written message.

If you have to say, 'that's not what I meant', then you weren't making yourself clear to begin with.

[tw]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

If you have to say, 'that's not what I meant', then you weren't making yourself clear to begin with.

How can anyone be clear if you cannot see his face? "Look in his eyes to see the soul of the man." Do eyes make things clearer?

Or are 'their' eyes watching us? Maybe it only need be clear to them? Clearly we don't yet have answers.

Confirmation will be mailed. (What was the question?)

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by tw

How can anyone be clear if you cannot see his face?

Easy, because you only have what he said(wrote), not what you think he meant, through your interpretation of "body language" etc.

I've heard it a hundred times, Well, he said ____, but I could tell he really meant _____.

[lookout123]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

If you have to say, 'that's not what I meant', then you weren't making yourself clear to begin with.

you obviously haven't been through enough lawyered up meetings.