re: What's up with people not wanting to, or afraid to call other people?

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Ever since the invention of the text message, people have started to become lazy and lose social skills.

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I don’t know. I think part of it has to do with not being able to see their face.

I’d rather talk to someone in person or at least over Zoom than over the phone. This is particularly true for something like interviews or any work related call.

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Oh, I will e-chat with customer service in a heartbeat before calling the 1-800 number

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Sometimes, that is much much easier...and faster

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Sometimes, that is much much easier...and faster

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Yep. I have a 3rd external monitor that I can chat with customer service people. Paper trail, no talking over one another, can do other stuff while I chat, can hold out all day long because I don't have to hang up the phone, no dropped connection, no worrying about tone and how to interpret certain messages, etc.

I'll take a chat all day long.

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Phone was the easiest and fastest way to make quick decisions other than in person.

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oh yeah, I get that... lucky for me, that seldom happens. I would be way more pro-phone call if it was transcribed though.

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I'll take a chat all day long.

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I would too. When Blackberry(phone) was a thing, I had to call AT&T to schedule a return since the phone initially would not turn on. I called at 8:30 and was on hold until 11:30. Finally someone answers and then after giving my information...click...disconnected.

Called back and was on hold for another hour or so. Finally got it resolved but lost half a day for that shite.

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I might feel differently if I had a work-only phone.

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have you looked into google voice? obviously useless if you absolutely don't want to cross that line, but it's another boundary outside of your personal number at least

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We use our personal phones (company pays a stipend to us), and I'm just not ready to allow texting. My coworker does, and she ends up dealing with client issues way outside of business hours because of it.

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What do you mean "allow" texting? I assume that they have your number... if they do then just ignore it until work hours or a quick reply that you'll look at it in the morning.

I also use my personal phone for work (should be getting a stipend next check) and most people are pretty respectful about work hours. Previous job I did have a lot of contractors that worked early hours so sometimes I would be texting/calling before work, but they all knew my normal hours. A phone call on my drive in never bothered me though.

Avoidant personality disorder is awful, has totally ruined my life

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What do you mean "allow" texting?

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I guess I mean I've never texted a client, and I've never told them to text me. I probably wouldn't reply via text if they did.. unless it was something very quick/easy like them letting me know what time to arrive for a meeting the next day or something. For anything deeper, I would shoot them an email instead of texting.

So far, nobody has really tried to text me. I think I've done a good job of subconsciously "training" people because I rarely even have them trying to call me these days like they used to. I've made myself very available via email, so I think people have just learned to contact me there. Anything that's a simple reply gets responded to within minutes regardless of time/day, unless I'm drinking

Quick response time is the #1 compliment clients have given in feedback.

Example of why emails are important. Picking up on a job that someone else quoted. He spoke to all the vendors on the phone on these quotes and has no record of prices and the vendors have no idea what I am talking about. And I don't have an email to forward them. Fun times.