This just chaps my hide!

[thatcrazyredhead]

This happens to me all the time, and it happened again this morning, so I thought I'd post about it here.

A business has a website. On that website, they have a "Contact Us" option, either an email address or a form to fill out and submit online. I take the time to write a detailed email with whatever questions I have. English is my first language, and I have a good command of spelling and grammar, which is to say that whatever I'm trying to communicate should be easily understood. Nine times out of ten, I receive an email telling me to call them.

I have a somewhat unusual work/sleep schedule, I can't make personal calls at work (well, I could if I wanted to, but I hate when people do that and I don't want everybody within hearing range knowing my business), and I just hate making phone calls. Blame it on my social anxiety or whatever, but I just hate doing it.

So, if a company has a website, and an email address, and I've taken the time to type out a clear and thoughful email, WHY do they always insist on ignoring my questions and telling me to call? If I had wanted to call them, don't they think I would have done that instead of sending an email?

Bonus points when the response reveals that they A. do not have a good command of the English language or B. didn't bother to atcually read my email. Double bonus points to the dentist's office this morning that demonstrated both A and B. Guess who's not getting my business?

Seriously, is anyone else bothered by this?

[MoonCat]

This has happened to me a few times and yes, it ticks me off, too. I also hate it when they respond to me email with information that does not answer my question or address my problem.

[raudf]

I'll call if something is in need of immediate attention, otherwise, I prefer emails or live chats. The only time I have ever been asked to call during either was when the situation was actually so screwy they felt a phone call was a better communication option.

Now, having the person not read the ruttin' email? Oh yes, very much. I'll type out exactly what is going on, what I've done to try to correct it (let us go with, "This video card (model #) is having an issue where it won't display images on port A. Port B on card works fine, so I tested another monitor on port A and still no images. What is the next step I should take before asking for an exchange/repair?"

The response I got was for the CPU. Which they didn't make at the time. Needless to say, I emailed again, rather than responding and got someone with at least basic reading comprehension.

[Kanalah]

As someone with a phone phobia, this bothers me a lot too

[camjuniper]

I just hate making phone calls. Blame it on my social anxiety or whatever, but I just hate doing it.

I hate making phone calls, too--they use up too many of my spoons!

And I think it's pretty dumb for a company to have the email option only to turn around and say call us!

[DGoddessChardonnay]

This has happened to me a few times and yes, it ticks me off, too. I also hate it when they respond to me email with information that does not answer my question or address my problem.

I've had that happen quite a few times at work just trying to get a simple answer from Corporate.

Don't send me an email with the phone number for Corporate when all I'm asking for is the name of the contact person at Regional DC so I can order a pallet of empty banana boxes.

I mean, I alredy have the number . . . I just need a name. You'd think I was speaking Greek!

[Deserted]

As someone with a phone phobia, this bothers me a lot too

Jennifer McCreight, the grad student behind Boobquake, recently covered a similar topic.

[ozcatbug]

I hate this. Especially when I specify in the email that I have a hearing problem and have trouble with phones. I'm generally ok with people that I know, but can have major issues with hearing strangers voices.

I also hate websites where I have applied for an online quote, where you have to put in a phone number to get the quote, but the only way to get the quote is for them to call you, or you have to call them.

I was looking for home contents insurance, and decided to look at the website of a company that has ads that say "for an online quote ... ". I was filling in my details, and in the section "preferred method of contact" I specified email and added that I have hearing difficulties. I then went to complete the quote, without my phone number, and it wouldn't continue until the number was in. Less than a minute after I pressed continue, my phone rang. I ignored it as I have an answering machine, and I heard the message from the insurance company trying to complete the quote. A couple of minutes later I received an email from the same woman that left a message. I sent an email back, again specifying that I had hearing problems and couldn't use the phone, but I could answer any questions via email. 2 minutes later, the phone rang again and the same woman left another message, then another email arrived. I then emailed back that I applied for an "online quote, and if I had wanted to get a quote over the phone, I would have called, and since they couldn't seem to realise this, then I wasn't interested in any more contact from them". The stupid woman still didn't get it for a while, but any emails went into the spam folder, and messages were deleted. I won't ever use that company.

[Rock Lobster]

I hear ya on this! I hate making phone calls. It is also difficult for me to call from work for various reasons. Just respond to my email people or send me a letter! I hate phone tag then people get mad when you don't return their calls. I don't sit home all day and wait for your phone call and I can't sit home all day making phone calls either. I gotta work people but no one understands that when I tell them! I also work weird hours so it's hard to call from home.

[thatcrazyredhead]

Thanks, guys, I'm so glad I'm not alone!

I also hate websites where I have applied for an online quote, where you have to put in a phone number to get the quote, but the only way to get the quote is for them to call you, or you have to call them.

...

I then emailed back that I applied for an "online quote, and if I had wanted to get a quote over the phone, I would have called, and since they couldn't seem to realise this, then I wasn't interested in any more contact from them".

I ran into this a LOT when I was planning my wedding. I decided to look into hiring a coordinator for the day of the wedding, and sent out probably a dozen inquiries regarding availability, cost, and services provided. I hired the only one who answered all of my questions right away in an email without asking me to call her. She also charged one third the price of any of the others I eventually managed to wring pricing info out of, and she was worth every penny several times over. One of the ones I didn't hire wrote me a very nice email after I told her I had chosen someone else, wanting to know why. Apparently she was new to the business and was looking for constructive feedback. I told her (very politely) that since I had emailed asking for information and after three emails back and forth still didn't have it, she was just wasting my time and adding to my frustration.

[KiaKat]

I see this from both sides.

On the one, I hate the phone, and love the accountability trail of email.

On the other, it's very useful to have a real-time conversation with someone when it's for a quote, especially because so many times, reading comprehension is a BIG problem.

[Mer-Mer]

I hate making phone calls, too--they use up too many of my spoons!

Spoons? Am I making phone calls the wrong way? Maybe that explains it... I always use tin cans and a string.

I rarely email companies. Usually it's the food companies that I need information from, and I generally need it in the grocery store. Or before I go to the ER. I try to need it in the grocery store before I need it to decide whether or not I need to stab myself with an epi-pen. Email just takes too long in those cases.

I hate this. Especially when I specify in the email that I have a hearing problem and have trouble with phones. I'm generally ok with people that I know, but can have major issues with hearing strangers voices.

My aunt has this problem too. Although she has problems with everyone's voice, which has led to several misunderstandings. (My favourite being the time she thought Mom said that she (my aunt) was dead. Although her favourite is the time I answered the phone for her and it was a children's hospital calling to confirm my cousin's appointment, and the bird took issue with me talking on the phone.)
My coworker also hates talking on the phone, but for the opposite reason. Nobody can understand her.

[NecessaryCatharsis]

Normally, when people email about information, we prefer to call back. There are so many variables which determine what product you need and what the 'estimate' will be (we won't even quote a job until the site inspection) that it could require dozens of emails to even get an estimate of price and products. A real time phone conversation is usually easier, and our salesmen all have cells, they will call you at 2:17am if that's the only time you're free.

If someone specified they were hard of hearing, it would be worth the effort to either email or text information until all questions were answered, but otherwise I think it would be impractical. Even though we all have email addresses and there is a website.

[Deevil]

I hate making phone calls, too--they use up too many of my spoons!

Spoons? Am I making phone calls the wrong way? Maybe that explains it... I always use tin cans and a string.

If you haven't heard that analogy for chronic pain before, here it is: Spoon Theory

If I contacted a company by email and their response was a phone call I would ignore the call if at all possible (unless of course I had requested they call me)

[greek_jester]

If you haven't heard that analogy for chronic pain before, here it is: Spoon Theory

I am so forwarding that link to my mum. She has a catalogue of illnesses that seriously effect her daily life, and I think this might be something she can use to explain to people how she feels.