No I don't want to call you. I prefer to email.

[ViviPru]

I appreciate that some conversations require face-to-face meeting, and on occasion, some conversations are better over the phone than via email.

BUT, if I want to engage you as a service provider or supplier, I have contacted you in the first instance via email, then that means that I would prefer a response to my initial query via email. Not a reply from you saying 'please call me.' GAH. Perhaps I have not provided enough information for you to adequately respond, but if that is the case, let me know. Via EMAIL.

Jesus wept. Urgh - totally pointless AIBU but I feel better now.

I love email! You can get to your point quickly with no umming and arring , no gaps in the conversation need filling and it's so quick.

YANBU!

Thanks sugarice. As a supplier myself I also just err toward email with my own clients, there's less opportunity to misconstrue anything and everything's in writing. And you can communicate in a more considered manner when its convenient for you.

I agree

YANBU. Mainly because it is so much easier to reply to emails than have a phone conversation that goes along these lines
"Shhhh...mummy is on the phone"
"sorry, can you repeat that?"
"Stop fighting, mummy is speaking on the phone"
"Sorry, I missed that bit"
"One second. Can you two just be quiet for 5 minutes, I am on the phone"

YANBU. Sometimes I am at work, and funnily enough, don't want to talk about stuff I'm buying while I'm being paid to do something else. Email, I can respond to in my own time.

YANBU. Hate phone over-use. Especially anything work-related where instructions are being given, or where there are important details that need to be absolutely right and in black and white.

I wince when I get a reply that says 'thanks for your email, please phone for a chat to discuss your requirements'. No. I outlined my requirements concisely in my email. Now you tell me if you can meet them or not. In an email. God I'm a grumpy sod today

YANBU. This really grates my carrot. You fill in an online form so they can contact you online. And you can't skip the phone number field because it is 'required'.

Drives me bananas. I have my own small business and I freely admit I get confused between phone calls and emails, especially if it's the late afternoon and I'm at home with two small children. Email is so much simpler.

A friend of mine runs one of the busiest train depots in the UK. He estimates he gets about 250 emails on average per day, sometimes as many as 500. Fair dues, he prefers to use the phone for more pressing correspondence.

I strongly suspect that most people do not have this problem though.

I have AS and a hearing impairment, I pretty much only do stuff by email!
They don't get my custom if they want to phone.

sparkling - if the phone number is 'required' I just go 12568451269 and put inthe email address. (althou I have had emails back saying 'tried your phone number and it's unavailable! No shit?)

I prefer to email as i can then put everything down, without trying to think and talk at the same time! I inevitably forget to say something otherwise.

Oh yes, being able to have it in writing is invaluable and being able to keep it for future reference is a Godsend.

YANBU. I hate the phone, even hate phoning my best mate.

Definitely YANBU. I had an occasion with a colleague last week who I heard through someone else was 'trying' to get hold of me over a 2 day period. I was out of the office on site so had no phone access but did have email - she complained when I finally got back to the office and rang her. I pointed out she could have tried to email me, the look on her face said it was obvious the thought had never occurred to her

I'm quite surprised. I was feeling unreasonable, and didn't think it would be deemed so reasonable to prefer email.

What really gets on my top note is when you're waiting for someone to reply to your email, which they are clearly too busy to address, yet they have all the time in the world to twitter to their heart's content.

Me too Lotta. I purposefully remain on a mobile network that has no coverage at my house.

YANBU. I hate phoning when I can email. I spent quite some time trying to get o2 customer services by email yesterday, they seem to want everyone to do one of their crappy, never available when you need them web chats. I don't want a bastard web chat, I just want a response to my email. If you need more details. EMAIL AND ASK!

I always email if I want to contact the schools. They usually refer to other departments and email me back. DS1's school is great. You get an email to say they have received it, then an email with your answer.

i prefer email too - i work in a shop, and the phone rings when i'm with a customer. it's so annoying because the customer in front of you is more important than the phone and i very rarely remember to ring back (or check for messages)

and then when i do answer, it's a sales call!

just email me, because then i can decide whether or not i want to talk to you or take up your offer without feeling obliged.

YANBU, I agree entirely.

I spent quite some time trying to get o2 customer services by email yesterday

Hmm you're reminded me of an exception to my own rule. If I need to contact customer services somewhere to have a Victor Meldrew style rant , I much prefer to do it by phone, now, while I've got time and get it sorted rather that fanny around with contact forms and email.

That reminds me, Tesco fish counter - you're next on my list...

I agree but I've come to realise I have a serious phone phobia! I get very nervous about making a phone call to anyone but about my dh, parents and a couple of close friends. I love email as a medium for the reasons others have given above, and I think the world's moved on enough for email to be viewed as being as acceptable and courteous as a phone call.

AIBU to expect my seabass fillets to be descaled when I unwrap them to cook when I expressly requested descaling? Particularly when the miserable jobsworth fish counter lady protested that it will take her at least 10 minutes to do so I insisted that would be fine, yes please do go ahead and descale them?