AIBU to expect to speak to someone in an organization rather than email

[TheMarbleFaun]

Why is it nearly impossible to find a telephone number for any sort of official department (I'm looking at you Student Finance)
Can't get their phone number anywhere on the internet and no one will give it as apparently "they'd rather you email them"
I have one simple question which could be answered in about 10 seconds but this seems to be the norm when you're contacting any large organization - so annoying!

As the employee - I like that we don't take direct calls in our company. Either email, or customer services who will take your details and get someone to call you back. Mostly because we are pretty busy dealing with lots of other things and constantly being interrupted by phone calls is distracting.

Putting it in an email allows us to find out the answer and get back to you, rather than being put on the spot and scrambling around for an answer.

As a customer, yes its annoying.

www.gov.uk/contact-student-finance-england

Any good?

I spoke directly to them last year regarding ds’s student finance when he was starting his first year.

You'd rather be in a call queue for an hour than send an email?

As @CoolcoolcoolcoolcoolNoDoubt showed, the number is right there. I spoke with them few times last year and never had to wait long as well. They were always helpful

YABU unfortunately. Companies/ organisations no longer have people to answer and deal with calls.
Cuts and efficient practice has led to this, and procedures have moved on with technology.
Someone can have a job of answering them all at once rather than being iterupted throughout the day.

You could definitely ring them last year as I know my DS did a number of times.

Thanks cool but I'm in NI
And yes hairy I'd rather have the option of waiting in a call queue to get an answer

I have the opposite issue. An organisation I'd really like a written response from keeps phoning me rather than replying to email "because it's easier to talk it through"

No it's not, you just don't want to say anything incriminating in writing

www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/contact/general-enquiries/

YANBU.

I am currently narrowing down some new software at work, and immediately disregarded any products where support was either by email only or not U.K. based.

That phone number is for a call centre in Scotland Household
They wouldn’t give me the local number

Have you tried to call them? They are probably handling NI if their number is there

From what I remember, student finance applications in NI are processed by your local education authority. The monies will probably then be paid out by SLC in Glasgow. Have you tried finding a number for your local education authority?

Yes they couldn't help me and told me to email the office in N.I as they don't take phone calls

They told me I need to contact SFNI Steel - back into the loop!

I actually prefer emailing. I have suspected Asperger's and talking on the phone is my idea of hell. At least with an email, I can plan what I say and prepare my answers rather than be put on the spot. Also emails are a paper trial, phones call aren't. I know calls are recorded but I'm then relying on them to record it. I can make sure I keep an email.