Phone or email: What’s the best way for my company to communicate
A business’s first point of contact is THE time to demonstrate your professionalism. Unfortunately, some communication technologies have their pitfalls, and it’s important to be aware of them.
Above all, your company’s customer relationships should be anchored in an emotional bond that will enable you to better understand your client. That’s the first step to knowing what to expect and understanding their needs.
We’re going to compare two of the most popular business communication technologies: phone and email.
You can’t avoid them—everyone sends emails from time to time. But do we always make the most of this method of communication?
Pros and cons of email
Many prefer email because it’s faster and less personal. It saves time and you get straight to the point, and it lets introverts be discreet and avoid bothering people around them. In short, there are a lot of good reasons to send an email.
While emails can be practical, there are also issues with them in some situations.
There’s a good reason for the little emojis you send in your messages and comments on social media. It is difficult to convey emotion through words alone, so you need to give your reader some context by adding these little expressive faces. However, that’s not appropriate in a professional context.
Phone calls
Who doesn’t have a professional phone number, or a phone available at work? Sure, computers are everywhere, but so are phones.
How are phone calls better than emails?
Email advocates may answer “Good question!” 😉
A phone call is more direct and personal than an email. It adds a human touch and a certain level of authenticity to a business relationship.
It’s difficult to ignore a question on the phone, since there’s a person on the other end of the line who heard you ask it. They won’t just hang up or leave your email unread—or worse, put it in the spam folder! Taking the time to call someone and have a conversation demonstrates your level of commitment in what you’re doing and saying. Clearly, this can save you an enormous amount of time!
So what should I do?
To be fair, both methods of communication are good, but you need to learn when to use them appropriately. Ideally, it’s best to opt for phone calls and use emails as a complement. For example, maybe you forgot to ask a question over the phone, or you want to send a document after a phone call.
Verbal communication can give your business an edge.
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