Below is a blog contribution from our sister company, Bluebox Corporate Finance. The below was written back in 2016 by James Caan who was once a part of the Bluebox Team. The blog dives into the still ever-present debate of email versus phone call.
How many people reading this would prefer to send an email than pick up a phone and have an actual conversation? My guess is over half of you.
Tech advances in contemporary culture have enabled some of the most incredible discoveries. We’ve made our businesses more productive, we’ve upskilled our workers and we’ve given ourselves more autonomy and motivation to believe in ourselves.
Yes, tech and innovation has changed the way we live, for the better. However, like most things – it has its downfalls. When I started my first job, and when I started my first business, all I had was a telephone and a copy of the yellow pages. We didn’t have access to email or instant messaging then, so in order to be successful you had to be confident enough to engage in real conversation.
The rise of email culture means that today, millennials are more comfortable communicating electronically. Email is so quick and efficient, that there’s no need to pick up the phone, right?
Whilst this may be true in some cases, I do believe email culture has stagnated the development of communications skills for our young people. I understand that picking up the phone can be nerve racking, and email is much easier but believe me when I say it can make a HUGE difference.
Here’s why:
A real conversation humanises you, and makes you more trustworthy
A real conversation allows you to gauge opinions and understand your objectives without cutting corners
A real conversation builds rapport, and people prefer working with people they like!
A real conversation means you can explain complex ideas far easier and more efficiently
A real conversation means you can illustrate your passion and excitement – something that’s difficult to portray via email
A real conversation demonstrates urgency, and means you’re more likely to get a final decision, far quicker
So next time you’re about to contact a potential employer, you’re closing a deal, speaking to a new a candidate or potential client, or looking to connect with someone… pick up the phone. Try it, and let us know how it goes.
Taking the above into consideration, we would love to have a chat with you to understand your business needs better. Call us on 0203 924 5150 and we would be more than happy to discuss how Velocity can help your business. And for those that still believe email is best, email us at info@blueboxvelocity.com.