Advice for the Clueless: Email is Not the Same as Telephone Call

I hope “Advice for the Clueless” doesn’t become a regular series. I’m trying to keep things positive but at the same time perhaps I can help someone.

A few weeks ago I mentioned here on the blog that we’re taking an Alaskan cruise this summer. We’re really excited and are definitely looking to learn more about Alaska. Part of the reason for posting on the blog is to see what kind of advice we might get. So, I am not adverse to input.

That said, the delivery mechanism matters and not all media are created equal.

A few days ago I received a phone call at work. Here’s how it went.

Kevin: Hello.
Caller: I hear you want to know about Alaska.
Kevin: What?
Caller: You posted on your blog about Alaska. I am from Alaska, so I thought I’d give you a call.
(long pause… ponders response while at work…)
Kevin: (sarcastically) Really?
Caller: What? You don’t want to learn more about Alaska? Why else would you blog about it? I was going to email but I thought I’d phone instead.
Kevin: Look, I am at work and don’t have time to talk. And a phone call is really different than email.
Caller: What do you mean?
Kevin: If you don’t know I can’t help. (hang up)

I’ve thought about this call. The caller sounded young. But I am trying to figure out what generation, young or old, would equate a telephone call with an email.  The caller did himself no favors by not introducing himself, or by asking if this was a good time to talk (hint: when you call somone you know to be an adult at 3 pm local time you should expect they might be at work…).

Differences between Email and Phone:

Email Phone
I can ignore if I am busy working (or playing) Even if I don’t answer I still am interrupted
Take the time for thoughtful, well-reasoned replies Every call is an impromptu speaking opportunity
If you say something stupid I can forward it to your friends and enemies Recording phone calls without permission is a felony
Have to come up with eloquent wording to “flame” you I CAN RAISE MY VOICE AND YELL
You won’t notice banging my keyboard in frustration Slamming my phone hurts your ears
Nice way to introduce yourself to someone you don’t know If I don’t know you I am going to think this is a telemarketing scam
Never need to ask if it’s okay to talk Often need to ask if it’s okay

 

Thankfully, there are clueful people out there. When I Twittered for email vs. telephone advice I got some nice responses.

Brassplayer: 
As a visual learner, I greatly prefer email. For business, you should only phone if time sensitive, otherwise, use email. Also, email can be serve as a handy record of a conversation, especially if there is some sort of problem later on.

Sarah:
As a mom of young children, phone calls are inevitably interrupted a million times, with tons of distractions and background noise. Emails might be started in the morning and finished twelve hours later, but at least they are clearer and easier to understand for the recipient.

Laura:
I have a tendancy to hesitate and not get things out the way I like when I speak on the phone….. but with email, I can read over what I’ve written about 8 times to make sure I get my point across. Although, when you’re pissed at someone and talking to them on the phone, nothing beats hanging up on that person while they’re in the middle of saying something. :] 

Melonie:
I have had an inexplicable fear of the phone since I was young — despite my mother’s best attempts to cure me. . . Like Laura I like to make sure I sound as smart as possible and when i’m on the phone, that doesn’t always happen. 

Sage advice to be sure!

 

Summary

Email is not the same as a phone call. 

Make sense?  If you still aren’t sure, then leave a comment here on the blog. Or share your own feelings about this important part of modern social discourse.

North! To Alaska

cruiseWe’ve made our summer vacation plans and this year we’re heading to the home Governor Sarah Palin herself, Alaska. We’ve booked a Princess Cruises 7-day cruise roundtrip from Seattle on board the Golden Princess vessell. The ports of call are Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Victoria. Our cruise leaves on June 27, so we’ll be leaving the Bay Area a few days before to drive up.

We were thinking about a cruise but Disney priced themselves out of our summer budget. We had taken an Alaska cruise back in 2001, so we knew what this would be like. I’d be happy to show you photos of that trip but that was the last big trip we made before digital cameras, so you’ll have to do with the itinerary map. There was another cruise that started and ended in San Francisco, but it was a 10-day cruise and a lot more expensive even when you consider hotel and gas expenses for the drive to Seattle. Plus, the boys (especially Riley) really wanted to go back to Seattle. Which is okay, because it’s definitely a great city.

We’re really looking forward to the cruise. They’re always so relaxing and we hope to see some great sights. We’ve been to all the ports of call before, but there is always something new to see in each city. Maybe we’ll stop by to see the Governor, too.

 

(no, I have no idea why Princess left the U off their map in the brochure)

I Scored with the MacWorld Checklist!

One of the best parts of this year’s MacWorld Expo sort of happened organically. I had seen the wonderful post on Joy of Tech with this year’s MacWorld Expo checklist, and I thought it was amusing. Then, it was blogged about on The MacCast blog and on Justine Ezarik’s blog. So, it was a little bit in my mind – but as I was attending for only one day I didn’t think I’d try to “conquer” the list.

Then a funny thing happened. I started to see the celebs. And then I started to get really obsessed with completing the task. How’d I do? Really well, as you will see.

Here’s the 2009 MacWorld Checklist from Joy of Tech.

checklist-sm

I didn’t get photos of a couple of these. First was Merlin Mann, who I believe is the fellow in glasses in the bottom right next to Walt Mossberg. I’d met Mann a couple times and definitely saw him in passing while on the show floor.

Next, I did see Scott MucNulty when he did a presentation at the Peachpit Press booth. He wrote a book about WordPress and overall I already knew most of what he presented (which was a good thing, for me anyway). I didn’t realize McNulty was on the list or I would have taken a photo.

When I saw Andy Inhatko I did remember he was on the list. Here he is signing copies of his latest book. 

inahtko

Next up is another author, David Pogue. He always draws a large crowd to the O’Reilly booth and sadly I missed his Wednesday morning keynote speech. Next year I’m doing the Conference portion of MacWorld as Pogue has already agreed to do another keynote.

pogue

The celebs started coming fast and furious after this…

Chris Breen at the MacWorld Magazine booth.

breen

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak (in the black and white shirt, sitting on a stool).

woz

Now I realized I could really cash in with some of these people on the checklist. So, I checked Justine’s twitter account and saw that she was literally around the corner doing a workout (no, I don’t know what that means). When I came up to her and and asked if I could take a photo for my checklist, she laughed and said sure. This is Justine Ezarik with her buddy Karen. 

justine

Next, I headed off to the MacWorld Expo “Town Hall,” led by main man Paul Kent.  My suggestion for MacWorld 2010? Provide everyone with a Joy of Tech Mac Celebrity Checklist!

kent

After the Town Hall I headed off to the Podcasting Birds of a Feather gathering. Along the way, I saw a couple guys from MacHeads the Movie trying to pimp their showing of the documentary film. The checklist doesn’t name names and the guys I saw were kind of anonymous. So, I’m counting this. Another checkmark for my list!

machead1machead2

At the Podcaster gathering I ended up sitting right near a couple celebs. First is Don McAllister.

mcallister

Then I saw the man with the smooth voice. That’s MacWorld’s Chuck Joiner in the lower left near the stage.

podcasters

All in all, including the “non-celebs” on the list, I ended up seeing 15 out of 25 from the checklist. A pretty good job, if I do say so myself!Â