Have you ever had to make contact with someone on a critical business issue but had to contemplate the best communication channel to use? Nowadays, you receive emails and phone calls from customers, potential business partners, and other stakeholders all the time. Some people choose to react to every email or phone call, but others decide which types of communications they should respond to (if any) and when. When it comes to personal email vs. telephone calls in the office, there are many factors to consider in order to make the most informed choice possible. This article will give insight on which and when to use either email or make a phone call to close your business deals.
Phone Calls vs. Email Statistics to Consider
Do people prefer phone calls or emails? It has become clear to businesses that they must employ the communication methods that customers choose to maintain their competitiveness. According to Zipwhip, 83% of consumers reply to email messages from a business within 30 minutes (Goldsworthy, 2021)
According to research statistics by zipwhip, 96% of respondents find phone calls to be disruptive (Goldsworthy, 2021). However, new research by the University of Texas at Austin suggests people too often opt to send email or text messages when a phone call is more likely to produce the feelings of connectedness they crave.(“Phone Calls Create Stronger Bonds Than Text-Based Communications – UT News”, 2021)
Pros and Cons of Using Emails
The email channel is one of the most common and straightforward marketing strategies. It isn’t easy to envision a company that uses it for most internal and external interactions. Email communication has several advantages, not the least of which is its speed and dependability.
However, this, like any other marketing channel, has pros and downsides. Before incorporating this strategy into your marketing campaign, consider the following pros and cons:
Pros
- Provide information that is directional, important, and timely.
- Make available specific facts and data.
- Make certain that a record of your communication exists.
- Send the recipient to a website where they may find out more information.
- Provide brief progress reports regularly
Cons
- Email is often left unopened and unread
- It can be viewed as impersonal
- Others can easily access it
- The tone is hard to determine
- It can get lost in a reader’s inbox
- Can end up in a spam filter
- It’s forever
When Should You Use Emails over Phone Calls?
According to Wordstream, 86% of business professionals prefer to use email rather than through phone calls when communicating for business purposes.
However, communication is the key to achieving stronger customer relations and improved efficiency in the workplace and according to small biz trends, 60% of customers prefer to call businesses on the phone rather than through email.(Guta, 2021)which slows down their workflow. Businesses effectively use phone call channels such as cloud phone systems to connect and answer queries of their numerous customers. this medium to contact their customers. On the other hand, phone calls might be a far more successful communication method in some situations. Some good instances are as follows:
1. When you need to review your conversions and refer back to your discussion with a client.
With emails, you can type your thoughts and views quickly, review them and edit before clicking the SEND button. If something is forgotten, it takes less than a few seconds to quickly shoot out a second email; however, this is less likely to be needed as you have already reviewed the first content! Time saved!
2. When you are not expecting an instant response to an inquiry
It is one of the common reasons why emails have an edge on the phone as it allows businesses to give timely information consistently to recipient(s).
3. When you want a structured conversion to focus on key points
Phone calls are always filled with some small talk (how’s the family, did you watch the game, great weather we’re having) to keep the conversation at a friendly level. While there is nothing wrong with this, this type of talk is generally reserved for lunchtimes and outside of work hours. It slows productivity and breaks the workflow of the day.
4. When it’s important to attach some documents that relate to your conversation
Businesses have realized that if they want to get that document, file, photo, image, or form to its intended recipient, there is no substitute for an email attachment’s prompt delivery. In this stage, it will be beneficial for businesses to implement the DMARC policy that can maintain a good impact on email deliverability.
5. When you want to accomplish more in less time
The ability to communicate via email is nearly real-time, which helps to improve communications by disseminating information more rapidly and responding to consumer queries more swiftly. It also makes problem-solving and business procedures more efficient since they are more simplified, and business entrepreneurs can achieve more in a shorter period.
Pros and Cons of Using Phone Calls
The importance of phone calls in business communication cannot be overemphasized. However, there are also some disadvantages as well.
Pros
- Easy and available means of communication
- Let you establish rapport and ensure that your comments are understood
- Great as a follow-up to discuss an email, email attachment, or letter.
Cons
- More personal than an email, but less personal than a face-to-face discussion
- You might end up in voicemail
- Listeners can get distracted and tune you out
- It requires more time and effort than just sending an email.
When Should You Use Phone Calls over Emails?
Modern businesses recognize the significance of the phone call strategy in the promotion of their products and services. Companies,” increasingly prefer to speak over the phone to assess the likelihood of obtaining a client. Phone calls have shown to be a very successful business communications channel in a variety of situations. Some good instances are as follows:
1. When you anticipate a large number of questions:
Some issues are too complicated to be resolved by wasteful email back and forth. It is better to have a live phone call if you must answer queries or clarify essential ideas. Alternatively, you may send a pre-call email detailing the topic to speed a previously arranged phone discussion.
2. When emotion needs to be included in the conversation:
Very crucial when emotion needs to be included in the conversation. You never want to apologize through email, and you should avoid doing so. Because individuals frequently misread feelings and attitudes when reading emails or text messages, you should avoid using them to discuss delicate issues with sensitive people. It would be best if you also refrained from participating in heated debates through email or text message.
3. When you need to reassure confidence:
If you’ve forgotten to respond to an email, it’s advisable to call the sender to express your regret and address any issues they may have. This is the most effective method of reestablishing confidence that future emails will not be treated similarly.
Conclusion
It’s tempting to rely on email to avoid a difficult conversation. Still, personal touch and the ability to respond immediately to a complaint or concern are often the best. It’s in these and countless other situations when a phone call is the better option.
