Currently I have several clients who seem to have some sort of phone phobia. Call me old school, but I prefer to communicate over the phone. It’s faster than dealing with emails, I’m able to clearly get my point across, address issues, and solve problems much easier than through a long string of emails. But it seems like I’m a dying breed. My clients are responding to my voice mails via email and it appears as though no one wants to have a real conversation anymore. All of this can be very frustrating when dealing with everything from recruitment strategies to job description information. Unless we’re confirming interview times and scheduling flights, I would much rather speak to my clients than to my computer.

Yes, I know what you’re saying… email prevails! Everyone’s doing it! It’s 2007, we use email! I understand, and I do agree that emailing definitely has some advantages (because I would really hate to start receiving candidate’s resumes via fax or snail mail!!). But in order for me to develop a relationship with my clients and transcend the “resume pusher” stigma that so many recruiters are stamped with into “valuable consultant,” I need to have real conversations with my clients.

I did a little Googling on phone phobia and couldn’t find a medical term (anyone with any additional information please comment or email!). But did find a great article that addresses the issue and even quotes HR and Advertising professionals on their phone phobia problems. So, apparently some of you do have phone phobia. As much as the business world relies on emailing, it’s time we get back to basics and pick up our phones. What have you got to lose? By not picking up your phone you’re losing out on building crucial professional relationships with your clients and customers. As we say in the recruiting biz ~ just Dial and Smile. It really is that easy.

Technorati Tags: phone phobia, email, Dial and Smile

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 9th, 2007 at 5:32 pm and is filed under Lasting Impressions, Miscellaneous. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.