Stop asking me for my phone number • Hacker News Board

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#11

Post by handelaar » Wed, Oct 12, 2011, 10:14 PM UTC

pestaa wrote: post #2

I couldn't agree more. The annoying part is when they ask you to call them so they can verify your identity. It is a safe assumption that they don't do voice recognition, so why do they think I can't just spell the same numbers out loudly I'd have sent in an email...?

No, the annoying part is when they call you and immediately demand you verify your identity to someone without even any Caller ID.

(And my but they get shirty when you use the appropriate language which the situation requires when telling them to get off the line.)

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#12

Post by nknight » Wed, Oct 12, 2011, 10:16 PM UTC

bradleyland wrote: post #4

According to some brief research, it looks like somewhere around 0.33% of Americans under 85 are deaf, and around 4% are hard of hearing [1]. I find it preposterous to optimize for that small section of the user population at the expense of the overwhelming number of our users who tell us that phone is their preferred method of contact. We're probably going to continue asking for a phone number, because many users wo…

A lot more than just your deaf customers hate phone calls. They're disruptive, intrusive, unreliable, and for many people with autism-spectrum disorders, extremely uncomfortable.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#13

Post by reemrevnivek » Wed, Oct 12, 2011, 10:17 PM UTC

bradleyland wrote: post #4

According to some brief research, it looks like somewhere around 0.33% of Americans under 85 are deaf, and around 4% are hard of hearing [1]. I find it preposterous to optimize for that small section of the user population at the expense of the overwhelming number of our users who tell us that phone is their preferred method of contact. We're probably going to continue asking for a phone number, because many users wo…

What service are you running where the "overwhelming number of [y]our users" tell you that phone is their preferred method of contact?

As I wrote on the blog, email allows me to:

    - respond when it’s convenient for me.
    - keep most of my attention on what I’m doing.
    - archive and share the correspondence easily.
    - filter content I don’t want to hear anymore.
    - remain anonymous.
    - make careful, researched, edited responses.
    - include screenshots, links to videos, and other files which might be helpful.
    - continue to correspond if I loose my hearing and/or speaking abilities.

I’m not hearing impaired, and I much prefer email. Phone calls are only acceptable in a small number of situations, and I want to be the person to decide when those situations occur.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#14

Post by rmason » Wed, Oct 12, 2011, 10:19 PM UTC

I liked the one comment in the article where the guy recommended a public service that gave the deaf a real phone number which just contained a recording informing callers that the person was deaf. That way they could enter a real phone number of forms that insisted on one.

I don't know anyone at Twilio but if they want to perform a public service and gets lots of karma it wouldn't be a bad thing to go do.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#15

Post by scott_s » Wed, Oct 12, 2011, 10:19 PM UTC

Are we talking about asking or requiring? I agree no one should require a phone number, but it's completely reasonable to ask if people want to use that rather than email.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#16

Post by johns » Wed, Oct 12, 2011, 10:23 PM UTC

rmason wrote: post #14

I liked the one comment in the article where the guy recommended a public service that gave the deaf a real phone number which just contained a recording informing callers that the person was deaf. That way they could enter a real phone number of forms that insisted on one. I don't know anyone at Twilio but if they want to perform a public service and gets lots of karma it wouldn't be a bad thing to go do.

I will give anyone here that wants to do this a boat load of Twilio credit to get started. Email me jsheehan@twilio.com

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#17

Post by sologoub » Wed, Oct 12, 2011, 10:23 PM UTC

rokhayakebe wrote: post #3

I agree with you, but for different reasons. Calling someone is as intimate as you could get, next to seeing someone, plus it's realt-ime. I rather email. If I want to talk to you I will call you.

I think you nailed it - phone call today is far more important and intimate than it ever was. Same thing with an SMS - it's a guaranteed read. To me, if it's important - send me an email or a letter. If it's urgent and super important - send me an SMS. If all of my networth is going down the drain and you need a split second decision, call me.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#18

Post by veb » Wed, Oct 12, 2011, 10:25 PM UTC

johns wrote: post #16

rmason wrote: post #14

I liked the one comment in the article where the guy recommended a public service that gave the deaf a real phone number which just contained a recording informing callers that the person was deaf. That way they could enter a real phone number of forms that insisted on one. I don't know anyone at Twilio but if they want to perform a public service and gets lots of karma it wouldn't be a bad thing to go do.

I will give anyone here that wants to do this a boat load of Twilio credit to get started. Email me jsheehan@twilio.com

Wow. My hat off to you, sir. :)

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#19

Post by estel » Wed, Oct 12, 2011, 10:34 PM UTC

scott_s wrote: post #15

Are we talking about asking or requiring ? I agree no one should require a phone number, but it's completely reasonable to ask if people want to use that rather than email.

This is the key point isn't it? For so many services whose core demographic is not HN readers, vast numbers of the customers will prefer to use a telephone over anything else. Even I will occasionally prefer to call if there's an issue with a large company that needs sorting immediately, or I'm finding emails getting constantly ignored.

Certainly requiring a telephone number (or any other personal details that I'd rather not share) is ridiculous, and it's the company's responsibility to contact me at my convenience, but there'd be a far bigger complaint over services no longer even asking for a number.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#20

Post by 0x12 » Wed, Oct 12, 2011, 10:35 PM UTC

bradleyland wrote: post #4

According to some brief research, it looks like somewhere around 0.33% of Americans under 85 are deaf, and around 4% are hard of hearing [1]. I find it preposterous to optimize for that small section of the user population at the expense of the overwhelming number of our users who tell us that phone is their preferred method of contact. We're probably going to continue asking for a phone number, because many users wo…

Besides accessibility being enshrined in law in many places there are lots of people that simply don't like giving their phone number and/or being called. Giving your users multiple options for communication is a no-brainer.