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Stop asking me for my phone number

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Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#31

Post by FuzzyDunlop »

handelaar wrote: post #11
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.)

Banks are as annoying as you can get for this. Imagine being cold-called and being asked some questions to prove you are who you say you are.

Imagine then the correspondence the same bank sends in various forms about keeping the same information to yourself to prevent your account being compromised.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#32

Post by amalcon »

zrail wrote: post #24
amalcon wrote: post #8

There are so many problems with telephones as contact. They of course work by voice. They are synchronous, and so require timing. They are very expensive. They don't internationalize well. They are a link to a lot of personal information. I don't mind being asked for a phone number, so long as it's optional. I will not sign up for any service where my only means of contact is by phone (though I do permit "I physicall…

So basically the service I built[1] is completely useless? Hasn't even been out for a week! :) [1]: https://www.remindlyo.com

It is completely useless for me. It's also completely useless for deaf people, or for people whose phone system doesn't interface well with yours, or for many other classes.

That's not necessarily a bad thing; it's an essential characteristic of the service. Just be aware that you're excluding a lot of people.

Your particular application takes advantage of the synchronicity issue. Other than that, the only issue that applies to everyone is the cost.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#33

Post by FuzzyDunlop »

I've nothing against phone calls (except being asked for my number for no reason), but Bill Bailey had a bit in one of his earlier stand-ups (can't remember which one) where he said the phone call is the most impolite form of communication.

It's like shouting in someone's ears saying, "I WANT YOU TO STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND SPEAK TO ME RIGHT NOW!"

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#34

Post by poodougnut »

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…

I don't think the OP is suggesting phone support should be phased out; he's saying that email support should be there too and be on par. I can name a couple of companies I've had to interact with in the past few days that only offer phone support: Student Finance, EDF Energy.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#35

Post by frossie »

nknight wrote: post #12
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.

... And people who don't speak English so well.

Moreover if his customers truly prefer the phone, he could make giving the phone number optional and people would still give it out.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#36

Post by JulianMorrison »

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…

The trick is to be polite and say HOW should we contact you? You prefer email? Okay, email please. And you prefer phone? Okay, phone number please.

And never, never put a "required" validation on something like a phone number that someone simply may not have at all.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#38

Post by pnathan »

I don't like phone calls. SMS is tolerable.

I prefer email or IM (or a forum).

Phone is very susceptible to noise and hearing issues; it's not searchable without fancy transcription equipment, and frankly, I don't have time to think and give the answer that a quality question deserves.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#39

Post by jallmann »

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'm deaf. Not sure about other countries, but here in the US we have free video relay services that have a number attached to your account. Calls go to a video interpreter, who will also take messages for you.

I don't particularly like dealing with calls either, but for the times when I must, my cell number forwards to VRS. Problem solved.

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