Marshall Loeb at Marketwatch recently cited a 2006 survey of U.S. office workers and their dependence on email, with 75% of the survey participants stating that they “could not live without it”. He also quotes four instances from “Send: The Essential Guide to E-mail for Office and Home“, when it would be wise to stop typing and to pick-up the phone instead:

• Expressing emotions. It’s tough to convey the subtle nuances of emotion over e-mail. We rely on intonation far more than we realize when interpreting someone’s state of mind. If you’re dealing with a sensitive topic, one badly phrased e-mail can quickly ignite a firestorm, so make a phone call instead.
• Keeping things confidential. One of the attractions of e-mail is that it “gives you a searchable record,” Schwalbe and Shipley write. But some things are better left off the record. When composing an e-mail, remember how easy it would be for your buddy to forward that snarky missive you dashed off about a colleague. If you wouldn’t be comfortable having the e-mail passed around, that’s a good indication that you should make a phone call.
• Immediate response required. When you’re on a deadline, e-mail can seem like the fastest way to get your message across, but not everyone checks his or her inbox obsessively. A quick phone call is more likely to get you the answer you require in a timely manner.
• Testing the waters. Whether you’re trying to heal a rift with a co-worker or reach out to a new business contact, it’s always better to err on the side of politeness. And nothing says respect like taking the time out of your day to pick up the phone.

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