Persuading people to pick up the frickin' phone...
 

instead of emailing...

How does one accomplish that?

Right now I'm missing out on a pool party because it's almost over. I just read the email about it a few minutes ago. The person sent the email yesterday. I've missed out on several functions because someone sent an email at the last minute.

I've recommended that my chapter and the other organizations I'm in to call whenever a spontaneous gathering or meeting pops up. They told me it would be too much trouble to call that many people. So, I recommended that we start a phone tree. Many people still didn't want to do it.

Why are people against using phone calls these days? Is it something that I don't know about? :rolleyes:

I don't know, but I definitely know where you're coming from. We have pretty much abandoned the phone chain for emergency purposes in favor of emails. This results, almost EVERY time, in someone showing up at the wrong place/time/etc. because they didn't check their email 5 minutes before they left the house. It can be frustrating.

I will say that I am a big contributor to this problem. I dislike talking on the telephone and if I can ask people questions through email/IM, I will definitely do so. On the phone, you have to do so much small talk, whereas email lets you get to the point quickly. But with FRIENDS, inviting them places, etc... I still think the phone is the way to go, because of the exact reasons you've mentioned.

I didn't have email in college. I think that no one in my chapter had it. Ahh how the world has changed in a few years. We had a phone chain. It really isn't hard. Maybe you should take the initiative and make up a phone chain or tree. Also you should ask people to make plans a few days in advance.

I totally agree.. my sisters have a VERY hard problem of calling to do invited for random gatherings.. they favor IMs or whatever. Every single time they do this.. SOMEONE doesn't get it.. or their computer freezes, or they get it late.. and it always causes drama. I say go for the phone (even though I can be a perp. of this behavior :( )

We tend to only use phone chains for emergencies or for cancellations.

When I want to contact a large number of people, I:

1.) I post a memo on our online forum (if it's Sigma Chi related)
2.) Text message
3.) Call and/or leave voice mail
4.) E-mail or instant-message
5.) I use word of mouth, tell everyone to spread the word.

Repeat the above steps, lol at least twice.

days of phone chains.............wow it seems so long ago. you've just inspired me though, i am going to talk this over with the e-board of our AA to see how they feel about this. i've gotten emails about emails that people haven't gotten until the last minute and they really wanted to come to an event. i think this is a good idea :) especially if utilized far enough in advance.

See this is why the entire world needs a blueberry. This way in one device you have your email and a cell phone.

This way no matter what someone can reach one way or the other.

But I feel ya, my chapter was big on IM and email. Course on my campus most people were always online.

Ditto on the text message boat. They can text everyone in one message.

wow i can't believe how much times have changed. when i graduated (98) undergrad, the internet was just starting to get big. can't believe how quickly times have changed!!!

Blackberry?

-Rudey

Phones are wack. I'm going to start reppin' smoke signals in the '05.


...or something like that.

I'm glad you said that, because I was feeling really confused, and not confident enough in my rightness to question Blueberry vs. Blackberry.

Rhetorical Question -- Why are Blackberrys actually Blue? If I could buy a black one, would it be called a Blueberry?

Nobody wants a blackberry. Trust me you will have no reason to not have gotten a message. It will be awful.

-Rudey