The lost art of a phone call

We love Kijiji at our house.  We have found some real gems on there and we use it often.  I post ads to rent rooms at our rental house in Barrie, it has been very successful for us.  I'm don't often have time to sit at the computer and check emails so I make it clear in the ad to please call with any questions and to set up showings of the rooms.  It's easier then going back and forth with people all the time on email and my husband can deal with the phone calls while he is on the road during the day.  Even with that in the ad I still get emails all the time.  Sometimes I email them back and ask them to call us.  What's interesting is that they never call.  It's like they would rather keep looking for rooms elsewhere then actually pick up the phone and have to speak to another human being.

We have also posted ads for my husbands business looking for an employee once in awhile.  We hear a lot from young people either still in trade school or just finished.  Again in the ad we ask that they call to talk about the position and set up an interview.  And again we still get lots of emails.  One guy emailed and I never answered him because we said no emails.  He went on to find our website and send a message through the website saying that he knows we said no emails but he was interested in the job and asked for us to call him to talk about it.  Well young man we won't be calling you and here's why.  First the ad said no emails please call us, you couldn't follow that simple instruction so what does that say about you.  Second we have what you want...a job, we don't want to chase you, if you are really that interested in employment then pick up the phone.  And last, you are applying for a job in the service/trade industry.  You will be talking and interacting with customers everyday, you can't hide behind your emails and your texts, you will have to make contact with other people.

This next generation is so caught up in their tech world will they be lacking personality/social skills because they don't have to interact with anyone?  I remember when I was younger sitting on the phone gabbing with my girlfriends for hours, does anyone do that anymore or are they suffering from carpal tunnel because they text or IM for hours instead?  I hope things are different for my girls as they grow up but I think it starts with me and what will be allowed and at what age.  They might seem uncool to their friends because they don't have a cell phone at 8 years old but they will probably thank me for it later.