I think the problem is that there's a perception that a phone call is an interrupt event. Because you have a person on the phone waiting for you to answer, you have to (or should) answer the call.

So, if the matter is important then a phone call is completely appropriate. But if it's just a call to say "hey, how's it going?" then perhaps a text message or email is a better choice with a "let me know when it's a good time to call" added in so you can have a normal voice conversation without either party being interrupted.

I like communicating with companies via live chat. You can do it discreetly without bothering people around you (e.g. in an office) and usually your situation can be expressed better in text, and you have a transcription at the end to keep to.

For example a few weeks ago I was having problems with my phone, so I contacted OnePlus via their chat, and the lady on the other end arranged the RMA process quickly.

Much quicker than having to enunciate my email address, home address etc over the phone, plus I had a transcription that I could refer to afterwards in follow up emails.

Live Chat is also nice because it doesn't distract me the same a phone conversation does. I'll live chat during the times I'm doing some mindless task (like running scripts).

I agree with the sentiment of his article, but I also agree with you. The article is written in a condescending and arrogant way.

My impression of the article is that the person has some semi serious mental health issues. Their anxiety is getting in the way of their life.

But they are spinning it as something wrong with the system.

I was getting the same feel from it. He uses the word fear a few times, and after I read that I couldn't help but frame the piece around social anxiety or insecurity about conversational skills. Of course, surface level it's about the annoyance and technical inefficiencies that come along with the device.

/armchair

I had the same thought. There is no reason a phone should cause you this much anxiety. He was powerless to act. He could have done a number of things, but instead he walked towards the tormentor and took it in full force. This is not the behavior of a healthy person.

Lots of companies have live chat already, often there are certain things they won’t let you do on live chat because of the perception that it is less secure.

Big companies seem even less like likely to have an email address where you can get service.

The companies can keep their phone line. It’s just better for customers and likely cheaper for them to provide other options.

I love how you are admittedly making something up the article doesn’t say (“implied”), and then proceed to call it “arrogant”.