Telephones - UGH!

Whenever I make an appointment with my doctor or dentist or ophthalmologist, etc I must phone them. Most of the time I drive over to make an appointment so I can see the person I'm talking to and read their face/lips. It's so inconvenient. Sometimes after leaving a message on an answering machine, which includes asking if they would email me instead of phone me back, they phone me back. Sigh.

I hate the phone, I have to concentrate to grasp the words and piece the conversation together. My digital hearing aids have an automatic telecoil setting but if the phone moves from the "sweet spot" the telecoil system automatically shuts off. So most telephone sessions sound like...."Yes, we have an .........  You'll be seeing Dr. [name inaudible]. Bring ........ We don't ...... If you must cancel an appointment ....... 

Such a pain.

With today's new web and cell phone technology, would it be so difficult to provide alternative contact options for customers? Email and chat are godsends. Also it comes with the added bonus that we have something in writing, which means there's less room for mis-interpretation. 

I found a great blog entry about the Fear of Phones..... people who insist you use the phone even when you tell them you can't hear. It can be annoying, frustrating, embarassing and an obstacle.