The Most Underused App on Your Phone: The Call Button!

We’ve all been there. The endless ping-pong of emails. The cryptic two-word texts. The long strings of “per my last message” exchanges. All in the name of saving time.

Just last week, a coaching client and I were talking about how often we get caught in these endless loops. In her case, things with one of her clients had gotten tangled in confusion through back-and-forth texts and emails. She was on the verge of losing the relationship. My suggestion? Pick up the phone. In this morning’s session she told me that she did, and the conversation untangled what could have ended in a client walking away. Now she’s making a regular practice of calling instead of hiding behind her inbox.

But here’s the punchline: instead of saving time, these digital detours often cost us more in hours lost to misunderstandings, clarifications, and that dreaded “Sorry, I thought you meant…” loop. And let’s be honest, half the time we’re not writing because it’s faster… we’re writing because it’s easier to hide. A phone call requires us to show up. To listen. To be human. A text? Well, a text can keep things nice and safe… and distant.

And it’s not just work. How many people have been dumped by text? How many family arguments have spiraled into long-term resentments because no one could hear the other person’s tone? Whole relationships can fracture over a poorly punctuated message.Somewhere along the way, we confused “efficient” with “effective.” And in the process, we forgot the simplest, oldest truth in communication: nothing replaces the sound of a human voice.

A voice carries more than words, it carries tone, pace, humor, hesitations, warmth, even the sigh between sentences that says, “I’m overwhelmed but trying.” Written messages flatten all that into pixels. The difference between “Sure.” and “Sure!” can be the difference between a colleague feeling supported or criticized.

When we don’t hear each other, assumptions fill the gaps. Projects stall. Feelings get bruised. We write another email to clear up the first one. Time saved? Not really.Voice calls, and heaven forbid, in-person conversations, demand something that email and text don’t… presence!  You can’t multitask your way through a five-minute phone call the way you can through a Slack message. It’s riskier. It’s also where trust is built.

Think about the people you admire. Chances are, they’re the ones who pick up the phone when it matters. They don’t hide behind “Just circling back…” They know that clarity beats speed every time.

This isn’t an argument against email or text. They’re brilliant tools for logistics and quick updates. But for anything that carries nuance, stakes, or emotion… stop typing and start dialing!Five minutes of real conversation can save an hour of digital misunderstanding. And it just might remind you and the person on the other end  that there’s a living, breathing human being behind the words.

In a world obsessed with efficiency, true effectiveness and true connection often start with the simplest, oldest technology we have… our voice.So next time you reach for the keyboard, pause. Pick up the phone. Say what you mean. Hear what they mean. You’ll get to the point faster… and you’ll get each other better.