Well, for me, it's not so much with gaining manners by speaking to people face-to-face, but the fact that I literally have problems hearing and understanding people on the phone sometimes. So it is far easier for me to get face-to-face with people, as I can almost hear them better when I can see them talking.

But, yeah, you're absolutely right. Answering the phone in the first place. I tried in vain to ring HSBC one day... during their posted business hours... no one would answer their fruitful phone. If I did that at my workplace I'd be canned. It's one thing if you step away from the phone to go to the toilet, or to help someone, but another to not answer for an hour solid.