After a few warnings, my laptop hard disk packed in this morning. It’s quite exhilarating, being without ICT. What, in 2014, is “work” without a computer ?
I decided to use the downtime to my advantage, and make some calls that were on my list. I had 8 calls to make, mostly to people who wanted to have a chat before committing one way or the other to a resource review. The contacts I had were from email signatures.
Dear reader, hazard a guess for me. Of those 8 calls, how many do you think were successfully concluded ? The answer is zero. Not one. The phone, in a desk to desk capacity, is dead.
It’s probably not the most original observation. But it has led to a new policy position (from me at least – I’ll let the rest of the team make up their own minds). If you want me to ring you than give me your mobile number. Otherwise I shan’t bother.
Planning Advisory Service 
I’m amazed that you found phone numbers in email signatures at all – almost all the emails I get don’t have any contact details! If only I had an Email Signature Ombudsman to complain to! 😉