The modern world we live in is built on convenience. Lots of things are easier than they have ever been. Have a question? Ask online. Hungry? Place an order online. Need a new bedspread? Order one online. You don’t even need to stand in line for your coffee anymore; you can order your Starbucks through an app (half-fat, half-caf, easy whip and hazelnut shot included!) and it will be ready when you get there.

The trend is clear. More than ever, people are going online to fulfill their needs. However, one thing that the online world hasn’t made simpler, is dating. There are so many dating sites, it can be totally overwhelming even just to choose which platform to use. And then the obvious issue: there is no knowing what the people you are exchanging messages with are actually like in real life.

With phone chat, that issue disappears. Talking to someone live, there can be no question as to whether you are connecting for real or not. With online dating, awkward silences aren’t a thing. All a person’s messages are carefully crafted and pre-meditated. Well, most likely – we’ve all received our fill of thoughtless emails and offensive remarks! Regardless of what you encounter online, at least on the phone you know right away what you’re in for.

Another advantage of phone chat over online dating, is the excitement factor. It’s hardly exciting to spend hours composing a message to a recipient that may or may not even answer. On the other hand, the phone chat experience is immediately intimate while also retaining the mystery of being remote. It’s exhilarating to pick up the phone and connect with someone totally new, while maintaining the anonymity of being just a voice on the end of the line yourself. Hearing someone’s voice can tell you so much about a person, and maintaining a little bit of distance, at least to start, keeps things intriguing while also keeping them stress-free and safe.

Forget about sifting through endless online profiles, trying to decipher personality from a list of generic likes and dislikes… “I like taking long walks on the beach, drinking wine and dogs.” What does that sentence really tell you about a person’s personality? Not a whole lot, other than they weren’t feeling inspired when they created their profile! Try replacing those pre-meditated messages with live and perfectly candid conversations and see the difference it makes to your dating success rate.

So next time you’re looking for a little dating action, instead of turning to the tedious, uncertain world of online dating, try picking up the phone instead… Because seriously, why not just chat?