How to annoy business contacts: hide your email address

Today, I attempted to email someone in the tech industry. Knowing his company website's URL, I assumed that if I simply put his first name in front of it (eg Sean@company.ie), that this would do the trick. Wrong.
"UNDELIVERABLE," tutted my 'system administrator'.
Okay, I thought, let's try firstname.lastname @ his URL. That's a format sometimes used.
"UNDELIVERABLE," shouted the sys admin, getting irritable now.
Cursing lowly under my breath, I went to the company's website to look for the email address.
30 seconds in, I realised my mistake -- this is an Irish website! There is no section on 'Who We Are', let alone individual contact details!
Off to Google, then, to search for his email address. Nothing in the first 20 results, despite plenty of mentions in associations, organisations and other vanity projects.
In the end, I had to do what thousands of Irish people end up doing: I rang the company, spoke to a receptionist and asked for his email address.
"Hold on a minute, I'll just see if I can give that out," said the receptionist. One minute on hold. Two minutes on hold.
Finally: "yes, hello? Yes, his email address is…" And I got it.
(And the combination? It was firstname_underscore_lastname @ URL. Pathetic.)
This person represents himself as an up-and-coming technology industry player. Yet he's not on Twitter. He's not on Facebook (that I can find). And his email address is not on his company's website. And his email address cannot be guessed according to the usual rules.
My advice to him? Put your damn email address on your website.

Comments

[Ronan Gallagher]

Well said! I second that! The lack of contact details on a website always gives me the feeling that they are actually trying to hide from me. People, not computers, close deals.

[Emmet Ryan]

I wish that problem was only with Irish firms but the sheer number of businesses I've had to deal with that flat out fail to provide contact details, or worse provide a contact form to fill in which gets lost in the ether, is worryingly high.

[Bernie Goldbach]

Please share the details when you successfully email your Irish bank manager.

[Michele Neylon]

We made it pretty simple.

Some staff you'll get via firstname@ , but since we ended up with multiple people with the same firstname we also have firstname.lastname@ - which is pretty logical

Using an underscore in an email address is stupid.

The other option, of course, is to use a .tel.
You can find most of my contact details on my .tel and if I trust you I'll share even more of them :)

[irridescence@iol.ie]

Companies should always have telephone numbers and email - and not the sort where you are asked to post something into the ether and never hear anything.

[Refurbished Computers]

Well I will say that sometimes people try to hide their email address as well as personal information.

It's not always that email address should be kept easy so you can guess it out and send emails.

That guy must have kept for some other reason, so you should not say that it's pathetic.

[Kevin]

I hope people with easy to guess email addresses like SPAM because first thing a spammer tries if firstname@company.com, then firstnameFirstLetterLastname@company.com.

Also why would he be required to be on Twitter? Twitter may have alot of accounts but only 17% are active accounts. http://www.techxav.com/2010/01/27/twitter-shocking/

Twitter is fading fast, active account percentage it down from 80+% the end of 2007 to 17%.

Listing the entire company's email addresses is not practical.

[generic viagra]

Let's face it, the e-mail it's the best thing in the world, now the old way of mailing things, are truly obsolete, the e-mail is way better than the old kind of mail, not just for their huge good & awesome new things, but, their technology, the easy way to use, and the ''world accesability'' thing, make the e-mail, the best communication way!!!

[hairy cunt]

http://hairy-bush-beavers-fuck.www-hairypussy.com/
seconds in, I realised my mistake -- this is an Irish website! There is no section on 'Who We Are', let alone individual contact details!
Off to Google, then, to search for his email address. Nothing in the first 20 results, despite plenty of mentions in associations, organisations and other vanity projects.
In the end, I had to do what thousands of Irish people end up doing: I rang the company, spoke to a receptionist
http://hairy-black-teens-fucking-huge-black-cocks.www-hairypussy.com/ http://hairy-cunt-with-panties.www-hairypussy.com/

[Background Check]

awesome layout and excellent article.many thanks this is fantastic details

[Hot Recession Opportunities]

It's really good written and I fully agree with You on main issue, btw. I must say that I really enjoyed reading all of Your posts.

[Personal Injury Lawyers Las Vegas]

It's really good written and I fully agree with You on main issue, btw. I must say that I really enjoyed reading all of Your posts.

[ugg shoes]

Oh I do hope to visit some day! What a great place to work!