I hate phone calls. Abroad, it’s worse.

Some people pick up the phone without thinking. Others will write three emails, check the website twice and walk over in the rain to avoid one call.

If you’re in the second group, hi. Plenty of us are too.

Why calls feel harder than they should

A phone call is live. You can’t take a minute to think, you can’t see the other person’s face, and you can’t scroll back to check what they said. If the line is bad or they talk fast, it gets harder still.

Now do all that in a language you don’t speak, to a busy restaurant, during the dinner rush. No wonder the note on your phone that says “call the restaurant” sits there for days.

What actually helps

• Write down what you want before you call. One sentence is enough.
• Decide your limits in advance: the latest time you’d accept, how much you’d pay, what you’d do if they’re full.
• Pick a quiet moment, for them and for you. Restaurants are easier to reach between lunch and dinner.
• Remember a “no” isn’t a disaster. It’s just an answer.

Or hand it over

That first point, writing down what you want, is exactly how Alfred works. You type the request in your own words, check the details, and tap Call now. Alfred makes the call in the local language and you get the answer on your phone.

It isn’t for every call. Something urgent, personal or complicated still needs you, and an assistant is no substitute for emergency services. But for “is there a table at eight?”, you shouldn’t have to psych yourself up.