Despite being a fully grown man, I still dread talking on the phone so much, even for short to-the-point calls (like making appointments), that I put them off for days, weeks, or months. When I finally decide to make the call, I have to schedule it in my head and make sure it's not too close to lunch and not too close to closing time, which, if I account for different time zones and lunch schedules, gives about a one hour window in the morning and one hour window in the afternoon. This is important because if there's an answering machine/voicemail box (whatever it's called these days), that means I have to leave a message and wait anxiously for my phone to ring if it ever does, or I have to forego the voicemail and keep calling; if I leave a message and don't get a reply, how long do I wait before calling again?! Also, depending on the nature of the call, I have to make sure I have every single document pertaining to the purpose of the call right in front of me because searching for that one piece of paper or number while the other person is waiting is not fun. There's also the awkwardness of phrasing a cold call; I have to somehow state who I am, the circumstances that led to the call, and finally what specifically I am calling about, while being clear, concise, and polite. Maybe being more blunt and trying not to get in front of the conversation would help. I know it's never as bad as I think it will be, but logic doesn't help for some reason.
I even worked a customer support job for over five years, and that still didn't get me over this; although, I opted to use e-mail unless it was obviously easier to clear up over the phone.
Anyway, I'm a big baby. The end.