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Voice: The Interrupter
The last two nights I have had the rare opportunity to spend some quality time with my friends from high school and college. While most of our conversations came no where near the topic of VoIP or even voice, the one thing that was clear is that voice (in it’s various forms) was no longer the preferred means of communication amongst our group.
Within our group we had a soon to be doctor, a few lawyers, an account, sales professionals, and even some who have yet to move pass their warehouse position. Although we all have different jobs, in different industries, with different titles and overall life goals, not once did I hear I will give you a call. What I heard was I will send you an email or I will text you; let’s chat via MySpace or add me on Facebook. Picking up the phone as simple as it may be, was just not in the cards.
Maybe It Is Just Our Generation?
Yes, all of us were under 30, but more importantly, I believe that advances in technology and the emergence of the Internet has made voice calling an interruption to our lives. I have come to the conclusion that my generation, and the ones that will follow after us desire to communicate by their preferred method “on their time”, not others. You see when you make a call to someone, without setting an appointment, you are interrupting them. A phone call although sometimes pleasant, is more often then not annoying and for many wastes more time than communicating in other forms, such as email, SMS, or even through a social network. Yes these other forms of communication are less personal, but if you already know this person, does it matter?
I do not think “voice is dead” but I do think it is dying as the preferred method of communication among my generation and those that will follow. What do you think? Is voice still your preferred means of communication?
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
You highlighted something most interesting here. I actually feel a bit offended when someone calls me out of the blue without first setting the stage for the call. I think I am like this because my online identity is public and there are so many non disruptive methods of getting in touch with me (blog, linkedin, Facebook, Skype etc) I almost feel as this person calling me hasn’t invested any time in contacting me other than looking my name up in some directory and dialing. I have come to expect a certain level of familiarity from anyone who phones, and when it isn’t there I have no interest in investing time in the conversation. It goes without saying that calls that are responses to marketing etc., are much much different.
As an outbound/inbound sales specialist in the voip industry, i can relate to this point of no voice communication on a daily basis. The bottom line is a feeling of invading ones space, especially when they endure the task of actually picking up the handset on the phone. It seems as undue work for customers to press a speaker button, lift a hand set, or even dial a few buttons. If we look at how many key strokes a normal individual makes per day at their job, what’s another couple of finger presses on the dialing pad? I am clearly amazed at the lack of attention, while on phone calls with customers; whether or not it’s an inbound or outbound call. I have found that clients will not give their full attention even if they call you. I hear click-click-click-click second after second as they carry out their jobs via computer, eventhough they just placed an urgent call with me. On a humorous note, i even have customers that will call me, stay silent for almost the entire duration of the call, just to ask me ” did you receive the email i just spent the last minute typing to you”, all while on the phone in silence. The point Mr. Smith is making, is completely valid and will become more evident as toys like the IPhone are forthcoming. I look forward to the day where i will not have to leave bed to do my job, all this due to the non-voice and all data community we are starting to derive.
-VoIPWEKKO-
Interesting facts. I guess part of this change is due to the availability of so many different communication tools. User is accustomed with certain tools, and feels comfortable using them. In future, we will see presence,FMC palying a bigger role. user will decide who can contact them and what time they are willing to have a voice conversation. Convergence will play a bigger role.
Cheers,
Ravi
Oddly enough while attending a luncheon this afternoon, the above topic was discussed. I want to point your attention to this fascinating story of an IPhone user who receives a 300 page phone bill; oddly enough not from talking, but text messaging. The interview can be seen at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h-jFzQFMLw
AT&T, formerly Cingular Wireless, sent the women a bill for over 35,000 text messages in which she completed in just a single months time. The bill for shipping, to send the bill, was over $10.00 and had to be shipped in a box. How fitting is this story for the topic we are discussing above. This shows the growing manuscript of not only corporate America, but also social-civilized America, to be moving away from voice and into the many venues of data communication.
-VoIPWEKKO-
Garrett, Yes, voice is become just one of many modes we use for communication… and, as you note, no longer the primary one. It’s very seldom that I pick up the phone and call most folks these days. If it’s not urgent, I just send an email (or post a msg in Facebook or whatever other means I know is my primary conduit to the person). If I want to talk to them about something, I’ll usually start with an IM to see if they are busy. If I don’t have an IM connection to them, I’ll have to try voice… but start with the expectation, basically, that I’m probably going to get their voicemail.
The one place voice does still seem to play a primary role is for *urgent* communications. When there is a problem or when I want information *right now*, I’ll make phone calls. But for every other communication, voice is just one of many choices.
Dan
Dan,
As an avid IPhone investor and user, the likely hood that critical information has become un-attainable is now less possible. Attaining information from people who are refuse to give it up, this is an entirely different subject all together. There should be no excuses for anyone to say they were un-available, or could not get to their phone. How many times per day do you check your email and/or cell phone? The same holds true for the majority of Americans today.
I have customers frequently tell me they were un-accessible to return messages, but then send emails from their blackberry’s. What sense does this make? The next time someone tells you they cannot be reached, and you have important questions or need important information from them, it should literally raise your eyebrows and make you wonder if they are admissible or not.
-VoIPWEKKO-
“Time” is #1; no longer is it money. Email/chat/social community/utility/blog … these help us to show our current status and the business we are ready to develop. A phone call, a voice chat… they are wanted to get the personal touch, to understand the emotional nuances, to develop more trust… like why would you want to get a local phone number from a geographical area other than your home?
Then again, some are better at conveying the message of trust, personalization, etc. by text and others by voice. It has nothing to do with how old you are.
Suzanne, my intent was not to discuss an age barrier (although I strong believe that our aggregate age played a role in the forms of communication we chose to use/not use to interactive with one another), but to state that voice is quickly becoming the less and less of a preferred means of communicating and that with every new generation “calling someone” will become less and less prevalent.
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