Michael Schrage: Who Needs Voicemail Anymore? | Big Think.

TL;DR

Voicemail is outdated; communication trends shift to texts and emails.

Transcript

I’ve been very interested in voicemail because, like many people, you know, when it first came out I immediately hung up the phone. I didn’t want to leave a message. And then, of course, I became upset when people didn’t have voicemail so I couldn’t leave a message. And then much to my shock and horror, I became upset when the person I had called a... Read More

Key Insights

• 😮 Voicemail's decline stems from inefficiency and the rise of faster communication methods.
• 💌 Personal communication preferences reflect one's personality in choosing between email, text, or voice calls.
• 🥶 Demographic trends indicate younger generations shunning voicemail, while older individuals find it cumbersome.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why has voicemail become outdated in the current communication landscape?

Voicemail's inefficiency and time-consuming nature led to its disuse, with newer methods like texting and email offering quicker, more convenient communication.

Q: How does an individual's preferred communication method reflect their personality?

Preference for email, text, or voice calls can indicate personal communication style, with some valuing efficiency while others prefer personal interaction.

Q: What demographic trends are influencing the decline of voicemail?

Younger generations find voicemail cumbersome and prefer texting, while older individuals often find it tedious to check voicemail, hastening its decline.

Q: How are corporations adapting to the shift away from voicemail and email?

Corporations are moving towards social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook for communication, signaling the potential end of traditional corporate email systems.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Voicemail's evolution: from reluctance to value loss due to newer communication methods like texting and email.

• Prediction: Voice calls limited to close connections, communication preference indicative of personality.

• Demographic trend: Younger generation shuns voicemail, corporate voicemail and email becoming obsolete.