Worldwide, an estimated 9.6 trillion text messages were sent in 2012. This number is staggering, and with Valentine's Day upon us, its important to look at how people are using text messaging to interact with each other. Sweethearts flock to this service to send a quick, "I'm thinking about you," (or racier) note to their loved one when phone calls aren't required. There's also a way for businesses to use SMS to win love, leads, and revenue. There are several similarities between building a personal and business relationship, and we'll take a look at how businesses can learn a thing or two from them.
When was the last time you purchased an answering machine? I bet you can’t remember. I certainly can’t. Do you even know how much they cost these days? I actually had to Google to see that I could obtain one of these basic devices for six or seven dollars.
Not only have I not purchased an answering machine, or voicemail service, but I rarely even leave voicemail messages. It seems I’m not the only one. According to Internet phone company, Vonage, the number of voicemail messages has dropped eight percent (comparing figures from July 2011 versus July 2012). So, what is happening to voicemails?
People just aren’t leaving voicemails, and even fewer people are checking them. Vonage also found that voicemail retrieval dropped 14% (July 2011 versus July 2012).
Texting, emailing and instant messaging are quickly replacing voice calls and messages. Phone calls and the subsequent voicemails are seen as interruptions and are often met with annoyance and apathy. Written messages, on the other hand, are viewed as less invasive. For me, I can respond to a text message or email with a quick, short response, but returning a voicemail always involves more time. Also, by providing written responses, I can clearly outline... Read more