Do We Need Voice Mail Anymore?

Advertising Disclosure: When you buy something by clicking links on our site, we may earn a small commission, but it never affects the products or services we recommend.

Image Not Available

The Chicago Tribune asks, and it’s easy to see why. Data show people are leaving fewer voice messages, and fewer people are listening to the ones that arrive.

Some people (including myself) can ignore voice mail for days. The message can become obsolete within minutes of arriving, anyway – if you’re busy and don’t answer a call, chances are you’ll get a text message, a Facebook post, an email, or another call. Those text-based communications tend to get to the point quicker and demand less time.

When they don’t, you can easily skim. Even if you aren’t screening calls and just missed one, tapping the name or number to dial back is usually quicker than listening to the voice message.

A phone company executive told the Tribune their research showed people aren’t avoiding contact – they want the message, but voice mail is an obstacle.

It’s slow and treats us like we’re stupid (please wait for the tone, and when you’re done you can hang up, OK?) and depending on the provider and the phone, may require going through robotic prompts. You might go through that just to hear “Call me” or a long-winded explanation you can’t make sense of without interjecting questions.

That’s why companies like Vonage are implementing, or already have, systems that convert voice messages into text ones. And why some companies (certainly not in the customer-service sector) are considering ditching their voice mail altogether. If it was an option that lowered my phone bill, I would too.

Get smarter with your money!

Want the best money-news and tips to help you make more and spend less? Then sign up for the free Money Talks Newsletter to receive daily updates of personal finance news and advice, delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for our free newsletter today.