Sending 'voice notes' to customers
Discussion
Needed a small job doing at home, a few days work maybe. Found a company with decent reviews and sent a message through a WhatsApp link. The chap messages back with a spoken, recorded message. It already sounded like he was sucking air through his teeth, setting me up for approaching my simple job in a different way.
I replied with something or other, then he sent another spoken message. I couldn't even be arsed to listen to it.
I run a small business and wouldn't dream of responding to an enquiry with a voice note. Am I old fashioned and missing a trick, is this the new norm? In mitigation I'm 50+, a bit deaf and certainly grumpy.
I replied with something or other, then he sent another spoken message. I couldn't even be arsed to listen to it.
I run a small business and wouldn't dream of responding to an enquiry with a voice note. Am I old fashioned and missing a trick, is this the new norm? In mitigation I'm 50+, a bit deaf and certainly grumpy.
Yep, those sub 20 don't want to talk to you but are happy to talk. Doesn't help WhatsApp etc al offer a big green button with a mic on it.
We do some training for some post grads, it's all voice or video with it as feedback on exams. They're actually getting used to "voice crits" from some uni courses.
We do some training for some post grads, it's all voice or video with it as feedback on exams. They're actually getting used to "voice crits" from some uni courses.
22 said:
I replied with something or other, then he sent another spoken message. I couldn't even be arsed to listen to it.
If he'd phoned up to delver the message in person, would you also be not arsed to listen to it?Mr Penguin said:
I'm 34 and I find voicemails annoying as well
It's interesting how fashion and attitudes change. I started trading in the 90s and a phone with an answering machine was essential if you didn't want to miss calls. But now people are too lazy even to listen to messages and the thought of picking up a phone to talk (which is what they were designed for and what humans naturally do if they want to communicate) is somehow horrendous. They'd rather sit there for hours tapping a little thing with their thumbs.I asked this once before and someone said it wasn't very easy to play back voicemails on a smartphone.
It's partly a generational thing. Speaking to a colleague this week and she's frustrated that, post covid especially, nobody picks up the phone and even when speaking don't seem to be able to make eye contact. And these are grads working in consultancies. All written, all voice notes etc.
I get the point of messaging in terms of it giving the ability to draft a message at your convenience and for the receiver to receive and reply at their own (its maddening when the receiver expects an immediate reply..., I mean, why not just speak!)
But you see so many people monologuing into their phone the drivel of their day and sending it to friends. Why? It's actually worrying for society if you think about it, how young people seem to have lost in such a short time the ability to engage in the most basic of social activities, face to face conversation.
I get the point of messaging in terms of it giving the ability to draft a message at your convenience and for the receiver to receive and reply at their own (its maddening when the receiver expects an immediate reply..., I mean, why not just speak!)
But you see so many people monologuing into their phone the drivel of their day and sending it to friends. Why? It's actually worrying for society if you think about it, how young people seem to have lost in such a short time the ability to engage in the most basic of social activities, face to face conversation.
biggles330d said:
It's partly a generational thing. Speaking to a colleague this week and she's frustrated that, post covid especially, nobody picks up the phone and even when speaking don't seem to be able to make eye contact. And these are grads working in consultancies. All written, all voice notes etc.
I get the point of messaging in terms of it giving the ability to draft a message at your convenience and for the receiver to receive and reply at their own (its maddening when the receiver expects an immediate reply..., I mean, why not just speak!)
But you see so many people monologuing into their phone the drivel of their day and sending it to friends. Why? It's actually worrying for society if you think about it, how young people seem to have lost in such a short time the ability to engage in the most basic of social activities, face to face conversation.
Yep. There's a time for e-mail, or Messenger, and there's a time for talking, depending on the subject. But outside most people are just zombies walking along staring at their 'device', and when they park their car they can't get out for 5 minutes because they have to play with it. Couples in restaurants just sit there playing with their phones. I'm staggered that H. sapiens has become so utterly addicted to these bloody little things in such a short time and can't function without them. It can't be good.I get the point of messaging in terms of it giving the ability to draft a message at your convenience and for the receiver to receive and reply at their own (its maddening when the receiver expects an immediate reply..., I mean, why not just speak!)
But you see so many people monologuing into their phone the drivel of their day and sending it to friends. Why? It's actually worrying for society if you think about it, how young people seem to have lost in such a short time the ability to engage in the most basic of social activities, face to face conversation.
biggles330d said:
It's partly a generational thing. Speaking to a colleague this week and she's frustrated that, post covid especially, nobody picks up the phone and even when speaking don't seem to be able to make eye contact. And these are grads working in consultancies. All written, all voice notes etc.
I work near exclusively for public sector clients. It has become policy in many organisations not to provide phone numbers of client officers. Even once we're embedded into a project, I have to rely on them to respond to an email to call me about something and when they do, it's almost always 'No Caller ID".It is exceptionally frustrating at times.
Another problem on this topic is that there is today, so many different means of messaging that it's easy to miss stuff.
For me WhatsApp appears to have become the default means of messaging, in same cases at least equal to email. I very rarely receive text/sms messages other than scams or promotions so hardly ever look at this. But sitting idly at an airport last week, I went through and deleted several months worth of old scam or promotional texts and discovered quite a few genuine ones from clients and suppliers. What was interesting is that there was no adverse consequence of me having not seen them previously!
Finally got round to listening to the second message. It wasn't far removed from the door-knocking sorts who tell you that you need tree/roof work urgently. My little job could be "an opportunity" for him to see if the kitchen/bathroom/flux capacitor room need updating (which hadn't been mentioned in the slightest). I presume he must think I'm more elderly than I am (or think I am!).
Even Mrs 22 who usually doesn't have a bad word to say thought he sounded like "a bit of a clown". I thought he sounded like her dad
Even Mrs 22 who usually doesn't have a bad word to say thought he sounded like "a bit of a clown". I thought he sounded like her dad
56 seconds of setting me up for everything in my house needing updating. No mention of the task I'd contacted him about and a new business enquiry where the customer is writing and the business is responding in spoken form. No wonder he's got availability to upgrade everything I don't need doing,
Think I'm too old for this modern world!
Think I'm too old for this modern world!
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