I really don’t like calling, and think it’s a relic from a time we
didn’t have any other options. Let’s start by looking at our behavior
through the lens of the products we use. We all carry around these
devices in our pockets with a very peculiar name — smartphones.
In the early 2000s, we used the word to describe a phone with extra
‘smart’ functionality. Today that same device is something we use for a
lot of different things, that you can also use to call people.
Back in 2007, when the iPhone was introduced, SMS was still the main
mobile text-based messaging service — and it had a lot of limitations.
With a maximum of 160 characters, no support for images and a high cost
per message, it wasn’t the most enticing option, especially when free
texting over data came along, with the advent of services like WhatsApp.
It suddenly became practically free to send messages with pictures,
location or other data attached — it would only use up your monthly data
allowance.
So why do we still use phones for calling, if there are vastly easier
ways to reach someone? Some people argue that calls are simpler,
quicker or more personal. I don’t agree with any of these, and I’ll
explain why.
Calling isn’t easier. Actually, it’s a hassle — you need to wait
before you’re connected, while the person on the other end is being
interrupted in what he or she was doing. Suddenly, your phone starts
vibrating and making loud sounds just because someone else thinks he’s
important enough to warrant that attention. You have to stop, step out
of the moment and trust that the caller has something to say that’s
worth the annoyance.
Calling is also definitely not quicker. When you pick up, you first
need to go through the various steps of phone etiquette. These include
saying things like ‘Hey!’ and ‘I’m great, how are you?’ for the first
two minutes, and then slowly progressing to the actual point of the
conversation. Please tell me how this isn’t ten times as fast:
It’s true that calling actually is a little bit more personal than texting. But that doesn’t mean it’s always the right choice.
Sure, there are situations when calling makes more sense. Something
important happened that the other person has to know as soon as
possible, you have urgent personal news to share or you’re in a long
distance relationship and need to stay in touch with your partner. But
the painful truth is that 95 percent of all calls could have been a
message — they’re simply not important enough.
Messaging also isn’t perfect, of course. For starters, users are spread over many different platforms — Facebook Messenger, LINE, iMessage, WhatsApp, Google Allo and WeChat are just a few that come to mind. Before we started using Slack at TNW, I had to send my coworkers a message on at least three different services before I got a reply.
But it’s almost always better than calling. So next time when you
think you should call someone, please think again. It’s probably best
you don’t.
