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View Full Version : Is it just me, or is texting the worst form of communication?



nealrm
11-07-2012, 05:42 PM
I truly hate texting. It's not that I a hard time entering text or understanding how to send the text. My issue is that the medium results is messages that leave out all details. I get texts stating things like "shoot listing new" or "new price $110000". Now I know that this means that the agent want me to shoot their new listing or change the price on a current listing, but which new listing, what is the address. For the shoot it is vacant, are there dogs, do we need to schedule with the owner, what is the owners phone number.... We have people at the office all day, if they have a phone with them they can call. We always have to call them to get the details anyway. So why risk mis-communication by sending a stupid text message.

Text messaging has set communications back to the time of the telegraph. Messages had to be short because you were charged by the letter. They also didn't have the option of talking with someone. Now day we can easily talk anywhere, yet people want to send short incomplete message via text.

So - any suggestion on worst forms of communication?

Pack-Secure
11-07-2012, 05:45 PM
Texting drives me up a wall. I feel like screaming pick up the dang phone.

MostHeather
11-07-2012, 06:15 PM
I'm going to go against the grain and say that I like texting - but most of my texts are for personal business more than communicating with clients, etc. If I had to conduct business doing texts, that might give me a whole different outlook..

billbenson
11-07-2012, 08:09 PM
Texting like email are not real time. That allows for better time management. I absolutely hate the telephone.

What you are talking about is the misuse of the technology. The text should be call me, my client wants a discount of 11k (or whatever that jibberish message means).

I don't know what I pay for texting, but I think it's nothing. My wife texts all day and it doesn't change our bill?

Harold Mansfield
11-07-2012, 08:23 PM
I can deal with a short message or two, but when it turns into a conversation, I start getting irritated.
Not a fan of texting for business. Especially when people ask tech questions. Just send an email or pick up the phone so that we can get it over with.

Steve B
11-08-2012, 07:06 AM
I'm not a fan of texting at all. It certainly has a few instances where it is a benefit (movie theater and similar situations). But, I often see it used as an intentional one-way form of communicating so the sender doesn't have to waste his/her time listening to the other party.

Freelancier
11-08-2012, 09:38 AM
I try not to use my cell phone for business. That way, I'm not disturbed during my personal time by incoming calls that I don't want to take. I've had a cell phone for 15 years and very few customers have the number. I work from home, though, so I don't need to use it for business.

Yes, Bill, with the new Verizon and AT&T plans, unlimited texting and call minutes are included. Finally. It's data that costs money now.

I use texting for personal msgs, that's it. If a customer happens to get my cell number and sends me a text, first thing I do when I get a free moment is pick up the phone and call them back. I think of it as a short e-mail in that situation. I'd NEVER send a client a text. E-mail is better for that, because then I can make sure I'm going to be completely understood.

billbenson
11-08-2012, 11:54 AM
Ya, I don't give it out to customers either as I work out of my home office and always am there.

Really only two people have the number. My wife and a friend who has a job where he can't answer the phone. I have a weekly meeting with him and it works well for a short message like "what day and time are we meeting this week". Also with the wife, she may send me a list of stuff she wants in the supermarket. Easier than writing it down if I'm driving.

It has its place

Rover
11-08-2012, 12:16 PM
When texting first started gaining popularity I was laughing at these companies (Sprint, AT&T ect) "Who is going to pay to send a word message when they can just pick up the phone and call?" Well it's a good thing I'm not a CEO at one of those companies because it is huge!!

I use it for personal business when I know someone is busy or at work, I do make sure that the facts and info are in there. Those who don't understand texting will send very poor messages. If it needs a long detailed instruction I just text "Call me when your free so we can talk about XYZ." Teenagers love it because it makes them feel important when they get a text. If you look at a call it's just one ring or two and they are talking, a text conversation requires multiple messages and can be about private things they don't want people around them getting wind of.

But for actual business, nothing substitutes an actual call.

KristineS
11-08-2012, 12:27 PM
I like texting for personal use. Texting family or friends to ask a quick question is very useful. I also use it for work purposes when we're working trade shows. It's great to be able to text and find out who's going to breakfast or what time we're doing dinner or ask someone to remember to bring something to the booth. Other than that, I don't think I would text in a business setting. It's easier and more professional to pick up the phone.

Harold Mansfield
11-09-2012, 11:07 AM
I hate to start statements with "I read somewhere" or "I knew a guy", but in this case I can't pinpoint where I heard it, but, I seem to recall reading that text messaging charges are the biggest scam in telecom since the frequency or bands that carry text messages are the same ones that keep your time updated and your phone is receiving those all of the time anyway.

So the fact that so many companies are now offering "free" or "unlimitted" texting is kind of funny, because it never cost them anything extra to offer. But I guess we should be appreciative that on that one thing, they have decided not to gouge us.

billbenson
11-09-2012, 12:01 PM
I hate to start statements with "I read somewhere" or "I knew a guy", but in this case I can't pinpoint where I heard it, but, I seem to recall reading that text messaging charges are the biggest scam in telecom since the frequency or bands that carry text messages are the same ones that keep your time updated and your phone is receiving those all of the time anyway.

So the fact that so many companies are now offering "free" or "unlimitted" texting is kind of funny, because it never cost them anything extra to offer. But I guess we should be appreciative that on that one thing, they have decided not to gouge us.

It's data, but a very small amount of data relative to a phone call. Charging large amounts for texts was always a scam.

dereksbicycles
12-20-2012, 10:50 AM
I would presume it'll depend on your customer base. Either texts will be the best way to communicate with a particular base and the worst with other bases.

Business magnate
01-24-2013, 07:18 PM
I love texting in personal life, however, it doesn't look professional to text in business...

Wozcreative
01-24-2013, 08:02 PM
Texting for me is for personal ONLY. I request clients to contact me through a call or email (preferably), because texting is not good for explaining things, for keeping information on record etc. The work I do needs lots of explanations and lots of questions.. so texting is a no go for me.

KristineS
01-25-2013, 12:37 PM
The only time I text for business is when I'm at a trade show and then it's texts back and forth among those working the booth with me regarding meal times and what time to meet at the booth in the morning and stuff like that. I would never use texting to contact a client and certainly not to relay information. I view texting as mostly for conveying shorts bursts of information like where to meet or something.

ozetel
01-25-2013, 09:20 PM
It is easier to avoid truth in text...words can misrepresent and be crafted carefully in text, whereas face to face or phone conversation is more transparent.

billbenson
01-25-2013, 11:31 PM
But you are all complaining about using it for what it's not good at. A sales manager leaving a message " call me when your plane lands in Dallas" is a good use of text for business. Writing a business plan isn't!

Business magnate
01-26-2013, 05:56 AM
Well, that's good point billbenson. Maybe we could say that it's ok to text if subject value is less than $50 or $100, if it's more than 100$ you should use other communications channels...

billbenson
01-26-2013, 01:23 PM
Well, that's good point billbenson. Maybe we could say that it's ok to text if subject value is less than $50 or $100, if it's more than 100$ you should use other communications channels...

You can't even put a value on it. The message might me to call a $2M customer ASAP.

nealrm
01-26-2013, 10:01 PM
Anything that needs to be done ASAP needs to be handled via direct communication. You don't know when a text will be read.

billbenson
01-27-2013, 03:15 PM
Anything that needs to be done ASAP needs to be handled via direct communication. You don't know when a text will be read.

I disagree. Its a procedural thing. If a system is in place where you check texts as soon as you get off your airplane and confirm you received them it will work. Having spent 22 years as a traveling salesman, as soon as I got off the plane I went to a pay phone and checked my messages (this is prior to the text message era and sell phone for that matter). It's the same concept as a text message though.

nealrm
01-28-2013, 09:23 AM
Bill - I think your example proves my point. You are on a flight or otherwise occupied and the message is left for you, the sender has no way of know when you will get it. You can easily be on that flight for hours. If something is truly urgent, it is not going to wait for hours. (I think ASAP in sale means something different that in manufacturing, in manufacturing it generally mean now or within the hour)

KristineS
01-28-2013, 11:24 AM
Again, I think we're back to what I said earlier. Texting can be effective for short messages like "Call Me" or "Meet me here". It's not really useful for conveying a lot more information than that. I think texting has it's place in business but, in my opinion anyway, that place is as a tool for setting up longer conversations or interactions.

billbenson
01-28-2013, 07:16 PM
Bill - I think your example proves my point. You are on a flight or otherwise occupied and the message is left for you, the sender has no way of know when you will get it. You can easily be on that flight for hours. If something is truly urgent, it is not going to wait for hours. (I think ASAP in sale means something different that in manufacturing, in manufacturing it generally mean now or within the hour)


Again, I think we're back to what I said earlier. Texting can be effective for short messages like "Call Me" or "Meet me here". It's not really useful for conveying a lot more information than that. I think texting has it's place in business but, in my opinion anyway, that place is as a tool for setting up longer conversations or interactions.

Neal, I completely agree with you as well as Kristine. Might be arguing about something we both agree on :)

neil@camisonline
01-29-2013, 10:11 AM
BBM and WhatsApp are interesting as they can be quite cost effective by just using your data plan. Furthermore sending files through them is usually quicker than text and you can tell if someone has received and read your messages. I know WhatsApp has had a bit of bad press lately too but it is good that it's available on nearly all mobile platforms.

Harold Mansfield
01-29-2013, 10:22 AM
Generally, I'm at my desk M-F 9-5. So there is really no reason for anyone to text me when an email or call will do just fine. So text messages kind of irritate me. And since they usually come by phone, typing on a touch screen with my thumbs is not my favorite activity.

Most of my friends know I hate them and to keep them to a minimum. Usually if a text conversation goes beyond 2 responses, my next text is "just call me".

billbenson
01-29-2013, 03:41 PM
Generally, I'm at my desk M-F 9-5. So there is really no reason for anyone to text me when an email or call will do just fine. So text messages kind of irritate me. And since they usually come by phone, typing on a touch screen with my thumbs is not my favorite activity.

Most of my friends know I hate them and to keep them to a minimum. Usually if a text conversation goes beyond 2 responses, my next text is "just call me".

The downside of a phone call is they tend to take up more time than an email or text. I think we all agree that a text is ok for short messages like call me etc as we discussed above. But phone calls usually take more time than an email. Still on a lot of stuff you need to do it by phone.

edrogers
03-05-2013, 01:41 PM
yes i never text but i was born in '64 possibly a generational thing, i prefer to pick up the phone.