Voicemail is for dinosaurs?

[robinb]

I recently changed cell phone providers for me and my 19-year old daughter. I was texting her about something and it started to get complicated so I called her to explain. She couldn't answer the phone so she declined the call and I went to voicemail. Which would have been OK, except she had no voicemail set up. I texted her that she should set up her voicemail and she said "No"!

Apparently it's a Millennial thing to hate voicemail and that has continued into Generation Z.

I feel like such a dinosaur. Do you or your kids shun voicemail?

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

I didn’t set mine up for almost a year after I got my latest phone plan. It seems no one ever left a message, they would call and if I didn’t answer they would then text “call me when you can.” It seemed to involved to set it up, not like years back when it was as simple as record a message, I simply didn’t worry about taking the time to do it.
ETA- I’m a Gen X’er

 

[JaxDad]

After seeing a commercial for the Little Caesar’s Pizza Portal, I joked with my 15-year old son how we seem to be limiting direct human interaction as much as possible.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Voicemail is for oldies. Im 42 and I just have voicemail on my phone for work purposes and my mum.

In my personal life its Whats Ap or Facebook Messenger or Instagram Messenger. The only person who sends me SMS text is my mum.

Email is for work purposes and for online shopping.

No one answers the phone any more, in fact people will see the phone ringing, and think fudge sake , why are you ringing, just send me a Whats Ap!

 

[Southernmiss]

I recently changed cell phone providers for me and my 19-year old daughter. I was texting her about something and it started to get complicated so I called her to explain. She couldn't answer the phone so she declined the call and I went to voicemail. Which would have been OK, except she had no voicemail set up. I texted her that she should set up her voicemail and she said "No"!

Apparently it's a Millennial thing to hate voicemail and that has continued into Generation Z.

I feel like such a dinosaur. Do you or your kids shun voicemail?

Never tried to leave one of my 4 a voice mail as I don't think they would ever check it. I text them 'Call me when you get a chance'.

Though I can't say it's just younger folk as they are several senior adults I've tried to call whose vm is full of they can't figure out how to set it up.

I have the ability to text members of our church, where I work, through a church computer program, that gets the best response of any communication method today, even for the senior members. Most of them have learned to text or Facebook to keep up with their families.

But now, Facebook is for old people.

 

[neverlandsky]

We don't have voicemail setup. For us it's outdated. We're 39 & 40. So depending on who you ask or what study you refer to, we're either millennial or gen X.
For us, we just got tired of our VM getting clogged with unsolicited callers and the kids school notices. Plus medical & dental converted over years ago to sending texts & emails for appointments vs. leaving VM. A text or an email is far more convenient and a way faster way for us to respond immediately.

 

[KatyWDW]

Millennial here - I dislike voicemail and am guilty of the “hey did you call?” text if someone I don’t normally talk to calls my phone.

The only voicemails I get are spam related or my parents/grandparents saying “hey give me a call”.

 

[Southernmiss]

And yes, personally I hate to receive a voicemail. Just text me and get to the point already.

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

Voicemail is for oldies. Im 42 and I just have voicemail on my phone for work purposes and my mum.

In my personal life its Whats Ap or Facebook Messenger or Instagram Messenger. The only person who sends me SMS text is my mum.

Email is for work purposes and for online shopping.

No one answers the phone any more, in fact people will see the phone ringing, and think fudge sake , why are you ringing, just send me a Whats Ap!

Never heard of What’s Ap, is it like Facebook messenger where the other person has to have the App and an account also to receive a text, cause I don’t think a lot of people have it. I’m sure the younger members of my family know about it but they would never reach me through either of those. Maybe in the future but by then it’ll be something else and Facebook will be a thing of the past.

 

[js]

If I ever left my dd-almost 25 or my ds-20 a voice mail, Im certain they wouldnt know or listen to it. If I call them and they dont answer, I send a text to call me.

The only voice mails I get are from my mom, doctors office confirming an appointment or spam. Sometimes at work if I dont get someone on the phone, I leave a message or email them what I want and ask they call me.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Never heard of What’s Ap, is it like Facebook messenger where the other person has to have the App and an account also to receive a text, cause I don’t think a lot of people have it. I’m sure the younger members of my family know about it but they would never reach me through either of those. Maybe in the future but by then it’ll be something else and Facebook will be a thing of the past.

Yes thats it. Its very popular here in Europe. Its connected to your cell phone number. You download the app on your phone. It then links with your contacts and shows which of them is using the App. You can create group chats which are very popular. Most families have a family group, then you will have groups for your friends, a PTA group, a neighbourhood group etc etc. It works using the internet, either WiFi or data. As it uses the internet, you dont get charged like you do for regular SMS.

 

[tvguy]

This is a HUGE problem at my work. Everyone has their own desk phone with voicemail. About half the staff don't even know their extension number, and most have never set up their voice mail.
We don't have a secretary, and they give out the general number instead of their own. Sorry, I'm glad to send a call to your extension, but don't tell me you don't know your extension, don't ask me who it is, because I don't know, and don't tell you can't let it go to voicemail because you haven't set it up....or know how to.
And the worst part, managers don't care.

 

[amberpi]

Voicemail is for oldies. Im 42 and I just have voicemail on my phone for work purposes and my mum.

In my personal life its Whats Ap or Facebook Messenger or Instagram Messenger. The only person who sends me SMS text is my mum.

Email is for work purposes and for online shopping.

No one answers the phone any more, in fact people will see the phone ringing, and think fudge sake , why are you ringing, just send me a Whats Ap!

Yep - pretty much this and I'm old.

 

[ashley0139]

I can't imagine not having voice mail set up, and I'm 30. I didn't realize that was considered old. I don't use it much, but I keep it set up for work, potential jobs/hearing back from jobs I've applied for, doctors appointments, my landlady, etc. I even have friends who leave voice mails on it very occasionally. Sometimes my best friend's son wants to talk to me but I can't answer so he leaves me a voicemail. I love those.

 

[dina444444]

Never heard of What’s Ap, is it like Facebook messenger where the other person has to have the App and an account also to receive a text, cause I don’t think a lot of people have it. I’m sure the younger members of my family know about it but they would never reach me through either of those. Maybe in the future but by then it’ll be something else and Facebook will be a thing of the past.

It's a text messaging app that uses your phone number but allows you to text international numbers at no cost since while it uses your phone number the messages are sent via your data connection. Most people I know have it. It's a way for group texts between those with iPhones and androids to work without it causing issues.

 

[bigbabyblues]

I am 42 and I don't have voice mail set up on my phone. I do return missed calls if I recognize the number (typically if their name shows up because they are in my contacts) and if it is someone I want to talk to. I rarely get calls on my phone unless my husband or kids need something, and I always answer their calls unless I am driving.

The only time I leave a voice mail for someone is if I am calling from work (school secretary) and they don't answer. 99% of those are attendance calls.

Neither of my teenagers have their voice mail set up. They always call back if they see that we called them, but that is rare. My husband does use his voice mail, he has a regular job (the has told them that he won't answer work calls if he isn't at work, and they rarely leave a voice mail anymore because he won't call back until his next shift anyway) and two small side businesses that he uses his personal cell # for. I give his # for all dr/dentist/orthodontist because they can leave a message on his phone. Our dentist uses text notifications for appointments, and we only go to the dr for yearly checkups.

 

[jaiminee krikit]

I don't like using voicemail either. I prefer it via text because if it's something I need to remember, it's easier to look back on that text instead of listening to the message. I love that my hair salon and dentist office communicate via text message now.

 

[gwynne]

I have voicemail and I generally dislike it. If you need to get ahold of me, text. I have my hair salon, physician and dentist all text me about appt reminders. I even get texts when a prescription is ready.

Pretty much the only voicemails I enjoy are the ones from grandkids.

 

[gotomu212]

I’m Gen-X and don’t use voicemails either. I think it’s as simple as which is easier 1) listening to a 2 minute message that you have to repeat a few times to get the name, number, dates....or 2)reading a 15 second message to get info, and one you can refer back to for names, dates, numbers?

 

[wenrob]

Ha, I spent an hour in chat with AT&T the other day because my voicemail randomly stopped working. I have Visual Voicemail so more often than not I’m reading it vs. listening to it. When my kids aren’t at school I send calls from the school right to VM and read them later. My Dad always leaves a VM. Our family typically texts so if someone calls it’s most likely important so I like VM for that. I will send a “hey, call me” text as well. FWIW my oldest is 22 and she and her friends use VM. She let me know the other day that my younger kids weren’t set up because she tried to leave them one. (their phones seem to have the same bug mine did)

Call me an old fogey but I’m not maintaining a bunch of chat services. If you want to get ahold of me your best bet is to text me using my number.