Gen Z Risks Losing Business Connections by Hanging Up on Phone Calls

Generation Z Hangs Up on Phone Calls

Gen Z's Shift Away from Voice Communication Poses Challenges for Businesses

London – A new survey from The Times has revealed a striking generational divide in communication preferences, with a quarter of young people never answering phone calls and 70% preferring written messages over voice.

For this cohort, born after the year 2000, texting and messaging offer more control over their time and the ability to carefully compose their words, avoiding the spontaneity and potential awkwardness of live conversations. "Writing means managing your own time, avoiding embarrassment, choosing your words," the article notes.

This shift poses a dilemma for businesses, which have long relied on phone calls as a core customer service and client engagement tool. "The old-fashioned phone call is synchronous, immediate, unpredictable," the article states. "But is this the triumph of efficiency over relationship-building?"

One young PR executive at a tech startup, who declined to be named, explained the mindset: "I just feel more comfortable communicating via text or chat. It gives me time to think through my responses and avoid any awkward pauses." The executive noted that even when conducting interviews for a recent article, they avoided phone calls, sticking to a written back-and-forth over messaging apps.

Industry analysts warn that companies that fail to adapt to Gen Z's communication preferences could find themselves at a disadvantage. "Businesses need to meet their customers where they are," said Samantha Chen, a senior analyst at research firm Forrester. "That means investing in seamless digital channels and training staff to be comfortable with more asynchronous, text-based interactions."

Some firms are already making changes, with call centers deploying chatbots and rolling out chat functions on their websites. But the shift goes beyond just customer service – internal meetings and employee onboarding are also seeing a rise in messaging and video over voice.

"The pandemic has only accelerated this trend as remote and hybrid work became the norm," noted Alex Bates, a workplace strategist at consulting firm Mercer. "For younger employees, the phone just feels outdated. Businesses need to adapt or risk being left behind."