Communications and Technology Industry Research

The U.S. economy now sports more than 230 million cell phone and 25 million smartphones, strongly indicating that Americans are becoming accustomed to being connected at all times.

This phenomenon has led to others, including the establishment of the expectation that messages of all kinds will be received and responded to in real-time. When the ability to retrieve a message is lost, it can create stress.

Solutions Research Group recently completed a study, “Disconnect Anxiety,” which found that 68 percent of the U.S. population experiences some level of this form of stress when they are disconnected in such a way. 

 

SpinVox (News - Alert) believes that its solutions can help. Services offered by the company can automatically convert voice messages into text and send to the recipient as SMS text or e-mail. Such processes are arguably effective in reducing the feelings of disconnect anxiety by making voice messages more accessible.

Services offered by SpinVox also allow businesses people to stat connected and send messages in the absence of a keyboard and Internet connection. Such a capability is essential while on the go as professionals have become more mobile, meeting customers in the field and relying on technology to help facilitate such interactions.

Stanford Singer, Ph.D., a New York City psychologist, noted in a Tuesday statement that in these days of universal connectivity, there is frequently an expectation by people that they “should” be able to “take care of everything, perfectly, all the time.”

“It can feel like a need to be connected at all times,” said Dr. Singer. “This is sometimes called ‘a case of the shoulds.’ The demands of these ‘shoulds’ can be intensely stressful, at a level which can vary from individual to individual.”

“When something interferes with people’s performance in this respect, even when it is something out of their control, such as not being able to retrieve or respond to a message, it can bring on anxiety, irritation, and potential depression,” Dr. Singer added.

SpinVox allows users to access voicemail messages immediately to receive the information, without dialing in or listening to a message. This can be beneficial when in a meeting or other scenarios where making a voicemail call is inappropriate or impossible. This technology also allows for a discrete response if the message is urgent.

“Perhaps the most stressful situation for someone who is in business and is used to being connected at all times is when you are in a meeting and know you have a voicemail message and know someone is trying to get a hold of you and not being able to discretely retrieve that message or do anything about it,” said Christina Domecq (News - Alert), CEO of SpinVox, in the Tuesday statement.

When trying to communicate in places where such services are unavailable, SpinVox users can retrieve converted voice messages through e-mail and stay in contact. This capability can help to reduce the stress associated with being out-of-touch.

Domecq continued, “For some people, being in an airplane where there is no connectivity provides a bit of a sanctuary and freedom. But for others, the complete disconnection only exacerbates anxiety and causes more stress. With SpinVox, these issues are definitely alleviated. When you have the ability and option to combine the worlds of voice and data, the extent to which one is totally disconnected is virtually eliminated.”

The results of the Solutions Research Group findings could easily be considered a warning sign that Americans have become to reliant on the ability to communicate with others. Our cell phones and smartphones have become a crutch and while they were promoted as making life easier, they actually create additional stress.

SpinVox has recognized that not only is this stress real, but it can also be reduced through alternative technologies. And, while it can provide access to a message when calling voicemail is not appropriate, one does have to wonder how it can be of benefit if the user is out of network range. It may not be a complete cure for lack of tower, but SpinVox can make staying connected a little bit easier.