The transition to the cloud was already a reality, the pandemic only reinforced this trend. It is undeniable that confinement and remote working have driven a very significant change in the way we communicate, i.e. “calling” – voice calls over the phone – has given way to collaboration tools which, in this scenario, have gained a huge relevance in our daily communications.
We are going through major changes in the working world and in recent months we have seen drastic changes in communications and the way we interact with colleagues, team, friends and family has changed.
As with the transition from desktops to laptops, physical telephones (on-premises) have remained in the office, but at the same time there has been a greater use of collaboration tools and mobile phones. Chat conversations have also increased exponentially, proving to be an effective communication method that even allows registration for future consultations, similar to e-mail.
These changes in communication paradigms, from spontaneous to programmed or scheduled communications, from face-to-face interaction to the use of video to complement voice, all this may lead us to think that “calling” is no longer part of our daily lives, but this is not true, although in some situations it has been relegated to the background.
Traditional voice calls are still necessary and useful. In the work context, communications are mostly done with videoconferencing systems and collaboration platforms (e.g. Webex, Microsoft Teams and Zoom). In familiar and closer surroundings, these platforms are also used, but apps like WhatsApp or Telegram are often the preferred medium. When it is necessary to communicate with other entities, the means typically chosen is still the voice call. We still continue to make calls while walking or in the car; in case of urgencies or emergencies, resorting to voice call is the first impulse; when emails and messages have already been exchanged without understanding from one of the parties, the voice call eventually comes up in order to clarify the matter quickly.
The concept of mobility and “work from anywhere” has long been present through our phones. This is Calling!
In short, we have seen the use of different media/platforms depending on the context we are talking about, but Calling is not dead and is very much alive and present in our lives. No doubt the future of work will be different, remote and hybrid, but voice calls will remain alongside collaboration platforms or physical video conferencing systems.
by Carlos Lima
Consulting Services Solutions Architect – Collaboration & Customer Experience
