At the 2008 FORUM Solutions Symposium, a considerable amount of time was spent on social media, online outreach and community activism. I was disappointed though that not one single presenter mentioned or discussed the role of texting in the upcoming generation. I have my theory on that but more on that in a minute. Our own unscientific research indicates that those 18 - 23 spend more time texting than any other communication channel. In a poll of a random sample of 35 high school seniors, 75% indicated that using a mobile home banking program on a cell phone or even an iPhone was not appealing. 60% indicated that they would be highly motivated to move to an institution that would allow them to send text messages to get balances or conduct transactions. (Of course, real time instantaneous responses were a given.) I know this is unscientific and a very very small sample but as you do ethnographic research (Sit in a Starbucks for a few hours in the evenings.) one notices that texting is very prevalent.
Back to my theory. What the 24 - 29 year old's accuse us 35 - 45 years old's of doing to them, they are doing to the 18 - 23 year old's...thinking that what they think is cool and the only way to interact is the way all should interact. It is just a thought but I am not sure email, blogs and Twitter are going to be the best communication choice for the second half of the Gen Y cohort. And for those under 18, texting is the be all, end all communication device. Email is so yesterday to them, even if it is within Facebook or MySpace. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that they won't be using these same channels but this groups main connection might just be with their text community. At the speed of disruptive innovation in this space, who know what will be the next thing.
No comments:
Post a Comment