The concept of leaving (and checking) voice mail is, to millennials, obsolete and landline use is virtually extinct.
A spokeswoman for Vonage reported that voice mail deposits had dropped by 8 percent from October 2013 to April of this year.
Perhaps the least used feature on a millennial's smartphone today is the phone itself.
That red number on their iPhones announcing how many voice mail messages are waiting? Ignored. The recording? Instantly deleted.
Having grown up in a texting-friendly culture, with unmediated cellphone access to their friends, they have had little formative experience leaving spoken or relayed messages over the phone.
To address the issue, the Etiquette School of New York is teaching conversation and basic etiquette classes on voice mail skills.
"It’s kind of awkward to leave voice mails now," said Chris Paul, 22, a recent graduate of Duquesne University. "The expectation is that we send each other text messages, and if you wanted to talk to someone, you’d answer their calls." When he is forced to record his voice, he is a little anxious. "It's a little nerve-racking."
Source: New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/15/fashion/millennials-shy-away-from-voice-mail.html