How the Smartphone has Changed the Business World

A.K.A. Do You Check Your Phone Too Much?

It is an undeniable truth: the smartphone has changed the world as we know it.

What was once seen as a risky business move for Cingular (now AT&T) and Apple is now seen as a necessity for day-to-day life (in and out of the office). A recent study by Dscout stated that “average users spent 145 minutes on their phones and engaged in 76 phone sessions per day.”  This begs the question: is cell phone use getting out of hand?

It’s definitely changing the way we do business. More companies now days allow cell phone use in the office. In fact, many companies rely on daily text messages to run the company. And many businesses have optimized management functions in the same way.

The incorporation of cell phone use in the office is becoming more and more of a necessity.  See here for some interesting data suggesting that text messaging has become the main form of communication among Americans.

And many businesses are even changing their products in order to fit the needs of the changing business world. For example, many XBLUE phone systems enable you to forward your extension to your cell phone or even transfer a call to a college’s mobile. Voice mail messages even get sent to your smartphone’s email account so you can see caller ID and receive a copy of the message before calling the sender back.

Pretty cool, huh?

But this isn’t the only way the cellular telephone has affected our world…

“What are some others?” you might ask…
  • It’s changed the way we communicate.  Many families now keep in touch through “group texts”- sending videos and pictures to each other via apps like iMessage and Vibe.
  • It’s changed the way we date.  Apps like OkCupid and Bumble are two of the top most downloaded apps on the smartphone and for good reason. The success rate for these online dating sites seems to not be slowing down anytime soon.
  • It’s changed the way we get our news.  Newsstands are becoming “Snackstands” as most people receive their news on mobile news apps.
  • We now have a camera on us… at all times.  Smartphones have changed photography as we know it. A priceless moment arises and we reach for our phones to snap a photo.  
  • It’s changed the way we game.  Virtual reality games like Pokemon Go have swept the nation… for better and for worse.
  • It’s changed the way we relate.  We keep in touch with our loved ones by seeing what they are doing on Facebook, sending them a message on Instagram or iMessaging them a picture of our latest haircut. We discover important information from Facebook statuses and we see what people are going through across the world. We now have a wider scope of the world. And this is a good thing.

Yes, many of us check our phones a lot, maybe even too much.  

We have to in order to stay up-to-date in the changing business world. The key is being aware of the habit and making a conscience decision to not let your cell phone habits impact your ability to be present in your daily life.

Some may choose to incorporate a “No Texting” rule over dinner or over your lunch break at work. And others may designate some time every day to put down the cell phone and pay attention to your surroundings.

Smartphones are great! But like all things, they are best used in moderation.


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XBLUE Offers Business Phone Systems for offices with 2 to 50 employees.   

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