by Cree McCree
WHAT’S HAPPENING
- Credit Millennials with getting their folks to text. 20% of 55- to 64-year-olds are tapping out messages in 2008, up from 13% just two years ago, according to a Sprint study. And three quarters of those texters are messaging their kids (MarketWatch 10.22.08).
- Staying in touch with offspring in college drives many Boomers to write with their thumbs. So does the rapid response time: kids under 30 are four times more likely to reply to a text within minutes, compared with a voicemail message.
- Text-challenged parents can get a little help from Sprint. ReadyNow associates at Sprint stores take customers step-by-step through text-messaging, Web surfing and other advanced cellphone functions.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS
- Miss U! Keeping tabs on kids away from home motivates Boomer parents to learn new tricks — especially when the little scholars are far more likely to reply.
- The Millennial side of the bargain is also a sweet deal. Kids with text-enabled parents can keep it short and sweet and don’t have to listen to long, rambling voicemails from Mom and Dad.
- Teaching customers how to get the most out of their cellphones adds value to a mobile service.
RESOURCES
