Microsoft: Email still a key means of communication

By Tom Warren, on 5th May 11 4:52 pm with 5 Comments

Microsoft revealed the results of a recent survey on Thursday.

The software giant asked market research firm MarketTools to conduct a new survey on email, social tools and other means of communication in the office. MarketTools asked 1,268 professionals and students, aged 18 and older, to take part.

According to the research, 96% (and 92% of the 18-24 year olds) said they expect their email communication in the workplace to increase or to stay the same over the next five years. 53% consider email the most effective method of communication with colleagues, beating face-to-face meetings and instant messaging (49% and 42% respectively).

Microsoft says that despite social media, web conferencing and instant messaging playing a growing role in communications, email isn’t dead. “Just as email didn’t kill the telephone and video didn’t kill the radio, newer messaging tools won’t kill email.,” says Microsoft’s Office corporate vice president Takeshi Numoto. “In fact, the survey tells us that the overall volume of communication is increasing as a whole.”

Email study results - MarketTools

  • Janis91

    Why don’t we get the same (nice) notifications for emails that we get for text messages on WP7 then?

    • Anonymous

      What are you talking about? The e-mail notification on WP7 is almost the exact same as for text messages. An e-mail icon shows up on the locked screen, showing how many unseen e-mails you have. The same number is represented on the live tile on the home menu. You can configure it to give you a sound/vibrate notification. It’s all the same as a text message. The only difference is that for an e-mail, the locked screen does automatically turn on, and there isn’t a little preview thing that drops down from the top of the screen.

    • http://twitter.com/vashibhavin vashibhavin

      I dont think that would be a good idea. There is way too much spam that you get via e-mail. I don’t want a toast everytime Borders has a 25% OFF for their next store closing sale.

    • Janis91

      I think I’m glad then that I don’t receive so much spam, because I really wish they would give us this shortcut to the inbox without having to go to the home screen.
      But of course, there should be an option for turning the toast notifications off.

  • http://twitter.com/ParasValecha Paras Valecha

    I completely agree. I think percentage of people using e-mail in the future will go on increasing.