Why do 20% of the French (almost) no longer pick up the phone?

Why do 20% of the French (almost) no longer pick up the phone?

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► Briefly

  • 20% of the French no longer want to pick up the phone
  • 60% of French people filter calls to a greater or lesser extent
  • A complex phenomenon with many factors

You will not receive this call. After all, your contact may not know it, but there are other ways to contact you: in writing or verbally, by message or voice, and using one of the (very) numerous messaging services available. Besides, this call isn’t the only one you won’t receive.

Because, like more than 20% of the French, you don’t want to pick up the phone that much anymore. Yes, you are not alone: ​​more than one in 5 people at least filter or even no longer respond to calls received on the phone. But why this change in habits? Deciphering a trend that transcends generations.

Calling, a sometimes invasive practice

Because yes, it begs the question. And the first element of the answer seems to lie in its invasive aspect. In some ways, the call is a form of loss of control for the user: it is often impromptu, requires some concentration to hold a conversation, and does not always fall at an appropriate time for an exchange.

In other words, receiving a phone call may be perceived by some as a source of anxiety, which may even turn into a phobia for some when the accusation is reversed and the call must be initiated. So we dodge, let it ring, send a message and hope it stays there.

Intergenerational observations

But while the answer is emerging, we still know nothing about this famous Frenchman of 5. For some, when this behavior is mentioned, he is directly categorized as a “young person”. A smartphone-addicted user who, paradoxically, can’t stand telephone contact. And yet, according to INSEE, we find a relatively fair distribution between generations: if 20% of people aged 15-75 hardly ever respond, almost 60% of French people use even moderate filtering on their calls.

A trend that fades with age, however, dropping to 55% among those aged 75 and over. Overall, then, it appears that the phone call problem is truly intergenerational.

And if the reasons for avoiding the call are different for each generation, we can still find common points in all of them. Above all, the need for control and balance, calling is for some a synonym for the professional world or family responsibilities.

Furthermore, the fact that the call has been perceived as premature poisoning since its inception, since the end of the 19th century. Finally, in recent years, less invasive alternatives have emerged that fit more easily into the often hectic everyday life and where call time does not always find its place. In short, regardless of age, everyone shares this common need: to regain control of their interactions.

Messages, voice… the control alternative

Thus, for users, the fact of not receiving calls does not seem to be associated with a desire for solitude, but rather with a need for control. The point is therefore not to avoid contact, but rather to establish it according to one’s own terms, by managing the rhythm of exchanges. Thus, SMS appears to be an ideal alternative. However, this simple text seems to gradually decline as it eventually lacks the authenticity of the voice. This is how another format that replaced telephone calls has gained popularity in recent years: voice.

And here, although the famous GenZ and Millenials are at the forefront of usage (70% regular), we also see support that is gradually starting to cross generations. Democratization such that in 2024 there will be more than 150 million voice notes on WhatsApp daily. So is the future of exchanges in this brief moment of voice? The future will tell us.

Today, to respond or not to respond is no longer a question: it now depends on how and when.

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