XANT Study Reveals Rapid Evolution of Workplace Communications

Silicon Slopes, Utah – May 11, 2017– Sales acceleration software leader XANT recently released its Evolution of Business Communications 2017 report which shows texting, IM and even Facebook are now becoming mainstream channels for workplace communications in place of methods that are either unpopular, on the edge of extinction or ineffective. The Millennial generation, entering the workforce in vast numbers, will shape the world of work for years to come as Baby Boomers continue to retire. As such, this generation does things differently than their predecessors and their influence is having a marked impact on the work habits of their Boomer and Gen Xer counterparts. Challenging current convention, the study reveals that, while pioneering apps like AIM and MSN Messenger are out, instant messaging applications such as Slack and Jabber are swiftly becoming indispensable in the office: Daily usage of the technology at work has risen from 31 percent in 2014 to 41 percent today across all age groups. Millennials themselves are 35 percent more likely to use IM daily at work than Baby Boomers (42 percent vs. 31 percent, respectively). Millennials’ preference for instant communication applies to mobile phone usage as well. However, key findings from the report also indicate that Baby Boomers seem to like texting at work even more than Millennials 62 percent of Baby Boomers recommend contacting them by text message — 33 percent higher than Millennials (47 percent) and 81 percent of boomers also say they’re likely to respond to text messages over 68 percent of Millennials. “It’s a common misconception that the younger generations are going to be the most tech-driven employees over seasoned professionals,” said Dave Elkington, CEO of XANT. “It’s tremendously encouraging to see that Baby Boomers are ahead of the curve when it comes to texting in the workplace and supporting IM and social media channels as favorable forms of communication at work.” The study additionally reveals that, among other things:

• Landlines live on! Although eclipsed by cell phone use, most office workers (54 percent) still use landlines daily.
• RIP Voicemail? Not yet. They may not be popular outside of the office, but half of the workforce (50 percent) still recommends leaving them a voicemail.
• LinkedIn emerges. It’s the most-used social media platform at work, but it’s not the most effective means of communication. The professional network is on the rise, but significantly more respondents would take a mobile phone call (86 percent) than respond to a LinkedIn message (54 percent).

All of this data and more can be seen in the full Evolution of Business Communications 2017 report, available here. For more information and to gain insight into the research please visit www.www.insidesales.com. About XANT XANT offers the industry’s first AI-powered predictive sales acceleration platform. Built on Neuralytics, a predictive and prescriptive self-learning engine that drives revenue growth by delivering an optimized experience for both salesperson and buyer. The platform fuels sales rep performance and provides buyer personalization with breakthrough innovations in predictive sales communications, engagement tracking, forecasting and rep motivation. XANT has received numerous accolades for its technology, including being named to the CNBC Disruptor 50 and Forbes Cloud 100 lists, and earning recognition as one of the fastest growing companies, according to Inc. XANT enterprise customers include ADP, Microsoft and Groupon. Media Contact: Judd Bagley, Director of Corporate Communications judd.bagley@www.xant.ai 385.375.5362