Facts and Stats

Statistics show,

• Survey data from RingCentral illustrated the trend: 82% of respondents in their survey said they use texting daily for business. Additionally, 32% said they have used texts to close a business deal. (Flynn-Ripley, M. 2014)
• Some 83% of American adults own cell phones and three-quarters of them (73%) send and receive text message. (Smith, A. 2011)
• 31% of respondents said that they preferred texts to talking on the phone, while 53% said they preferred a voice call to a text message. (Smith, A. 2011)
  
• Another 14% said the contact method they prefer depends on the situation. (Smith, A. 2011)
• Cell owners between the ages of 18 and 24 exchange an average of 109.5 messages on a normal day—that works out to more than 3,200 texts per month (Smith, A. 2011)
• 67% of cell owners find themselves checking their phone for messages, alerts, or calls — even when they don’t notice their phone ringing or vibrating. (Mobile Technology Fact Sheet, 2013)
• 44% of cell owners have slept with their phone next to their bed because they wanted to make sure they didn’t miss any calls, text messages, or other updates during the night. (Mobile Technology Fact Sheet, 2013)
• 29% of cell owners describe their cell phone as “something they can’t imagine living without.” (Mobile Technology Fact Sheet, 2013)

References

Mobile Technology Fact Sheet. (2013, December 27). Retrieved March 8, 2015, from 

http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/mobile-technology-fact-sheet/

Smith, A. (2011, September 18). Americans and Text Messaging. Retrieved March 8, 2015, from http://www.pewinternet.org/2011/09/19/americans-and-text-messaging/

Flynn-Ripley, M. (2014, January 2). 2014: The Year of Text Messaging in the Enterprise. Retrieved March 8, 2015, from http://customerthink.com/2014-the-year-of-text-messaging-in-the-enterprise/

4 Tips on Texting Professionally

1. Avoid using acronyms and abbreviations
   Although they can make texting a lot easier, it can cause confusion between individuals. Just because you know what the acronym and abbreviations mean, does not mean the person on the other end does. It may feel like you're talking a completely different language to others. If you are going to use them, use more common professional ones, and stay away from using ones such as "WTF" and "GTFO" which are viewed as being extremely unprofessional. The best idea is to take a few extra seconds and type out the complete words, to keep it on the safe side.


2. Do not send bad news over a text
   Some issues are more important and they should be taken care of with a phone call or face-to-face conversation rather than a text message. "Don't give negative feedback or quit your job in a text," Pachter writes. "In both cases, speak to the person concerned. Even if you are leaving a company, you don't want to burn your bridges — you may need a reference in the future." (Business Insider, 2014) It especially looks better on you if you talk with someone one on one instead of through an electronic device that makes it seem like you're avoiding the situation.
   
   
3. Never text in a meeting or presentation
   Texting during a meeting and presentation causes you to draw attention to yourself, and not only is it a distraction to you, it's also a distraction to everyone around you. Not paying attention to the speaker and looking down at your phone gives off a bad impression. It makes you look as if you could not care less about what the speaker is saying. It is common courtesy to give your full attention to the person at the front of the room, just as you would want everyone else's attention if that were you up there.
   
   
4. Look over messages before hitting send
   Without rereading your typed out message you can easily send a message with spelling errors and improper language. It is simple to make mistakes while typing, especially if you're in a rush and typing quick. Autocorrect is also a big factor when texting. It does not always understand what you mean, or recognize the words you are using and without realizing it, autocorrect will change them. Technology is not always right, so to be safe, you should always proof read your messages before sending.
   
   
   
   References 
   
   
   Smith, J. Giang, V. (2014, September 18). 7 Rules Of Texting Etiquette Every Professional Needs To Know. Retrieved March 7, 2015, from http://www.businessinsider.com/texting-etiquette-rules-2014-9
   
   
   Smith, T. (n.d.). 20 Business Texting Tips | Little Things Matter. Retrieved March 7, 2015, from http://www.littlethingsmatter.com/blog/2010/03/02/20-business-texting-tips/  

Texting Confusion

There can be a lot of confusion between individuals in a conversation. Misunderstanding the tone of one another can cause tension in the discussion. This may have happened to one of you, it is a very common mistake. Emoticons (representation of a facial expression, such as " :) " formed using a sequence of keyboard characters) are often used to symbolize whether the person is happy, angry, or sad but without them there's no telling what vibes their messages can give off. Here's a video showing the common confusion many of us have.

The following contains language that might be found offensive to viewers.

Texting Professionally, Good or Bad?

 There's plenty advantages to using an instant messaging/texting device, particularly in a business workplace. It's a simple form of communication between colleagues. Sending and receiving immediate messages without being in a face-to-face discussion is a convenient way to share ideas, ask questions, and get feedback. It can also be used for staff to have easy communication with customers rather than having to get the message across over a phone call.
        Messaging is a very helpful means of communications, although, downsides are still very common. Using an electronic device in order to send messages back and forth becomes a distraction to many individuals in a workplace. Often people get caught up in instant messaging and lose time to work on their daily tasks, or become less focused on what's important. In addition instant messaging causes workers to seem less educated. Text messages lack proper English format, sentences are formed with acronyms and often show many grammatical errors. Individuals must be aware that maintaining a professional image when communicating through e-mails and texts is crucial, especially when working for a business. Instant messaging should be used very minimal in a business work environment, or should only be allowed with circumstances.
       Everyone has different opinions on the topic, don't hesitate to comment your opinions and how you feel about the matter. All opinions are welcome.

References

Guffey, Mary, Dana Loewy, Kathy Rhodes, and Patricia Rogin. "Instant Messaging and Texting Professionally." Business Communication: Process and Product Brief. 4th Edition ed. 154,155. Print.