Why 'Dare to Call' in the Web Heyday? -- The 'Immediate Response Needs' Realized by 86% of Operators

Why 'dare to call' in the Web heyday? -- The 'immediate response needs' realized by 86% of operators

Telephone Answering Service Co., Ltd. (CEO: Masayoshi Tamagawa), which rolls out telephone answering BPO services nationwide from bases in Tokyo and Osaka, conducted a survey targeting its own operators on the 'Role and Changes of Telephone Support in the Digital Age.'

While 'non-face-to-face, non-voice' communication such as Web forms, chat, and AI support are becoming widespread, there are still many situations on the call-receiving frontlines where 'phones are deliberately chosen', such as for 'urgent consultations', 'complex contents difficult to explain', and 'inquiries accompanied by anxiety.'

In this survey, 86% of the operators answered that the reason phones are chosen is 'because immediate response is necessary.'
Furthermore, on the frontlines, there is a growing realization that while simple inquiries have shifted to the Web, 'calls that are difficult to handle unless by a person' are increasingly gathering on phone lines.

* Notes on Quoting and Introducing

When quoting or introducing the contents of this article, please be sure to include the name 'Telephone Answering Service' and use the article URL on the corporate site below as the link source.

Survey Main Page URL: https://denwadaikou.jp/column/denwadaikou/20260518/

[Survey Overview]

Survey Name: Survey on the Role and Changes of Telephone Support in the Digital Age

Implementation Date: May 1-11, 2026

Target: In-house operators (Valid responses: 58)

Method: Online survey (simple tabulation)

Conducted by: Telephone Answering Service Co., Ltd.

* This survey is based on the actual business feelings of our operators engaged in telephone support duties.

[Highlights of Main Survey Results]

74.2% of operators answered that 'situations demanding a phone call remain unchanged.'
While Web completion is advancing, inquiries requiring 'human response' still exist.

The #1 reason 'why phones are deliberately chosen' is 'because urgent, immediate response is needed' (86%).
This was followed by 'because it is complex and difficult to explain in writing' (63.2%), and 'because I want to convey nuance and temperature' (42.1%).

On the front lines, there is also a feeling that 'calls difficult for anyone but a person to handle' are increasing, such as 'inquiries that could not be resolved on the Web', 'complaints and troubles', and 'emergency responses.'

The most common characteristic of 'calls that a person should handle' was 'the caller is in trouble or rushed' (71.4%).
While efficiency is advancing, the importance of 'support that stays close to emotions' has been highlighted once again.

Phone Needs Have Not 'Decreased', But 'Changed'

Q. Now in the heyday of the Web, are customers who deliberately demand 'phones' increasing? Survey on 'Role and Changes of Telephone Support in the Digital Age' Conducted May 2026 | Telephone Answering Service Co., Ltd.

[Data]

74.2% of the operators answered that 'situations demanding a phone call remain unchanged.'

On the other hand, 'decreasing' and 'slightly decreasing' combined to 18.9%, showing a realization that simple inquiries are shifting to the Web.

[Considerations and Implications]

With the spread of Web forms and chat support, 'simple inquiries' are shifting to digital. However, on the other hand,

Urgent consultations

Complex situation explanations

Inquiries accompanied by anxiety

It is thought that 'situations requiring conversation with a person' like these continue to remain on the phone today.

The phone may be changing its role from a mere means of communication to a 'means for consulting with peace of mind.'

The Biggest Reasons Phones Are Chosen Are 'Immediacy' and 'Complexity'

Q. What do you feel is the reason 'phones are deliberately used instead of the Web or email'? Survey on 'Role and Changes of Telephone Support in the Digital Age' Conducted May 2026 | Telephone Answering Service Co., Ltd.

[Data]

The most common 'reason phones are deliberately chosen' was:

'Because urgent, immediate response is needed' (86%).

Next were,

'Complex and difficult to explain in writing' (63.2%)

'Want to convey nuance and temperature' (42.1%)

'Want to prevent perception gaps' (40.4%)

[Considerations and Implications]

While the Web and email are efficient, there is a limit to 'speaking while organizing thoughts on the spot.'

Especially in cases where,

The situation is complex

Urgency is high

Want to proceed while observing the other party's reaction

It is thought that phones, which allow for real-time dialogue, are chosen.

It suggests that rather than mere information transmission, 'mutual confirmation' and 'peace of mind' remain as the value of the phone.

In addition,

Voices such as 'The phone is faster and easier' and 'Unfamiliar with Web/email operations' were also seen, indicating that a certain number of users choose the phone from the perspective of 'efficiency' and 'ease of use'.