CCT Adjunct Professor Stephen Minnig Explains the Role of Toll-Free Numbers in the Age of Chatbots

Communication, Culture & Technology (CCT) Adjunct Professor Stephen Minnig recently appeared on the podcast 99% Invisible to discuss the importance of trust and accessibility in communications. During the episode, Professor Minnig explained how toll-free, 1-800 numbers protect consumers’ interests and support human-to-human connection amid the current boom in chatbots.

“Not everybody has high speed internet. Not everybody has unlimited data on their phones. Or many people don’t have the tech literacy to navigate a chatbot. So for seniors, rural communities, and people with low incomes, the 1-800 number offers a free, democratic lifeline to the companies they need to contact. That 1-800 number remains the friction-free portal to get a live person online for free, without having to pay a dime,” Minnig explains.

Professor Minnig has served as an adjunct professor at CCT since 2001, teaching courses in product development and machine learning while supporting student-led start-ups. Minnig’s academic and professional experience centers on emerging technologies and product development.

“When you think about it, a consumer sees a toll-free number; it signals to them that the business is established. We have a lot of spam calls spoofing local area codes now. And so a recognized toll- free number gives people sort of a shield of legitimacy.”

Learn more about Professor Minnig here. 

To learn more about CCT’s faculty, find more information here.