One of the largest IT services outfits in Europe, Atos is killing off internal e-mail.

CEO Thierry Breton said that less than 15 percent of the 200 e-mails his staff received were any good and they were wasting between 5 and 20 hours a week handling e-mail. He wants staff to use instant messaging and other chat-like communications media, because no one ever wasted time on chat.

Breton is proud of he fact he had never sent a work e-mail for three years. His staff visit his office , phone him or send a text messages.  He insists that "e-mails cannot replace the spoken word." Although it is a bit easier to do that when you have a secretary.

While he might be a bit backward with those views, Breton is highlighting a trend away from email into messaging.

More here.