Please speak up and slow down!

[CarolfromTX]

It’s time to winterize our sprinkler system, so I called to set up a time. The young woman answering the phone spoke softly, quickly, and did not enunciate. It was almost like she was afraid someone would overhear our conversation. I know my hearing isn’t perfect, but this woman was hard to understand. I had to ask her to repeat herself several times, and even then she didn’t speak up, nor slow down. I’m going to have to start every phone conversation with ”I’m old. Please speak clearly!”

 

[Pepper]

Happens to me all the time!

 

[TC Steve]

Happens to me all the time. I have some hearing loss. When I ask them to repeat, I apologize and say can you you speak loader, I'm a little hard of hearing. Most of the time that does the trick, but not always.

 

[oscash]

I had to see a Physiotherapist a few weeks ago because of a knee issue. He was a young lad and I thought he seemed like he was still in training. He had a mask on his face and was mumbling instructions to me. I often said, "I can't understand what you're saying". He'd repeat it but still
I couldn't understand him. He eventually gave me a manual with the exercises in it, and said to come back in two weeks, he wrote down an appointment time. When I went back, I waited for him for at least 1/2 hour and asked the receptionist when I can see him, and she said he wasn't in that morning and no appointment had been set up. I walked out in disgust and never went back.

 

[Quackers]

Drive me mad.
I often ask people to slow down and ask them to speak louder. I always have the phone on 'speakerphone' on too and still can't hear them well.

It's worse when I phone for different quotes on something, ie insurances, broadband etc.
They always gabble twice the speed of sound while reading the script on terms and conditions too.

I rather enjoy irritating them sometimes saying I'm an old fart, please slow down and speak up.
I know perfectly well they need to 'bow down to me' cos if they don't get the sales, they don't get paid

 

[timoc]

Welcome to the club, Carol.

Sometimes when someone won't speak up so that I can hear them, I just mouth words pretending to speak, then they say, "I'm sorry I can't hear what you are saying," then I speak out loudly saying, "We'll both have to speak louder because neither of us can hear the other, can we?"

 

[againstthegrain]

The other week I had to call customer service at my bank for what I knew was going be a tedious and lengthy convo re cc fraud. Tried twice w 2 people speaking to me from 1/2 way round the world and finally had to ask for a US representative.

 

[CallMeKate]

I haven't had trouble with too fast talkers or too low... but my goodness, sometimes the ESL workers have me pulling my hair. I know it must be frustrating for them, too, but I've actually had to ask to be transferred to someone who could understand me and I them a few times.

 

[oldaunt]

Customer service. Why do all them have a really thick accent and speak at the speed of sound. I absolutely dread having to call any of them and I still have really good hearing.

 

[Ruthanne]

I encounter this too at times but not with everyone. It's mostly with those who seem to mumble and don't speak directly into the phone. I told one person numerous times and she apologized but kept doing it! That was a counselor I let go not only for that reason but interrupting me lots of the time. After awhile I just didn't want to speak to her. I gave her 2 years and could not see myself confiding in her.

 

[Fyrefox]

I dread calling a customer service line, because so many of them speak very softly, talk quickly, or have thick accents. If an on-line chat service is available, I turn to that as I can always comprehend the written word…

 

[Paladin1950]

The only person I have hearing over the phone is my elder sister. She doesn't put the receiver close to her face. She doesn't like doing that. So her hand gets further away, or she turns her face away. So her voice keeps fading away. I have to keep saying, "I didn't hear a word you said."