I made the dreaded customer service call…
When it comes to shopping, I am a “see it-feel it-touch it” kind of person. That makes online shopping a challenge for me. I don’t want surprises when the box arrives, so sometimes I make the dreaded call to customer service for more information.
Most of the time, the frustration comes from the wait time, but last week a representative answered promptly. Unfortunately, she spoke so quickly I struggled to understand what she said, from her name, to the product information, to the price.
She repeated herself when asked, but I sensed her impatience, and she sensed mine. Needless to say, I took my business elsewhere.
Speech rate is a necessary component of speaking clearly, especially over the telephone.
Below are a few exercises to improve your rate of speech. They will teach you to slow down and speak clearly.
Don’t give your customers or clients a reason to take their business somewhere else. Take your time; it will save you in the long run.
5 exercises to slow your rate of speech
- Practice.
Select an article from a newspaper or magazine. Highlight the punctuation, then read the article aloud. Make a conscious effort to pause when you see a comma, period, or question mark. - Breathe.
The end of a sentence is the perfect time to pause and take a breath. This will help slow your rate of speech. - Pronunciation.
Make an effort to say each word completely when you read and speak. Slower speech allows time for all the sounds in a word to be produced. When your rate of speech is in the average range (120-150 words per minute), your speech will be easier for others to understand. - Awareness.
Listen to the speech rate of others. TV news reporters, especially the anchors, maximize the power of the pause. Count the pauses in each segment next time you watch a TV news report. - Emulate.
When you are conveying information, whether at work or at home, emulate the style of broadcast journalists. Pause after each thought or piece of important information. A pause gives your listeners time to process what you have said and to anticipate what you will say next.
Photo credit: By user Onetwo1 via Wikimedia Commons.
