Communication issues

My official 'communication problems' include being hard of hearing/deaf. I'm not, I just dislike using the phone, so for every place I have to deal with, I put myself on the 'extra help/adaptive/disabled services' list and they know I can be contacted by email or text, WhatsApp or post.

So, having refused to interact by phone, as far as 'they' know (including all utilities, doctor and dentist) I don't have a house phone and my mobile's on silent.

I'm never waiting for a call or stuck in a queue - just perfect.

I suffer similarly and find it very irritating. I think this situation is partly a product of political correctness (criticising accents could be racist) and the fact that 'posh' talk is now looked down on. I love listening to old radio plays when people spoke the Queen's English - but then I think Oh goodness, what an old fart I am!

I'm the same, having worn bilateral hearing aids for the last 4 years.
The few occasions I haven't had them in (not often) I tell the person I'm with in case they think I'm ignoring them. In every case where this has happened each person has thought themselves very funny by shouting loudly at me 'OH, OK THEN.....etc etc'.
I find this rude and disrespectful as it wouldn't be done for other disabilities.

Here's my take on broadband issues and how they are dealt with by so called customer service agents.
First question from them is, have you got it plugged in correctly? Of course I b....dy have it's worked fine for 3 weeks, next question can you go to the back of the hub, that's the square shape box with a light on it, at this point I want to say No sh.t Sherlock!
Now if you get a needle and out it in the little hole that says reset.
Pin and hole I sure know who's hole I'd like to stick the pin in. Now at the same time can you press the button marked reboot!
I'd like to.boot him up the backside. At this point I am picturing him with a group of colleagues gathered round him scribbling in paper what to tell the stupid old woman to do next,now I quickly knock that joke on the head and say Look dear if I stood in the middle of the road naked whistling dixy would that fix it!!!
Then there's a moment's silence whilst he's trying to figure out a) is she buys or b) OMG she knows what we're up to.
I tell him I have a heart condition which is true and would he care to come round whilst I verbally abuse him and tell him to put pins in his eyes whilst pressing the reset button!!!

Horrendous problems with Virgin Media these past two weeks. I have spoken to South Africa twice and once each to Mumbai, Philippines, Mauritius and could not understand any of them. I asked them to slow down which they do - for about ten seconds - and then the gabble continues. At 84 it is stressful to say the least and I resort to letters which of course take much longer. They MUST be aware of this communication problem and being a Communications Company it is a disgrace that they do not recognise the problem, especially for the older customer.

Praise for BT. Yesterday I had a long phone conversation with them, which included three different people, from different departments; everyone spoke clearly and made sure I was ok with the various stages of information, without ever being patronising.

I don’t understand why companies employ telephone operators with foreign accents. Either that or automated answers which dont answer your query. Then if you give up and try again later you are faced with listening to some horrid music interspersed with “thank you for waiting. You are number ten in queue”.

Bijou

I don’t understand why companies employ telephone operators with foreign accents. Either that or automated answers which dont answer your query. Then if you give up and try again later you are faced with listening to some horrid music interspersed with “thank you for waiting. You are number ten in queue”.

In answer to your first sentence: because they come cheap!

I wear hearing aids too and agree with most of this. I taught English to people from other countries so am used to accents but unless the speech is slow and clear I don't understand, and I say so . I usually ask for email anyway so I have a record of the conversation.

Hattiehelga, I'm with VM and I've never had a problem - see above - just don't try to communicate by phone.

Hetty58 thanks. I have yet another problem with them and had decided that I cannot cope with the stress of more phone calls so although it will take longer, I am going to write to them. I feel a bit defeatist but will give it a go.