not understanding what's being said on phone...

My mother-in- law who is 92 has the same problem. Can't understand the accent and fast talk.
She has to tell them to talk slower. Other than that she has to ask for a call back when she knows her son will be with her and he can take the call.
Can you put your phone on loud speaker. Would that make it any better?

I dread having to contact my provider. It is Vodafone and they use India for their call centre. I have given up many times because I just cannot understand their English.

I always say (truthfully) that l am deaf and please could they speak slowly and clearly.

I have it all the time..people just mutter..or are foreign...I just say..Im deaf..speak louder..or hang up...

boheminan

This morning I've had two dealings using my BT landline.

Firstly. A call from a woman who was talking so fast that I couldn't catch what she was saying as she had a very strong foreign accent. I asked her to slow down but she just started shouting at me, I panicked and put the phone down. I looked up the number she was calling from and found it was my GP surgery. Second call was to BT engineer and the same thing happened, I couldn't understand what he was saying and after him shouting at me, panicked and put the phone down.

I feel so anxious about this as I don't want anyone to think that my response is racist but I get so panicked so often now that more and more conversations over the phone are being cut off by me because I cannot understand what's being said.

Does anyone else have this problem? and if so, how do you cope with it?

I know exactly how you feel, I hate talking on the phone,

the person on the line always speaks too fast for me or if they are not brittish I have trouble understanding. I'd rather email

I usu say I’m Very Old and I don’t understand. That seems to do the trick.

I had a foreign doctor who spoke terrible English. I thought he said "when was your last baby" so I said " 40 years ago". In fact he had asked me when my last period was. Could be quite dangerous giving the wrong answer to a doctor.

I had to see a specialist at the hospital. I am deaf, and I explained that at the start. He was Middle Eastern and spoke very softly and I just could not hear him. After I’d asked for a repeat about 5 times, he gave me a cross look and tutted! I was afraid to ask after that and the whole visit was really a waste of time. For the next visit my daughter went with me and when he asked why she was there she said” to tell her what you say, as she is deaf”. He then talked to her the whole visit, made me feel like an imbecile. I refused to see him again.

I have up my landline last year as I never used it. But when I speak to people on the phone since January I have to explain to people that my voice my go stuttery ,have difficulty getting words out and if I go silent I am still there just trying to talk. Plus because of my neurological condition I may need the to repeat things a couple of times. I have found people have been kind and said it is no problem. If I can't understand someone's accent I asked them to talk slower and they do .

The only time I have had the phone put down on me . Was couple of years ago talking to DWP . My husband died in 2004 he paid extra NI contributions from 2021 as he knew he wouldn't live 5 years as he said I would get half his state pension at 60 . When he died he had paid NI for 30 years at the time that was the qualifying amount . Things changed and retirement age went to 66 .When I asked for pension forecast it said 48p a week from my husband's contributions. So I phoned up and the woman was rude and told me that was right and he should have paid more years . I said but he died aged 47 she said not my problem and put the phone down on me .

I am never nasty on the phone even if I have to complain because the person you talk to isn't the person who caused the problem. But that day if she had given me a chance I would have been . But I did send an email to report her and had an apology.

Funny isn’t it have you ever heard a Brit trying to explain something to a ‘foreigner’ they always shout
I too get flummoxed with some accents on the phone and that covers Scottish and some of the Northern accents too
I do as much as I can online
This has been a problem as long as we ve had telephone help lines.
When did these helplines start ?

cornergran

I have the same problem. The British Gas call centre is in South Africa. Invariably I have to ask the person to spell their name and speak slower. They do for a couple of sentences then it’s back to top speed. I always ask for a call to the landline, it’s clearer than my mobile. I’ve been assured the request is noted on the account. Invariably it’s the mobile that is called. So frustrating and time wasting.

I was amused a couple of weeks ago. Speaking to someone from BT I was asked if his accent was a problem. He was from Doncaster! It gave me a giggle and had us chatting about incomprehensible call centre staff.

I think several companies have moved their call centres to South Africa. We have had several calls from Vodaphone recently. In each case the caller had an African accent.

The problem is, because so many telephone scammers have African accents our first response when we heard an African accent was that it was a scam by someone who knew we were arranging to transfer to vodaphone. We quickly realised our error and all subsequent calls have gone well.

I have the same problem. The British Gas call centre is in South Africa. Invariably I have to ask the person to spell their name and speak slower. They do for a couple of sentences then it’s back to top speed. I always ask for a call to the landline, it’s clearer than my mobile. I’ve been assured the request is noted on the account. Invariably it’s the mobile that is called. So frustrating and time wasting.

I was amused a couple of weeks ago. Speaking to someone from BT I was asked if his accent was a problem. He was from Doncaster! It gave me a giggle and had us chatting about incomprehensible call centre staff.

Oreo

boheminan

This morning I've had two dealings using my BT landline.

Firstly. A call from a woman who was talking so fast that I couldn't catch what she was saying as she had a very strong foreign accent. I asked her to slow down but she just started shouting at me, I panicked and put the phone down. I looked up the number she was calling from and found it was my GP surgery. Second call was to BT engineer and the same thing happened, I couldn't understand what he was saying and after him shouting at me, panicked and put the phone down.

I feel so anxious about this as I don't want anyone to think that my response is racist but I get so panicked so often now that more and more conversations over the phone are being cut off by me because I cannot understand what's being said.

Does anyone else have this problem? and if so, how do you cope with it?

I know what you mean, and strong accents coupled with fast talking are hard to understand.Nobody should shout at you, and you should complain to the surgery about that.Ditto to BT.
You could say in future ‘I have a hearing problem so please speak clearly and slowly’ and see if that helps.

Useless complaining to the surgery . The practice manager should know all that without being told, and if she doesn't she is unlikely to understand what the problem is.

boheminan

...but I tried that! (and they just shout)

Then simply repeat yourself and say “ there’s no need to shout, speak slower and I might be able to understand you”! Again, there’s nothing racist in any of that phrase.

Marmight

I’m expecting a follow up call from a consultant this afternoon. I’m dreading it as when I saw him in person at the hospital I found it very difficult to understand a word he was saying. He’s from the Middle East and really does not speak intelligible English. I am usually pretty good at fathoming most accents and it also helps to watch the speaker’s lips. Difficult on a telephone call. 🤦‍♀️.

Don't be intimidated by the fact she/he is a consultant. They jolly well need to know when they are unintelligible. If from Middle East or anywhere else if they need an interpreter so be it they need an interpreter.

Anyway I think all consultants have medical secretaries who are good communicators, in my experience.

Say to them

"I have a hearing problem. So that I can understand you, please speak slowly and clearly, at a normal volume. "

boheminan

This morning I've had two dealings using my BT landline.

Firstly. A call from a woman who was talking so fast that I couldn't catch what she was saying as she had a very strong foreign accent. I asked her to slow down but she just started shouting at me, I panicked and put the phone down. I looked up the number she was calling from and found it was my GP surgery. Second call was to BT engineer and the same thing happened, I couldn't understand what he was saying and after him shouting at me, panicked and put the phone down.

I feel so anxious about this as I don't want anyone to think that my response is racist but I get so panicked so often now that more and more conversations over the phone are being cut off by me because I cannot understand what's being said.

Does anyone else have this problem? and if so, how do you cope with it?

Yes, Bohemian I have this problem . It's their fault ,it's not our fault.

The general rule in any communication is the responsibility for sending a clear message is the sender's. This especially applies to a doctor's receptionist for obvious reasons.

I tell them I don't understand a word they are saying because they seem to speak with a foreign accent, or too fast, whichever applies. I ask them to email me instead.
If my helper is due I tell them someone else will speak to them if they ring back at such and such a time.

I try not to be annoyed because an unsuitable person is employed to talk to patients. This is the fault of whoever engaged that person for a duty she or he cannot perform.

boheminan

...but I tried that! (and they just shout)

Reply..."Excuse me. I didnt say I was deaf. I don't need you to shout . I said I need you to speak more slowly"

I tell them I have a hearing problem and ask them to seperate each word and speak clearly. Most of them try for a bit and then lapse.

I had to answer questions this week about my travel insurance.

It began well until we got to treatment for my heart condition. She asked if I had had a particular type of investigation. I asked her to repeat. She repeated but I still couldn’t work out which investigation she was querying.

Travel insurance. It’s important not to say yes or no if you’re not sure, isn’t it?

I sad I couldn’t understand what type of investigation she was asking about. She saidit again. Still no.

I’ll spell it she said.

TESTOR

I don’t know what a testor investigation is I said.

And then the penny dropped😳

I’m expecting a follow up call from a consultant this afternoon. I’m dreading it as when I saw him in person at the hospital I found it very difficult to understand a word he was saying. He’s from the Middle East and really does not speak intelligible English. I am usually pretty good at fathoming most accents and it also helps to watch the speaker’s lips. Difficult on a telephone call. 🤦‍♀️.

I once had this problem with Amazon. The person’s (foreign) accent was so strong, they might as well have been speaking in their own language. (Perhaps I’d have understood them better if they had been!) I explained I had hearing problems (I didn’t!) and asked if I could speak to someone I might understand more easily, maybe a person who had English as their first language. ‘No problem’, the operator said and promptly transferred my call to someone else, a Scottish lady whose accent was as befuddling to me as the foreign one! Oh dear!

boheminan

This morning I've had two dealings using my BT landline.

Firstly. A call from a woman who was talking so fast that I couldn't catch what she was saying as she had a very strong foreign accent. I asked her to slow down but she just started shouting at me, I panicked and put the phone down. I looked up the number she was calling from and found it was my GP surgery. Second call was to BT engineer and the same thing happened, I couldn't understand what he was saying and after him shouting at me, panicked and put the phone down.

I feel so anxious about this as I don't want anyone to think that my response is racist but I get so panicked so often now that more and more conversations over the phone are being cut off by me because I cannot understand what's being said.

Does anyone else have this problem? and if so, how do you cope with it?

I know what you mean, and strong accents coupled with fast talking are hard to understand.Nobody should shout at you, and you should complain to the surgery about that.Ditto to BT.
You could say in future ‘I have a hearing problem so please speak clearly and slowly’ and see if that helps.

My BT landline is no longer a landline because its gone digital. I find it very clear. I had to call the USA twice last week and we both agreed it sounded like the other was in the next room.

However some of the agents in call centers can be extremely challenging and they get upset when you ask them (politely) top slow down. I always prefer live chat (with a real person) if they have it as accents dont matter when you are typing.

Ps - loved your croc talc experience 🤣

I struggle on the phone because of hearing problems. I now always start a phone call with " apologies if I ask you to repeat due to being deaf and ask that you please speak slowly". 3/4's of the time it works - some slow down but then speed up and I can't catch the conversation. For those I end the call and ring back to get someone else in the call centres. When all else fails I resort to an email. Some companies have put a note on my record stating to speak clearly and slowly to me. It's still a bit hit and miss. So I sympathise with you and do understand your frustration and especially when some then slow right down and talk to me as if I'm thick as mince