Am I getting too old or do young people speak too fast?

[deniser]

Twice this week I have been on the phone to insurance brokers and both times I couldn't understand what they were saying because they spoke too fast.

My teenage daughter also speaks much faster when with her friends.

Is it just me getting old or actually wanting to understand what they are saying or do young people speak too quickly?

 

[tony84]

They might have targets to meet so are trying to fly through the calls? Sales people are all pumped up arnt they full of enthusiasm and all that?

Im 29 and have mates who are 5-6 years younger than me, my little brother is 18 - i have not noticed people talking quicker... maybe you have a few years on me though

 

[KM-Tiger]

Not sure, but it's reassuring to know that it's not just me saying "Could you say that again please?"

 

[silvermusic]

Thank heavens it's not just me getting old. People of my own age or older I understand fine. However, a lot of the time trying to understand many young people speaking is a real struggle, speaking at 100mph, thankfully not all of them, but there does seem to be a growing trend.

 

[The Byre]

I'm typing this slowly, so that you don't miss anything!

Despite being in my 60s, I deal mostly with people under 30 and usually quite a hip and hyped up lot. I find people of my age talk too slowly, to the point where I have just lost interest and have left the room. I also find that many in my own age group keep batting on about their age and the grotty state of their health.

"After I had my by-pass . . . " they wither on and I think 'Oh Dear God! Here we go again! They'll be talking about their spleens next - or something else disgusting.

Another thing that drives me nuts is that older people hide behind their age when it comes to software and other bits of technology. They honestly think that new tech is going to be baffling and they can't do stuff like learning how to FTP stuff or build a website.

Come my fellow wrinklies - get with the programme (and down with the trumpets!)

 

[sirearl]

Another thing that drives me nuts is that older people hide behind their age when it comes to software and other bits of technology. They honestly think that new tech is going to be baffling and they can't do stuff like learning how to FTP stuff or build a website.

Come my fellow wrinklies - get with the programme (and down with the trumpets!)

Are you have not learnt the art of growing old gracefully.

One of the main components is the ability to fool younger people into doing the jobs one does not want to by professing to not understand.

 

[Yiuwin Tsang]

My new sales guy talks really quickly on his calls - part I think due to inexperience, I think his brain is working faster than his mouth can keep up and he feels he needs to dazzle with information / get all of his information out at the front of the call - which kind of defeats the objective. Also makes him sound more nervous than I'm sure he is.

Maybe as we get more experience of situations, we can reflect more and understand talking at speed isn't necessary.

 

[RogerBa]

I partially agree...

A lot of sales people talk too fast because they are repeating the same thing for the 100th time today and they "forget" that it's the first time for each customer, thats why they don't take the time to check you understand or listen to your questions and issues. This is probably the single biggest reason people aren't as successful as they could be in sales, I spent years training sales men and women and this was a recurring theme.

The thing I find most irritating is when people talk to you but don't look at you.

 

[RogerBa]

My new sales guy talks really quickly on his calls - part I think due to inexperience, I think his brain is working faster than his mouth can keep up and he feels he needs to dazzle with information / get all of his information out at the front of the call - which kind of defeats the objective. Also makes him sound more nervous than I'm sure he is.

Absolutely a classic case....
A good salesman/woman will probably keep 75% of the features and benefits back and use those to handle objections and close the deal later in the call.

 

[The Byre]

A good salesman LISTENS first.

Salesmen who shoot off at the mouth usually don't get to sell a great deal.

 

[philip41]

Not to sure about the speed thing, i do notice the younger generation tend to mumble a fair bit.

 

[beasty]

People speak too slowly for me, in general hurry up, I have actually taken to watching American Documentaries at 1.5x speed, they sound less simple and the information is transmitted at a rate I prefer! Plus you save a third of the time watching!

One thing that bugs me, is over familiar call centre staff who would like to be chatty, your friend or use first names, (Just do your damn job and do it fast!)

I have to assume the OP is very very very very old

 

[simon field]

Can'tsayI'venoticedtobehonestbutthere'snodoubtthattheyouthofNorfolkarenotthequickestatanything.

 

[ben@hewoco]

Work environment has a huge impact on it! I used to work at a communications agency with a pretty young team (we were all between 23 and 28 at the graduate/associate level) and it was mentioned again and again by clients that although we spoke clearly, we spoke incredibly quickly.

I am certain it was a response to a highly pressurised environment and a need to get information across understandably yet quickly.

 

[beasty]

I can speak in Joined up

 

[The Byre]

Perhaps it's just an intelligence thing! Stupid people just take too long to understand stuff!

 

[10032012]

Some salespeople are really good at it... Once I had to phone my insurance broker 3 times in the same day... he was so professional, clear, good speed of speech etc. I thought he might have been a recording.

What did annoy me, however, was the guy seemed to forget me! (Even the third time which was about 20 minutes after the second!)

 

[sirearl]

Perhaps it's just an intelligence thing! Stupid people just take too long to understand stuff!

I think you will find that stupid people speak to fast.

Never seen an MP or any other public speaker talk at the speed of light.

 

[estwig]

Trying to understand young people is an admirable goal, although I fear attaining that goal, could yeald a disappointing outcome!

I'd stick to tea and biscuits with the WI, sensible conversation and if your lucky a slice of battenburg too!

 

[beasty]

Public speaking does not work if you speak quickly as you have to ensure lots of people follow you not just the sharp ones i.e. your rate of speech is aimed at the slowest person that is likely to be in the room