My old boss told me I was 'stripping the threads' on my customer calls

I used to talk fast on the phone. Like machine gun fast. Thought it showed I knew my stuff. A client said I made them feel rushed and confused. They felt stupid asking questions. So I slowed way down. Now I pause after every sentence. Give people time to think. Lost maybe 2 calls in 6 months because of it. But my follow up rate doubled. Has anyone else had to totally change their talking style after one comment?

3 comments

3 Comments

violaramirez22d ago

Slowing down is the single best change you can make. Your old boss had a point even if he was a dick about it. People need time to process what you're saying, especially over the phone where they can't see your face. I had to learn this the hard way too. Started forcing myself to take a breath between each point and ask "does that make sense?" every few sentences. It felt weird and slow at first but your numbers don't lie. That doubled follow up rate is the real proof. Keep doing exactly what you're doing.

taylorshah22d ago

Read somewhere that speech therapists teach this same trick to help people sound more confident and clear. It's wild how the simplest stuff like pausing can make you seem way more professional over the phone.

murphy.mason22d ago

Always amazed how much of sales advice applies to just talking to people like a normal human.