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What do the younger callers do (or not do) that sticks out? Are they awkward in their greeting? Do they act like someone who's giving a speech for the first tim

What do the younger callers do (or not do) that sticks out? Are they awkward in their greeting? Do they act like someone who's giving a speech for the first time?

freehunter 8y ago
I've noticed something similar, it's mainly a lack of confidence. Being on the phone is being put on the spot, and your voice is the only stalling technique you have. In text or email or IM, you can pause and respond without anyone noticing you're stalling. In person you can fidget or walk across the room or make motions with your hands or make a face instead of saying something. On a phone call, all you have is your voice. So if you get uncomfortable and start stuttering or stumbling and you don't have the confidence to recover, you're not going to recover. You've also only got your voice to give impressions of your attitude and emotions, as well. People who are good on the phone tend to be animated, tend to use body language even if the other person can't see it, smile when they're happy, and furrow their brow when they're not. All of this impacts your speech, and a bit of over-acting goes a long way. They also know how to break into someone else's conversation to get a chance to speak. These are all things learned over time, and someone who just started using a phone isn't going to have the skills or the confidence to pull it off.
- function_seven 8y ago
  This is funny. I just realized that I never talk to anyone under 30 on the phone. The few kids I do talk to (my nieces) use FaceTime exclusively. Your explanation makes sense. Meanwhile, all the phones at my office have attached cameras and displays. We can see each other on the phone. Except most of use keep the camera turned off because we want to retain our private eye rolling.
  - fipple 8y ago
    What model of phones do you have and what software do you use them with?

What do the younger callers do (or not do) that sticks out? Are they awkward in their greeting? Do they act like someone who's giving a speech for the first time?

freehunter 8y ago

I've noticed something similar, it's mainly a lack of confidence. Being on the phone is being put on the spot, and your voice is the only stalling technique you have. In text or email or IM, you can pause and respond without anyone noticing you're stalling. In person you can fidget or walk across the room or make motions with your hands or make a face instead of saying something. On a phone call, all you have is your voice. So if you get uncomfortable and start stuttering or stumbling and you don't have the confidence to recover, you're not going to recover. You've also only got your voice to give impressions of your attitude and emotions, as well. People who are good on the phone tend to be animated, tend to use body language even if the other person can't see it, smile when they're happy, and furrow their brow when they're not. All of this impacts your speech, and a bit of over-acting goes a long way. They also know how to break into someone else's conversation to get a chance to speak. These are all things learned over time, and someone who just started using a phone isn't going to have the skills or the confidence to pull it off.

function_seven 8y ago
This is funny. I just realized that I never talk to anyone under 30 on the phone. The few kids I do talk to (my nieces) use FaceTime exclusively. Your explanation makes sense. Meanwhile, all the phones at my office have attached cameras and displays. We can see each other on the phone. Except most of use keep the camera turned off because we want to retain our private eye rolling.
- fipple 8y ago
  What model of phones do you have and what software do you use them with?