Smarmy phone ‘voice’

[TheSunShinesBrighter]

Does anyone else’s family do this?

Normal voice/tone changes in an instant when they are talking in the phone to pretty much anyone who isn’t friend or family.

Pitch changes, lots of banter, laughing along, ‘Thank you Denise, you’ve been incredibly helpful’ ‘I’ve appreciated your help Janice, you’re a star ! .... Oh hahaha!

Sets me on edge just listening to it.
These people are barely civil IRL.

AIBU ?
Probably.

People get on my nerves full stop.

Therefore imo Yanbu. (Well we probably both are!)

I do this sometimes.

Probably worry less about what other people do?

@HangingBasketFuchsia

People get on my nerves full stop.

Therefore imo Yanbu. (Well we probably both are!)

Same here. I think I need to keep away from everyone today (and evermore).

My dad turns into prince fucking Charles on the phone to strangers e.g. “How does one go about that?” “Oh how wonderful, I thank you profusely for your help.” We take the utter piss out of him every single time.

@Bryonyshcmyony

I do this sometimes.

Probably worry less about what other people do?

They can be courteous and civil to complete strangers on the phone but not IRL. Why is that then? Yes, it does ‘worry’ me.

Maybe because it's horrible working in a call centre and so it's nice to be nice to call centre workers.

The fact that they're barely civil the rest of the time is the issue here, I'd say.

I have old friends who mumble in real life and on the phone.
I wish they would up their clarity on the phone as I struggle to follow what's being said. So I can see how " phone voice" comes about and can be useful.
There I've been rational on our behalf!😄

@ClemDanFango

My dad turns into prince fucking Charles on the phone to strangers e.g. “How does one go about that?” “Oh how wonderful, I thank you profusely for your help.” We take the utter piss out of him every single time.

Haha!!! Maybe I should laugh! Too full of rage right now!

If they aren't civil the rest of the time then that is strange.

I'm always civil, sometimes just posher.

@Haudyourwheesht

Maybe because it's horrible working in a call centre and so it's nice to be nice to call centre workers.

The fact that they're barely civil the rest of the time is the issue here, I'd say.

Definitely!

I have no issue with people being nice on the phone!
It’s the contrast between RL and phone!

People always present their best self to the outside world. The nearest and dearest get to see the unvarnished truth.

And, yes, I've noticed this 'phone phenomenon'.

My DP has a strange 'I'm a reasonable man' voice when he talks on the phone to people he doesn't know well.

@HangingBasketFuchsia

I have old friends who mumble in real life and on the phone. I wish they would up their clarity on the phone as I struggle to follow what's being said. So I can see how " phone voice" comes about and can be useful. There I've been rational on our behalf!😄

True!

It’s the professional voice isn’t it?
If they all spoke to strangers the way they speak to family/friends they’d be cut off.

Doesn’t everyone have a ‘phone’ voice? I try and enunciate on the phone so that people can understand my accent. I’m also extra polite because I think it must be horrible working on phone lines, so nice if a customer is pleasant.
I like to think I’m reasonable polite in everyday life though even if I don’t use my posh voice.

My DP has a strange 'I'm a reasonable man' voice when he talks on the phone to people he doesn't know well.

Yes!! This too 😡

@ClemDanFango

My dad turns into prince fucking Charles on the phone to strangers e.g. “How does one go about that?” “Oh how wonderful, I thank you profusely for your help.” We take the utter piss out of him every single time.

Think yourself lucky.

I turned into my grandmother the day I first sat down at a desk and picked up the phone for a 'work' call. Turns out it's very good for being heard, understood and getting almost completely rid of a stammer that had been a pain in the arse since I was about 3. Other people doing it means I'm more likely to be able to understand them now I'm older and have been blessed with Tinnitus.

Having done some call centre work and many years taking and making calls, don't be a dick to the people who understand that a) speaking clearly is important, b) it's not the person on the other end of the line's fault, they're just the poor bastard getting paid fuck all to have 20 dicks swearing and shouting at them by lunchtime and c) be nice to them as it's more likely to get you what you want than being Dick #21.