Irritating intonation and terrifying speed are among the common complaints about call centres. Remedy lies in getting rhythm, pitch and intonation right, advise Barry Tomalin and Suhashini Thomas in ‘International English for Call Centres’ (www.macmillanpublishersindia.com).
Rhythm describes the way words are grouped together to create a unit, the authors explain. “It’s made up of stressed and unstressed syllables or words grouped together to create a sense of harmony between them and in the sentence. We absorb these rhythms as soon we learn to talk and unconsciously we are listening out for them. When we hear them we feel reassured. When we don’t, we feel uncomfortable.” A simple tip for the call centre executive is to listen to the customer’s rhythm and copy it; for, that can create empathy!
Leave a beat when you speak, reads a counsel aimed at the fast-talkers. “When you are delivering a call centre script, divide the text into ‘rhythm groups.’ Then leave a short pause at the end of each rhythm group. Just a beat or two to allow the listener to catch up.”
High and low
Pitch describes how your voice sounds. While low-pitched voice can be quite hard to understand, high-pitched voices are often quite unpleasant. “English in the Indian subcontinent is sometimes spoken at a very high pitch. This can be very irritating for international English customers, who are used to a more modulated tone of voice.”
Generally, a high pitch comes into play when we are excited, nervous or defensive. And the low pitch, when we are relaxed and enjoying ourselves. The trick, as the authors instruct, is to use a low pitch even when we are nervous, because a low pitch can be warm, attractive and friendly.
To achieve a relaxing rhythm and pitch, begin by finding your natural ‘doh’ – the second ‘doh’ in the music scale, ‘Doh, re, me, fa, so, la, tee, doh.’ Make sure you are able to hit the bottom of your voice range, Tomalin and Thomas remind.
Another technique is to breathe out to relax. “Most people when they prepare to speak take a deep breath, as if they were about to jump into the water. This means your voice is higher and often your words come out in a rush.”
Professional broadcasters do the opposite, one learns. They breathe out before they start speaking and speak as they breathe in, so that the voice sounds more relaxed and friendlier!
