Players Poor at talking with NPC's : a handling method

If you're going to have a right way to approach them, then I'd suggest something simple: After they try to talk to the NPC but get nowhere (or after about thirty seconds of all the players sitting frozen, not sure what to say and being frozen in analysis paralysis), say they get a roll (on chr or wiz or even int, as you see fit or even as the player might like, vs DC 15), but each roll loses Y amount of XP they'd have gained from the encounter. After three failed rolls all the XP is gone but they figure the right way to talk to the NPC (assuming there is a right way)

Originally posted by me, here.

NPC Reputation

I've realised what annoys me about reputation systems, where various NPC's like or dislike you.

What annoys me is none of them give a damn whether I will like or will dislike them for their own actions.

It's just this lopsided "No, I affect you! You don't affect me, ever!"

I think it just leads to stilted characterisations from players. Basically because the NPC's are acting in a stilted way to begin with, as if they are fearless of repercussion from their actions.