Businesses hanging up on relay calls

purplewowies said:
I'm sorry, but as I read this, some of the later things sounded a lot like you were calling people jerky for asking the operator not to announce they were on relay when they were repeatedly hung up on as soon as that was announced. As a hearing person, I don't see that as an unreasonable or jerky request, presuming you are calling because of a genuine need for services.

I know someone who worked in a call center, and she said most of the callers (voice and possibly relay as well) were jerks. Why does it make sense to give immediate hangup on a relay call when you don't do the same to a hearing caller without provocation? I can kind of understand time limits and such, but at the same time, I do still think it's rather mean to hang up on someone because they *might* go over that limit.

Got my two cents out. :P :ugh3:
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Your assuming because I did not mention jerks who call in hearing or not are hung up on. To make it perfectly clear those calls are also accidently hung by agents who do not want to deal with abuse.
 
Oh well, I have that problem many times. Whenever they hang up on me, I keep telling a relay operator to redial until they are aware that I am deaf using a relay service. Oh yeah, that's so frustrating since they think it's a telemarketing call.
 
CrazyPaul said:
Oh well, I have that problem many times. Whenever they hang up on me, I keep telling a relay operator to redial until they are aware that I am deaf using a relay service. Oh yeah, that's so frustrating since they think it's a telemarketing call.
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Incorrect. They know its a relay call. Depending on the Relay Service each has a difference greeting or way they act when you're speaking to the other end.

For example.

Me: (Your Typical Greeting)
Relay Operator: This call is from a person who is deaf or hard of hearing have you ever had a Relay Call?
Me: Most people respond 'Yes' or 'Go Ahead.'

Sometimes if Relay Operator is snoty they will tell you that you do not have to use, "Go Ahead" and not to use certain words because you do not have to use them anymore or shouldn't. At this point the call becomes a instant problem and most Agents hang up or 'accidentally' disconnect the call.

Relay Operator translating: The deaf person than begins to tell you an entire story and regardless of what call center I've worked we are most likely going to gather all this info again.

Me: Hi can I get your name?
Relay Operator: DON'T INTERRUPT AS I AM TRANSLATING

To provide context in a Call Center as Call Center Agent is required to gather information and assist as quickly as possible every second he is on the phone it counts against the agent which can lead to termination. If I were speaking to a person who can hear for example an old woman rambling on and we need important information to help out that person we take control of the call to try to gather information in a certain order.

Most Relay Operators also end up Yelling at whoever they are calling which in turn that person is likely to hang up on you regardless if its a call center agent or friend or family. Who wants to be yelled at, right? I know the Gov and Relay Agencies blame people hanging up on them because people think they are Nigerian Scammers or telemarketer but believe me its not that.

Relay Operator: Translates information
Me: I ask questions in a certain order to gather information
Relay Operator: Client asks another question
Me: I respond
Relay Operator: THE DEAF PERSON IS STILL TYPING DO NOT TALK!
Relay Operator: Go ahead
Me: I try to respond again
Relay Operator: STOP INTERRUPTING THE DEAF PERSON I HAVE TO WAIT TILL HE IS DONE TYPING.

The typical relay call is very chaotic the only calls I noticed work very well is when the Relay Operator is signing over a video. Those just so happen to work very well and those are much easier to work with unless the Relay Operator has a horrible memory which happens.

As some deaf posters have mentioned if your using the horrid Texting Relay or whatever its called you can tell the Relay Operator not to announce this is a Relay Call but as the other end engages like a normal conversation the Relay Operator yells at you to tell you to allow the person to type what they are saying.
 
Hi there, I'm a hearing person currently studying ASL and Deaf culture and had a quick question. I work at a hotel where I received a relayed call several months ago. Unfortunately I wasn't able to help the Deaf woman with her request, but the conversation was civil enough. Reading this thread I realize I'm a step ahead of the game just by not hanging up the phone (which seems ridiculous to me, I can't imagine why someone would do that, and no, I'm not looking for a pat on the back just for not being a jerk), but this thread has caused me to wonder: Did I speak too fast, or too slow? Do I need to be clearer? What should I, as the hearing person on the other end of the line, do if this happens again? I want to be as accommodating and polite as I possibly can be. Any advice, tips, requests, from people who have been on the other end of those conversations?
 
My suggestion is to just be yourself. The interpreter or relay operator (in the case of text relay) will sometimes tell me if they missed hearing something or have a hard time understanding- then it's on me to ask the person to repeat what they said (I do that anyway as I also hear the other person speaking). Same with you- if you don't understand something either the person speaking or something the Deaf person is trying to convey- ask.
 
Because you're talking to a hearing operator at the other end, just talk like you normally would. Any time my operators could not understand the person I've called or has called me, they simply ask them to repeat themselves. I don't have to intervene to make sure the operator can understand the hearing person on the other end of the line. That's an issue between you and the operator.

One thing that is important when you do a relay call is you say what you're going to say, then you wait until you get a full response before you start talking again. If you get impatient and don't wait for a response, then the operator can't listen to both of you (or listen and read) and there's no communication happening.
 
Hearingstudent93 said:
Hi there, I'm a hearing person currently studying ASL and Deaf culture and had a quick question. I work at a hotel where I received a relayed call several months ago. Unfortunately I wasn't able to help the Deaf woman with her request, but the conversation was civil enough. Reading this thread I realize I'm a step ahead of the game just by not hanging up the phone (which seems ridiculous to me, I can't imagine why someone would do that, and no, I'm not looking for a pat on the back just for not being a jerk), but this thread has caused me to wonder: Did I speak too fast, or too slow? Do I need to be clearer? What should I, as the hearing person on the other end of the line, do if this happens again? I want to be as accommodating and polite as I possibly can be. Any advice, tips, requests, from people who have been on the other end of those conversations?
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If your not deaf how would they know if your speaking to fast? It's not you half the time it's the relay operator also depending on the relay service it can be a normal experience or a twenty minute conversation in which your boss might not be so happy about.
 
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