Business Owners?

[DeafBadger]

Any business owners here?

How do you improve communication with your hearing customers?

Genuine question on my part. I'm new to the Deaf community.

I've owned a couple businesses in the past and would like to become a landlord or real estate investor eventually.

But thinking it through, the biggest "bottleneck" would be communicating with customers, clients, sellers, etc.

I'd rather bootstrap a business, so solutions need to be inexpensive in the beginning. Later on, employees can be hired to do some of that kind of work.

A hearing person would simply use a phone, his ears, and his voice. I can't use a phone and ears to talk to customers since I'd ask them to repeat themselves all the time and that does not give a good impression of my business.

Just curious how deaf/hoh business owners deal with these kinds of issues.

 

[posts from hell]

Email

I work for a Deaf guy at times. His client list is 100% hearing. He texts for primary communication and emails his invoices over.

It depends on what work you do. In this situation he does contract hauling/dirt work/fertilizing the farmlands. It's pretty cool.

 

[DeafCaroline]

I was a business owner - had two of them actually. Communication was primarily via email, instant chat and cellphone texting.

I was also a landlord for one year when I rented out my condo (will never be a landlord again, some tenants are just nightmares) - i put an ad in the paper and people emailed me. They would always email and say "please get back to me at this number..." and I would email them back saying I'm deaf and prefer emails or texting and they were fine with that.

Not sure how well you can speak and lipread but when you show them the rental, bring pen and paper so they can write down questions if necessary.

What's key is willingness to be adaptable and flexible.

 

[AlleyCat]

I am self-employed as a graphic designer and photographer (and web admin at work) and I work with tons of clients. We communicate solely thru email. It works!

 

[NitroHonda]

Any business owners here?

How do you improve communication with your hearing customers?

Genuine question on my part. I'm new to the Deaf community.

I've owned a couple businesses in the past and would like to become a landlord or real estate investor eventually.

But thinking it through, the biggest "bottleneck" would be communicating with customers, clients, sellers, etc.

I'd rather bootstrap a business, so solutions need to be inexpensive in the beginning. Later on, employees can be hired to do some of that kind of work.

A hearing person would simply use a phone, his ears, and his voice. I can't use a phone and ears to talk to customers since I'd ask them to repeat themselves all the time and that does not give a good impression of my business.

Just curious how deaf/hoh business owners deal with these kinds of issues.

I deal with it daily. 100% of my customers are hearing. It is definitely challenging but the way you get around it is... to let your work speak for itself. I wouldn't worry too much about not giving them a good impression for asking to repeat. Many in my profession have ZERO patience so I get what you're saying. Even then... just make sure YOU understand what THEY want done. YOU want their money so it's on YOU to make sure you understand what the customer wants, not them. Once you've accomplished that... the results of your work will do the talking for you.

Real estate would probably not be an advisable choice. You DO need to attempt to make the job work within your abilities. Real estate requires an obscene amount of phone calls so that's going to be real difficult.

Stay committed. Good luck!

 

[Jiro]

with my clients - initially, we meet in person to establish a mutual understanding and then rest is done thru email/txting.

 

[TXgolfer]

Emails and Texts. With today's smartphones, talking and hearing really aren't necessary. Like I said in another thread there will be a few that just can't get past your deafness and will do biz elsewhere. BUT, at the same time there will be some that choose you because of your deafness. It makes them feel good about themselves. That statement might make a few people mad....but it is honest and I think that is what you want.

 

[NitroHonda]

Emails and Texts. With today's smartphones, talking and hearing really aren't necessary. Like I said in another thread there will be a few that just can't get past your deafness and will do biz elsewhere. BUT, at the same time there will be some that choose you because of your deafness. It makes them feel good about themselves. That statement might make a few people mad....but it is honest and I think that is what you want.

That's not true. I am listed in the yellow pages so when my customers call me, hearing and talking becomes an unavoidable necessity. I always let the machine pick up their call then I look up the number before calling them back using VRS via a WIFI connection. Even then it gets sketchy... I probably get better than 30% hangups with the fact that the call is interpreted. It is a very real issue that has been alleviated by some of these VRS companies with their business options. ALBEIT, that market is extremely limited right now but once they get the devices sorted out... life's going to be rolling. *eyeballs VRS companies*

As for the last part of your statement. Completely agree... and I'm fine with that. You take every opportunity that you can. Just as long as we get paid in a timely manner and you're happy with the job that we did.

 

[TXgolfer]

That's not true. I am listed in the yellow pages so when my customers call me, hearing and talking becomes an unavoidable necessity. I always let the machine pick up their call then I look up the number before calling them back using VRS via a WIFI connection. Even then it gets sketchy... I probably get better than 30% hangups with the fact that the call is interpreted. It is a very real issue that has been alleviated by some of these VRS companies with their business options. ALBEIT, that market is extremely limited right now but once they get the devices sorted out... life's going to be rolling. *eyeballs VRS companies*

As for the last part of your statement. Completely agree... and I'm fine with that. You take every opportunity that you can. Just as long as we get paid in a timely manner and you're happy with the job that we did.

Simple solution...put your email address in the ad. Explain the biz is deaf owned and operated. Problem solved.

 

[NitroHonda]

Simple solution...put your email address in the ad. Explain the biz is deaf owned and operated. Problem solved.

I wasn't looking for a solution but so many things wrong with your logic. My email is in the ad but I'm advertising for my BUSINESS, not my "disability". Ad space is wicked expensive. Second, I would be setting myself up as a premiere target for criminal action. It's like putting a sign on my house saying that a Deaf person lives here.

A little common sense goes a long way with personal security...

 

[Jiro]

I wasn't looking for a solution but so many things wrong with your logic. My email is in the ad but I'm advertising for my BUSINESS, not my "disability". Ad space is wicked expensive. Second, I would be setting myself up as a premiere target for criminal action. It's like putting a sign on my house saying that a Deaf person lives here.

A little common sense goes a long way with personal security...

what's the difference if they found out you're deaf after they meet you and don't want to do business with you?

 

[NitroHonda]

what's the difference if they found out you're deaf after they meet you and don't want to do business with you?

I have definitely met many who didn't want to do business with me after meeting me and finding out that I was Deaf. That is an unfortunate aspect of it all. It doesn't change that initial phone call though. Once they make that call and I'm out there in person to sell myself... it warms people over and then they may give me a chance that they would not have if they only read the fact that I was Deaf. First impressions are lasting impressions. That's my company's mission statement. Getting the opportunity to MAKE that first impression is the goal.

 

[Jiro]

I have definitely met many who didn't want to do business with me after meeting me and finding out that I was Deaf. That is an unfortunate aspect of it all. It doesn't change that initial phone call though. Once they make that call and I'm out there in person to sell myself... it warms people over and then they may give me a chance that they would not have if they only read the fact that I was Deaf. First impressions are lasting impressions. That's my company's mission statement. Getting the opportunity to MAKE that first impression is the goal.

you could do that... or skip all that to the end where you will only deal with an interested client by putting up "deaf-owned and operated" in your advertisement.

I don't advertise myself nor convince them to hire me. I get clients thru referral and only I accept/decline their offer after a meeting. if a potential client contacts me, he/she is already made aware that I'm deaf.

 

[NitroHonda]

you could do that... or skip all that to the end where you will only deal with an interested client by putting up "deaf-owned and operated" in your advertisement.

I don't advertise myself nor convince them to hire me. I get clients thru referral and only I accept/decline their offer after a meeting. if a potential client contacts me, he/she is already made aware that I'm deaf.

I don't know what type of work you do so that very well may work just fine for you... Most of my work is from cold calls (again, 100% of my customers are hearing). All my customers know I'm Deaf but they do not NEED to know at the point of initiation. I do not have to nor will I disclose anything in an advertisement. Instead, I stand behind the quality of my work and it speaks for itself (Best of Austin 2012 winner). My customer base is definitely more expanded as a result. I don't mean YOU or anyone here in specific... just a general statement... stop selling your "disability" and get back to selling your product/service.

 

[Jiro]

I don't know what type of work you do so that very well may work just fine for you... Most of my work is from cold calls (again, 100% of my customers are hearing). All my customers know I'm Deaf but they do not NEED to know at the point of initiation. I do not have to nor will I disclose anything in an advertisement. Instead, I stand behind the quality of my work and it speaks for itself (Best of Austin 2012 winner). My customer base is definitely more expanded as a result. I don't mean YOU or anyone here in specific... just a general statement... stop selling your "disability" and get back to selling your product/service.

I do web development/consulting. I don't sell my disability nor my service. They buy my service

99.9% of my clients are hearing as well and what I've been doing is a great way to weed out unwanted clients. I rather have 1 great client than 5 difficult/bitchy/crazy clients. I don't care if they're gonna pay me more. I refuse to do business with clients from hell. I don't care if they're waving handfuls of cash in front of my face.

 

[NitroHonda]

I do web development/consulting. I don't sell my disability nor my service. They buy my service

99.9% of my clients are hearing as well and what I've been doing is a great way to weed out unwanted clients. I rather have 1 great client than 5 difficult/bitchy/crazy clients. I don't care if they're gonna pay me more. I refuse to do business with clients from hell. I don't care if they're waving handfuls of cash in front of my face.

I figured you would be a web guy. I'll take the 5 clients and laugh all the way to the bank.



BTW, it is good to be busy enough to be able to choose your customers. My business has definitely grown to where I have been able to choose my customers this past year. That has been great for sure! Weeding out folks who don't know much about the Deaf community is doing the community itself a disservice in a sense but I totally get it. If it works for you, then may you prosper... but you MAY BE limiting yourself if you're always refusing to service somebody for one reason or another.

 

[TXgolfer]

I wasn't looking for a solution but so many things wrong with your logic. My email is in the ad but I'm advertising for my BUSINESS, not my "disability". Ad space is wicked expensive. Second, I would be setting myself up as a premiere target for criminal action. It's like putting a sign on my house saying that a Deaf person lives here.

A little common sense goes a long way with personal security...

Well my "logic" was an actual practice. Worked well for me. If you live in fear and are willing to let fear affect your business I guess you will have to come up with ways to work around that. My suggestion was in general, addressing everyone on the forum.

 

[Jiro]

I figured you would be a web guy. I'll take the 5 clients and laugh all the way to the bank.



BTW, it is good to be busy enough to be able to choose your customers. My business has definitely grown to where I have been able to choose my customers this past year. That has been great for sure! Weeding out folks who don't know much about the Deaf community is doing the community itself a disservice in a sense but I totally get it. If it works for you, then may you prosper... but you MAY BE limiting yourself if you're always refusing to service somebody for one reason or another.

limiting myself? nope not at all. I'm eliminating bad prospects. big difference. I refuse to work with clients from hell. Impossible to stand behind the quality of my work if I take in 5 lousy clients that will consume my time. Plus.... not a big deal since my rate isn't cheap.

I don't fill my jar with small pebbles... only big stones but hey... since you said your business is doing good... you should give it a try with new way. if it doesn't work, well at least you tried and know for sure. it's not like it will collapse your business unless it will.

 

[NitroHonda]

Well my "logic" was an actual practice. Worked well for me. If you live in fear and are willing to let fear affect your business I guess you will have to come up with ways to work around that. My suggestion was in general, addressing everyone on the forum.

It's good that it worked for you. I wasn't saying that it was wrong. I'm saying that I saw a lot of problems with that logic. No need or use for the quotation marks as I wasn't being sarcastic or anything like that. Live in fear? Way to use hyperbole to overstate a point.

Coming up with ways is the whole point of this thread... right? No?

 

[NitroHonda]

limiting myself? nope not at all. I'm eliminating bad prospects. big difference. I refuse to work with clients from hell. Impossible to stand behind the quality of my work if I take in 5 lousy clients that will consume my time. Plus.... not a big deal since my rate isn't cheap.

I don't fill my jar with small pebbles... only big stones but hey... since you said your business is doing good... you should give it a try with new way. if it doesn't work, well at least you tried and know for sure. it's not like it will collapse your business unless it will.

Glad you edited because it was a POS post before. Lol.

Fair and absolutely a reasonable point. Time is money and wasted time on problem customers isn't beneficial. I do choose when possible. I hope to be at the point to where I would be able to completely choose my customers as you do to where you would be able to sacrifice your own personal financial security. I am definitely not at that stage at this time. I do know that one has to take the good with the bad if one wants to really thrive. Big stones are the only way to go. I'm in it to make as much as I possibly can while providing quality work... and maybe even building a legacy for my sons. We'll see how it goes.