Ask a relay operator.

[icomts]

I'm a relay operator for Sprint (tty/vco/hco/ip). I found this site today and, while I see this has been done in the past, would like to offer my help in answering questions anyone might have regarding relay service.

So, any questions, suggestions, or complaints?
I'll do my best.

 

[CJB]

Is there any typing speed minimum requirement?

 

[icomts]

60 words per minute is the FCC requirement. Some people barely make it and some people are super fast. I work with a lady who can type faster using two fingers than I can using all of mine.

 

[Glenn]

Why does the operator always type ...,...,... when on hold. It's annoying.

 

[CJB]

60 words per minute is the FCC requirement. Some people barely make it and some people are super fast. I work with a lady who can type faster using two fingers than I can using all of mine.

Man that is slow. The average rate of speech is twice that.

 

[icomts]

Why does the operator always type ...,...,... when on hold. It's annoying.

It's a macro. Macros are shortcuts that exist to try to make our job easier. When you see (RECORDING PLAYING) that's a macro. The ring counter that shows up once the call connects is also a macro.

I think the reasoning behind the holding macro being drawn out and repeated over and over is to reassure the user that he or she is still connected and not being neglected.

Some people hate it (including operators, holding is no fun for any of us).
Feel free to add a database note saying not to send the holding macro or tell your ca to not to do it. That's fine.
Having the ca type (HOLDING) is a good substitue.


(Sorry if the macro explanation sounded condecending. It wasn't meant to be. We aren't well-educated on how familiar most customers are with our specific system so I covered all the bases.)

 

[icomts]

Man that is slow. The average rate of speech is twice that.

Without a doubt.
As an ca, I wince when someone who is trying hard to hit 65 wpm minute spends half a call pacing the voice user. It destroys conversational flow.

On the other hand, operators are supposed to be typing eveything they hear. Vocalized pauses like "uhh" and "ummm" really slow me down because it's a break in the thought pattern. If a person speaks without vocalized pauses it's easier to remember longer blocks of speech, because it all makes sense from one sentence to the next. That results in less pacing of the voice user and having to ask the voice user to repeat less often.
Having to remember the conversation as well as where to type uhh can get complicated if the voice user is distracted or unsure of his or herself.
It's very tempting to leave them out, but not relaying everything heard is a pretty serious issue.

However, me whining about vocalized pauses doesn't change the fact that most people talk way faster than 60 wpm. 60 was probably chosen to keep relay users from being on hold for too long. It's either a low wpm speed, which makes the calls slow, or a high wpm which would result in fewer operators overall lead to longer hold times to get to a ca.
It's far from a perfect system.

 

[diehardbiker]

giddy Yup! Now you see why hearing people prefer VRS over text based relay.

VRS is almost equilvent to hearing people. There is no slow down with VRS for hearing people.

Man that is slow. The average rate of speech is twice that.

 

[CJB]

giddy Yup! Now you see why hearing people prefer VRS over text based relay.

VRS is almost equilvent to hearing people. There is no slow down with VRS for hearing people.

It seems like VRS people are trained to a much higher standard than text relay operators, especially since they have to know ASL and are therefore, as a general rule, more versed in Deaf culture. Am I right in making that assessment?

 

[diehardbiker]

I am not sure exact the number but it could be 200 or 300WPM that normal hearing people talk, just equilvent speed with ASL. Have you noticed that sometimes terp said to hearing person "Talk as you would normally, do not need to slow down"? I have seen like this sometimes.

It seems like VRS people are trained to a much higher standard than text relay operators, especially since they have to know ASL and are therefore, as a general rule, more versed in Deaf culture. Am I right in making that assessment?

 

[CJB]

I am not sure exact the number but it could be 200 or 300WPM that normal hearing people talk, just equilvent speed with ASL. Have you noticed that sometimes terp said to hearing person "Talk as you would normally, do not need to slow down"? I have seen like this sometimes.

Oh you're right. Slow speech is at about 120WPM and fast speech is at about 300WPM. And of course ASL is the same. All the more reason why a minimum typing speed of 60WPM is insufficient. That's a typing speed of 1/2 to 1/5 the needed rate to transcribe speech while keeping the flow.

 

[TWA]

Honestly? I use Sprint's webcaptel, and I cringe every time I have to make a call because I think the service provided is abysmal: terrible delay, errors everywhere. It's really hit or miss and only minimally helpful.

Sorry, but you did ask...

 

[icomts]

It seems like VRS people are trained to a much higher standard than text relay operators, especially since they have to know ASL and are therefore, as a general rule, more versed in Deaf culture. Am I right in making that assessment?

Definitely. We had two weeks of training. Most of the time was spent learning/practicing call procedures. The day-to-day work. We watched a short video on Deaf culture, but it seemed more like a sales pitch for the company, sort of them patting themselves on the back. It contained little information on Deaf culture and was probably 7 to 10 years old.

There is some ASL training, not really training as much as making us aware that ASL exists, that is a thing and people use it. I'd say it's split about 50/50 when it comes to operators who make an attempt to translate ASL into conversational English and people who just read whatever is typed without putting much effort into it. As far as helping a caller who uses a lot of ASL with a question before their call is placed, we're pretty much just told to use small words and short sentences.

The sad fact is that many people don't feel the need to educate themselves much more than the bare minimum to do the job (that can be said for a host of occupations). Being a relay operator isn't a career for most people; it's a low paying job in a shrinking industry with an alarmingly high turnover rate. Many people aren't on the job long enough to have time to learn more than the essentials, let alone recognize the human interaction their job entails and realize how much more important it is to a better understanding.

VRS operators require much more training. It's more of a commitment than TTY relay. It's a different mindset. I doubt there are too many people who go through all the training for VRS and then decide they don't like it so they just quit coming to work. TTY relay is, for a lot of people, a temporary position while going to college, or until a job in the field in which he or she went to school for opens up.

So, yes, I'd say VRS operators are much more versed in Deaf culture.
They have to be.

 

[icomts]

Honestly? I use Sprint's webcaptel, and I cringe every time I have to make a call because I think the service provided is abysmal: terrible delay, errors everywhere. It's really hit or miss and only minimally helpful.

Sorry, but you did ask...

But on Sprint's website it says "With WebCapTel®, you won’t miss a beat!"
They wouldn't lie, would they?

But in all seriousness, I don't know much about captell. They tell us enough to do our specific job and not much else. Due to the high level of confidentiality we keep regarding calls we've processed, I probably shouldn't tell you if I've had a captell user call in on the voice line at work before, but if I were to have had that happen at some time, I would probably say that I was definitely thrown off by the delay.
Hypothetically speaking, of course.

 

[PowerON]

Man that is slow. The average rate of speech is twice that.

only irony that I typing fast than I sign.

 

[diehardbiker]

Have you done the test? I thought I could type faster than sign, only to prove myself wrong later on.

BTW, I have met some hearing people and none of them prefer text based relay service and they all appreciated that I use VRS instead. That is when I realize that we need to think of hearing people if we want to have functionality equilvent with them. I will use whatever BOTH of us are comfortable with instead of focusing myself only.

only irony that I typing fast than I sign.

 

[PowerON]

Have you done the test? I thought I could type faster than sign, only to prove myself wrong later on.

BTW, I have met some hearing people and none of them prefer text based relay service and they all appreciated that I use VRS instead. That is when I realize that we need to think of hearing people if we want to have functionality equilvent with them. I will use whatever BOTH of us are comfortable with instead of focusing myself only.

my dear, you have friends who prefer VRS because they can remember everything without record and forget about. While I need to keep the record when I'm have very important conversation and prove them guilty.

 

[diehardbiker]

So, you just think of yourself?

It takes TWO to work together, can't have one that going the easy way leaving other struggling waiting forever for your response just because you want it documenting just for your own protection?

Proving them guilty in court? This is laughable doable excuse. Don't you know that you need to ask other permission to have the conversation recorded or have them acknowlege your recording, if you don't then that evidence is worthless in the court. Also, are you going to pursuit every cases against hearing people? Seems that you got security issues.


Mind you, I almost never had problem and I do not see reason why I should document everything. It is pointless, really.

my dear, you have friends who prefer VRS because they can remember everything without record and forget about. While I need to keep the record when I'm have very important conversation and prove them guilty.

 

[PowerON]

What court? I didn't mention it. Did I?

 

[CJB]

only irony that I typing fast than I sign.

I type as fast as I speak too, but I think you and I are the exception in being able to type that fast. The average person probably signs or speaks faster than they type.