I currently work for a mortgage lender and I think they should make changes to how they deal with deaf and blind people. A lot of communication is via e-mail or phone and that's convenient for a hearing person, but what about deaf people?
that is a veery good step forward. hopefully your company can pay it forward to others in making this step to accommodate the deaf/hoh homeowners.
First of all, we as deaf still use the relay service, it doesnt matter if it a TRS (Teletype Relay Service) or VRS (Video Relay Service). On the mortage lender end, it doesnt matter which you use - its all seamlessly done behind the curtains.
Just make sure your mortage company has a way on applications or in your computer database to put a flag on it NOT to use automated phone calls when calling OUT to the deaf customers and train THE WHOLE COMPANY STAFF that RELAY calls are to be accepted as a NORMAL call, NOT a SCAM or anything. Just because a relay operator could be a female using a female voice talking to a male customer doesnt mean scam or be dubious of the caller. We just may not be able to voice directly, we use our hands to do the communications whether its a typing or using native ASL language and the relay just reads it and voice EXACTLY what we say to you. After the call is finished the relay operators are under strict regulations NOT to repeat,discuss, breathe, or any form of communication of the calls they do so you can rest its strictly confidential. What transpires between you and the customer is between you and customer just like any other customer.
I frankly don't see the problem here except that the call centers just needs to be trained of possiblity of deaf/HOH callers calling them or the number listed in YOUR SYSTEM is correct - just bear with it with the relay operators. Our phone numbers is ALWAYS for the relay and its a REAL phone number as the FCC is the one who handed them out, not the relay companies, not the deaf/hoh. IF there is a problem, a little research and a phone call or visit to FCC's website should resolve ANY company having interaction with the deaf/hoh customers having issue with any relay calls. The FCC is allowing the communication gap to be closed between deaf/HOH with hearing people regardless of race, sex, and age.
As for the blind part - I am not sure of what is your problem with your company with the blind people. After all, they are just another customer, just like hearing/deaf/blind/veterans/black/white/ etc ... you get the picture.....
