|
operatorhere
|
1# |
Status:
From:
Registered:
01/17/2005
Time spent:
0 hours
|
(Date Posted:06/24/2006 11:20 PM)
You just started a brand new list on "Tips from operators on how to use Relay".
Some deaf people have some SERIOUS "entitlement" issues, I've noticed. It's frustrating. Everything you said above has been thrown around here and bitched about to no end... you are not alone! I recognize everything you stated above as common things that deaf people do that I, too, do not understand.
Okay, since leavemealone made that fantastic post about how SOME users of the service just don't understand the "hearing" culture.. etc.... Let's start a cleaned-up list here. We all love complaining about this stuff, so it shouldn't be a hassle. I moved the post from leavemealone here. Remember, this is the PUBLIC board.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I may be your operator, but I am NOT your bitch!
|
|
cooliefroggie
|
2# |
Rank:none
Status:
Score:0
Posts:5
From:
Registered:
07/03/2006
Time spent:
0 hours
|
(Date Posted:07/06/2006 5:52 AM)
Reply to : leavemealone
First of all, I'd like to say that I think our "deaf culture" day in training class was inadequate. Watching a cheesey video and having someone lecture for 20 minutes does not prepare us for the calls we take. I wish they would do follow-up training about deaf culture after we've been on the phones because I just do NOT get it sometimes. My most burning questions are:
Hello, this is cooliefroggie's partner and i happened to come across your post and I can understand where you are coming from. If you feel your training in "deaf culture" was inadequate, have you brought up the discussion with your supervisor and expressed your feelings on how the training wasn't enough for you and how to improve the next session that you possibly could have participated in?
1. What's up with redialing when the person is CLEARLY not home or does not want to pick up the phone? If the phone is ringing continuously, or you get an answering machine, the person isn't there or is busy. Why do they dial over and over and over? If the person doesn't pick up, why don't they leave a message? I've had people who outright harass someone to get them to pick up the phone, only to say "hi, how are you?". I don't get it.
I am deaf as well and am aware that there are some deaf folks who would keep redialing just to get a live person on the phone.
2. Why do they call for things they could do much more easily on a website? Like bank balance, ordering tickets, etc. (this excludes scammers obvbioulsy) Why spend 40 minutes waiting for a live rep to give you your bank account balance when the bank CLEARLY has this as an online service? Why spend an hour asking about the price of a plane ticket when you can go to the website and get that information? Makes no sense. At least if you're online the information is all right there and you can take your time reading it. You don't have to put up with an impatient rep.
Some Deaf folks may not realize that banks and other services are online and possibly may not have known the website address. It could also be possible that the deaf person who calls via relay to get business information may not have understood completely what the website may be explaining so thus a live person to explain in plain layman's language.
3. Why do they call people late at night or early in the morning, when it is clearly inappropriate to do so? And why do their parents, friends, etc, accept this behavior? Most hearing people would not call their mother at 2 am and excpect her to be fine with it. Why is this acceptable for a deaf person to do?
LOL this is the first I've heard of this type of thing happening, I myself would NEVER want to call my mom via relay at 2am unless it was an absolute emergency. One possibility is the time zone differences so if its 2 am in your time zone, it could be only 9 pm in the parent's time zone.
4. Why don't they read entire questions, sentences, menus, etc? For example, "Please enter your 10 digit phone number, inlcuidng area code" Orig types: "515". So they read the words "area code" but not what's before it? Someone posed the theory that on a sidekick the screen is small and they don't scroll up, but I see it on all calls, so that's not it. I suppose this could be blamed on limited english skills, but clearly if they know "area code" they know "10" and "phone number". I don't get it.
I don't get it either, however, it could be possible that many deaf ppl may have forgotten the area code -- I myself have been guilty of that on rare occasions especially when we may have several people tapping our shoulders for whatever reason it might be.
5. Why is it acceptable for deaf people to DEMAND instead of ask? To make excuses? To act like they are somehow better than hearing people? I'm not saying all of them, but so many don't seem to have basic social skills. I know that the deaf have a different set of social rules, but if they grow up with hearing parents, are they not taught hearing rules too? Seems like a lapse on the parents' part. I don't wonder why so many deaf people can't find or keep a job. I can't imagine how frustrating it must be for employers to work with someone who acts the way some of my origs do. Again, I'm not saying ALL deaf people, but it sure seems like a lot.
Culturally and historically, we are sick and tired of being oppressed by the hearing folks (centuries of it), but yes there is no excuse of being demanding. There are some deaf people who are like that unfortunately and the same goes for those in the hearing community. I've come across several hearies who are pretty demanding and of course that would be a turn off as it would be to you.
6. Why do they call their hearing impaired friends with voice relay? Granted, sometimes their friends can hear a LITTLE, but its so hard to relay those calls. Half the time the term is saying "OPERATOR I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" and getting very very impatient with me. Not to mention they can barely hear so they SCREAM into the phone. Yeah, we're in cublicles, we're not allowed to scream a call, use your F&$*ing computer or tty to call your deaf friends please!
I have never heard of that type of thing happening. So with that, I cannot answer this or theorize on why it happens.
7. Where do they get the nerve to abuse the operator and act superior (not your bitch!). First of all, don't dial the wrong number with autodial and then tell me I'M stupid. Don't tell your friend how stupid the operator is because YOU are typing nonsense and they don't understand you. Furthermore, don't get mad at me when tech support doesn't understand your problem because you can't describe it accurately. Don't blame ME when your term isn't paying attention to your call, I'm not part of your call. Don't demand that I "call them and tell them and make sure they don't hang up". I had an orig threaten me once when they were calling a business, saying if I "let them hang up again" they would "have me fired" becuase I was "bad stupid opr let them hung up". Yeah, like I can control that.
We have HAD several incidences of actual BAD RO's and we DO complain about it. I have had to report an RO once for not being professional and throwing around her attitude which was not necessary nor appropriate when I was trying to do my business over the telephone. so YES sometimes we DO get annoyed by the relay operators when they come across copping an 'tude. I have had to deal with businesses who hang up on relay calls and would stubbornly have the RO redial the number and force the person who answers to listen to me then I personally request that I speak to the manager of the business I am trying to get through to and make my complaint known by specifiying WHICH employee by naming him/her in question and force management to realize that NOT all calls made to them via the relay are scams. THERE are legit calls made by us deafies but its made MUCH harder now a days due to the Nigerians and the scams they are running.
|
|
operatorhere
|
3# |
Status:
From:
Registered:
01/17/2005
Time spent:
0 hours
|
(Date Posted:07/06/2006 6:44 AM)
Clearly, there are significant personality traits that both hearing and deaf people have. I know PLENTY of people who can hear perfectly well, and also feel entitled to everything under the sun, although they don't deserve these things. There are plenty of assholes all over the place, and whether you can hear or not is not a criteria... lol
As operators, when we talk about "deaf people" in this thread specifically, we are talking about those people that frustrate us with the same types of things over and over. It's hard for us to understand why the same certain things happen so often by so many different deaf people. You see what I mean? When we talk about these things, it's because we get frustrated, just as you do, with certain personality traits or what seems to be certain patterns that we find in people. Of course, as we all know, there are callers that are so sweet and so kind, and we'd all gladly relay their calls all day long if we could.
There are cultural differences, though, between the deaf and the hearing cultures. When I was trained, we had a 4 hour session with a deaf person who did nothing more than go through a DVD on deaf culture and try to explain this outdated- generic DVD on deaf culture. The DVD was so ridiculous, even our "deaf trainer" was making jokes about it. So when we were let loose and taking calls for live people, It was a "culture shock" when we were put out on the floor as operators and started dealing with the "Real" deaf cultures.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I may be your operator, but I am NOT your bitch!
|
|
what do u carry qq
|
4# |
Status:
From:
Registered:
05/23/2005
Time spent:
0 hours
|
(Date Posted:07/06/2006 8:30 AM)
Reply to : operatorhere
Clearly, there are significant personality traits that both hearing and deaf people have. I knowPLENTY of people who can hear perfectly well, and also feelentitled to everything under the sun,although they don't deserve these things. There are plenty of assholes all over the place, and whether you can hear or not is not a criteria... lolAs operators, when we talk about "deaf people"in this thread specifically, we are talking about those people that frustrate us with the same types of things over and over. It's hard for us to understand why the same certain things happen so often by so many different deaf people. You see what I mean? When we talk about these things, it's because we get frustrated, just as you do, with certain personality traits or what seems to be certain patterns that we find in pe
I have always felt that the real training of the job actually comes "on the job" not in the classroom. It's a bunch of b-s. They shd let the newbies sit out on the floor more than in the classroom but I think they're afraid that if they do that then the new oprs wld quit. I would have. It's a definitely a new world when the opr comes out on the floor from being in training. In training it's a little more laid back. They can go to the bathroom whenever they get ready and they actually believe they're serving the deaf community. When they come out on the floor to take calls they soon see that the job is a bunch of bulls--. Sometimes I'm so amazed that the FCC wld pay for such bulls---. The children playing on the phone, the nigerian scams etc. It's terrible and there's nothing that we can do abt it. Sure the supes disconnect the call but the nigerians just hang up and call right back. Sometimes it makes me wonder who our focus is on. Are we there to serve the deaf community or the scam artists?
|
Clear-Conscience
|
5# |
Rank:none
Status:
Score:0
Posts:152
From:
Registered:
04/22/2004
Time spent:
18 hours
|
(Date Posted:07/07/2006 3:52 AM)
To cooliefroggie or partner:
If you feel your training in "deaf culture" was inadequate, have you brought up the discussion with your supervisor and expressed your feelings on how the training wasn't enough for you and how to improve the next session that you possibly could have participated in?
If you'll pardon the expression, the supervisors mostly turn a deaf ear to our suggestions. Trying to come up with good ideas isn't exactly what they want us to do. They ignore us and abuse us over everything else, so no amount of suggestions seem to affect the day-to-day operations of relay. This is because the people who run relay are a combination of both fascist dictators and mindless idiots.
I am deaf as well and am aware that there are some deaf folks who would keep redialing just to get a live person on the phone.
We're talking about redialing many times, even HUNDREDS of times, when it's obvious that nobody's home. It's particularly hard when there's an answering machine involved, since we have to type that too. You may not do it, but there is an abundance of deafies who do.
Some Deaf folks may not realize that banks and other services are online and possibly may not have known the website address. It could also be possible that the deaf person who calls via relay to get business information may not have understood completely what the website may be explaining so thus a live person to explain in plain layman's language.
You mean to tell me that the deaf person was savvy enough to get on the web and find IP Relay's site, but couldn't find their bank's site? I guess I can see where a person who is heavy ASL might have a hard time understanding the website, but in my experience, it is usually much harder for them to understand all the recordings and numbers to press and whatnot. This goes back to something I have always wondered about. Why don't more deaf have more training in conversational English? Or more to the point, why do many deaf refuse to even try to speak conversational English. Obviously some do, as you seem to have mastered it quite well. Why not others?
I myself would NEVER want to call my mom via relay at 2am unless it was an absolute emergency.
Oh, but this happens a LOT in the deaf population. Maybe it happens in the hearing population somewhat too, but we just never witness it. I don't know. But there are lots of deaf who expect that since their eyes are open and awake that everybody else's should be too.
Culturally and historically, we are sick and tired of being oppressed by the hearing folks (centuries of it)
Oh give me a fucking break... OPPRESSED? GEEEEEEZ. Everybody today has to be oppressed in some way or shape, it seems. Sooner or later we're going to hear diabetics start claiming oppression because people eat sugar in front of them, or we're gonna call blind people oppressed because nobody will let them drive a car. You're not being oppressed. You're fucking DEAF, not in slavery. Come back with the "oppression" thing when you've been whipped with a chain, forced to pick cotton, or had your family raped by a middle eastern dictator.
There are some deaf people who are like that unfortunately and the same goes for those in the hearing community. I've come across several hearies who are pretty demanding and of course that would be a turn off as it would be to you.
When's the last time you had a hearing person come up to you, curse you out, try to call your boss and make you lose your job and your income, and call you words that if you were in their presence, you'd slap the shit out of them OVER SOMETHING THAT WAS NEVER YOUR FAULT TO BEGIN WITH? Over something that was actually THEIR fault??? Deafies on relay can be some of the coldest, most heartless bitches in the world.
We have HAD several incidences of actual BAD RO's and we DO complain about it.
You don't know if they're a bad RO. Hell, what should you care if they're good or bad, since it's FREE and you get what you pay for? You don't know what kind of day that operator has had. What you don't know is that earlier in the day, the operator got told by their supervisor that the company was cutting out insurance benefits. What you don't know is that the operator's mom died that morning, but they couldn't leave work, because the company will fire them. What you don't know is that the operator can't take their child to the doctor, because the relay company will not allow operators to take sick days. What you don't know is that the person on the call before you was a vicious total bastard to the operator, made them mad or really hurt their feelings, and they haven't had a moment to recover until your call. I sure hope to hell that you didn't screw up any on the call before you go complaining about your RO, as if you should feel entitled to have that person bowing to your every wish and basically being your slave for however long you wish to keep them on the line, no matter how they are feeling. How do you know they're "copping a 'tude" anyway? Can you hear their tone of voice? No. You should just feel damn lucky you even HAVE a way to talk over the telephone, much less a fucking free one. Especially when you go bitching about an RO that you don't know, who deserves the benefit of a doubt, and whose job you are probably costing by calling and complaining. Hope you feel better snatching the spoon out of their babies' mouths. What you don't seem to understand is how hard a single day is on an operator. One day is like a week of your work-week. So next time you're on line with someone, maybe you'll stop being a shit and be a little more patient with them.
I have had to deal with businesses who hang up on relay calls and would stubbornly have the RO redial the number and force the person who answers to listen to me then I personally request that I speak to the manager of the business I am trying to get through to and make my complaint known by specifiying WHICH employee by naming him/her in question and force management to realize that NOT all calls made to them via the relay are scams.
Redial redial redial. You can't force anybody to listen to you just because you're deaf. If they don't listen to you, take your business elsewhere to someone who will. Just because you're deaf doesn't mean a business has to lose dollar after dollar while waiting on you to type.
THERE are legit calls made by us deafies but its made MUCH harder now a days due to the Nigerians and the scams they are running.
Are you mad about that? Your fellow deafies sure are being quiet about it. How about writing your congressman or your local newspaper to get the story out there and make your wishes heard? I suppose I should apologize if any of this seems overly harsh. I'm just tired of everybody blaming the relay operator for all the wrongs of the world. The supervisors do it already, and the Nigerians curse us out too...we don't need the deaf adding on to it.
--------------------------------------------------------------
--Clear Conscience
relayscams.aimoo.com
|
|
Die Mofo
|
6# |
Rank:none
Status:
Score:0
Posts:143
From:
Registered:
02/04/2005
Time spent:
0 hours
|
| |
