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Stop asking me for my phone number

spottedsun.com

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Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#71

Post by bschlinker »

This is the reason why most online relay services, such as i711, provide their users with free inbound numbers.

When a call is received, the user is notified via a variety of mediums, including instant message, SMS, and I think some other desktop/mobile apps they have. If the deaf user accepts the call, the relay informs the caller that the other individual is deaf and begins to transcribe the call.

2-way conversation (textrelaycaller)

In addition, these services provide transcriptions of voicemail / etc and are completely FREE (sponsored by individual state tax dollars in US). I'm really surprised that the post makes no note of these services, since I have known about them for years and am not hard of hearing.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#72

Post by cdcarter »

reemrevnivek wrote: post #13
bradleyland wrote: post #4

According to some brief research, it looks like somewhere around 0.33% of Americans under 85 are deaf, and around 4% are hard of hearing [1]. I find it preposterous to optimize for that small section of the user population at the expense of the overwhelming number of our users who tell us that phone is their preferred method of contact. We're probably going to continue asking for a phone number, because many users wo…

What service are you running where the "overwhelming number of [y]our users" tell you that phone is their preferred method of contact? As I wrote on the blog, email allows me to: - respond when it’s convenient for me. - keep most of my attention on what I’m doing. - archive and share the correspondence easily. - filter content I don’t want to hear anymore. - remain anonymous. - make careful, researched, edited respon…

I feel like I must be one of the only people on HN who doesn't mind a phone call. Yes, admittedly, I am not hearing impaired, and I do understand the desire to pick your preferred method of communication, but a lot of times it can take me 30 seconds to solidify something in a phone call that could take 4-5 texts or chat messages, especially if you are trying to actually make plans with someone.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#73

Post by gwillen »

JoshTriplett wrote: post #69
inconditus wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nope, when calling customer service, almost all say "This conversation may be recorded for quality insurance".

Something you might find useful: that standard statement also gives you permission to record the call yourself. (You may or may not need such permission, depending on your legal jurisdiction.)

Do you have a cite to a case or good reference for this? I've heard it before, and it would be nice to have a source for it, in case I ever need to rely on it.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#74

Post by zandor »

FuzzyDunlop wrote: post #33

I've nothing against phone calls (except being asked for my number for no reason), but Bill Bailey had a bit in one of his earlier stand-ups (can't remember which one) where he said the phone call is the most impolite form of communication. It's like shouting in someone's ears saying, "I WANT YOU TO STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND SPEAK TO ME RIGHT NOW!"

They did a segment on that in an episode with Bill Bailey on QI: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xXSw07zrio

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#75

Post by DanBC »

bradleyland wrote: post #4

According to some brief research, it looks like somewhere around 0.33% of Americans under 85 are deaf, and around 4% are hard of hearing [1]. I find it preposterous to optimize for that small section of the user population at the expense of the overwhelming number of our users who tell us that phone is their preferred method of contact. We're probably going to continue asking for a phone number, because many users wo…

>We don't have a policy on how to accommodate deaf or sight impaired customers,

This is not legal in the UK under disability discrimination laws; I'm surprised it's not the same in other countries.

As well as being not legal it's a pretty shoddy way to treat potential customers.

>This request has moved me to action.

Cool! I'd be really interested to read how it goes; if you have problems; if you get any customer feedback.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#76

Post by DanBC »

neutronicus wrote: post #43
reemrevnivek wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What service are you running where the "overwhelming number of [y]our users" tell you that phone is their preferred method of contact? As I wrote on the blog, email allows me to: - respond when it’s convenient for me. - keep most of my attention on what I’m doing. - archive and share the correspondence easily. - filter content I don’t want to hear anymore. - remain anonymous. - make careful, researched, edited respon…

Phone calls allow me to: - make sure that I have your attention until my problem is solved

Phone calls make sure I waste my time trying to get your attention via low-paid level one staff who have minimal training and who possibly hate me and all other customers; until I give up navigating your awful phone-menu system and getting misunderstood by aforementioned staff and being put on hold for hours

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#77

Post by DanBC »

poodougnut wrote: post #34
bradleyland wrote: post #4

According to some brief research, it looks like somewhere around 0.33% of Americans under 85 are deaf, and around 4% are hard of hearing [1]. I find it preposterous to optimize for that small section of the user population at the expense of the overwhelming number of our users who tell us that phone is their preferred method of contact. We're probably going to continue asking for a phone number, because many users wo…

I don't think the OP is suggesting phone support should be phased out; he's saying that email support should be there too and be on par. I can name a couple of companies I've had to interact with in the past few days that only offer phone support: Student Finance, EDF Energy.

www.edfenergy.com/products-services/for.../priority_services.pdf

>If you have a textphone, please call our Minicom Line free on 0800 096 2929

I agree that email (as well as phone) is a better solution.

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#78

Post by brador »

DanBC wrote: post #76
neutronicus wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Phone calls allow me to: - make sure that I have your attention until my problem is solved

Phone calls make sure I waste my time trying to get your attention via low-paid level one staff who have minimal training and who possibly hate me and all other customers; until I give up navigating your awful phone-menu system and getting misunderstood by aforementioned staff and being put on hold for hours

So you think the staff replying to your emails are highly paid and love you?

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#79

Post by silverbax88 »

JulianMorrison wrote: post #36
bradleyland wrote: post #4

According to some brief research, it looks like somewhere around 0.33% of Americans under 85 are deaf, and around 4% are hard of hearing [1]. I find it preposterous to optimize for that small section of the user population at the expense of the overwhelming number of our users who tell us that phone is their preferred method of contact. We're probably going to continue asking for a phone number, because many users wo…

The trick is to be polite and say HOW should we contact you? You prefer email? Okay, email please. And you prefer phone? Okay, phone number please. And never, never put a "required" validation on something like a phone number that someone simply may not have at all.

Yes, this is the best way to handle customer preferred contact. When someone "requires" a phone number, I think, "I'm not answering that phone call - you need to email me so I can work you into my day."

Re: Stop asking me for my phone number

#80

Post by DanBC »

brador wrote: post #78
DanBC wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Phone calls make sure I waste my time trying to get your attention via low-paid level one staff who have minimal training and who possibly hate me and all other customers; until I give up navigating your awful phone-menu system and getting misunderstood by aforementioned staff and being put on hold for hours

So you think the staff replying to your emails are highly paid and love you?

No, but it doesn't cost me money to send an email. I'm in the UK. We tend to have to pay to call companies. Where a company has a "freephone" number that's only free from landlines (and possibly a small number of mobile tariffs) - anyone calling from a mobile will have to pay lots.

The combination of poor customer service, and not getting the problem resolved, and having to pay for it, is horrible.

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