Text Relay is good for your business
It doesn't have to cost your company a penny
You don't need any special equipment to make or receive calls over Text Relay. Staff don't necessarily even need any special training – just let them know the details of how to receive a textphone call (below) and the relay assistant will take care of the rest.
Supporting employees with telecommunication difficulties
If you have deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired employees who already use a PC, you can download and install software, which will turn their computer into a textphone. This can be a very cost effective way of providing textphones to your employees, as the software is often relatively cheap.
Receiving a call
If you receive a call from Text Relay, you will hear the following recorded message:
A relay assistant will then be connected to the call. Once connected, you will hear the relay assistant say:
If you have not used Text Relay before, you can ask the relay assistant to explain how it works.
Please note: The other person might use their own voice to speak to you, but they cannot hear your reply. If they do speak directly, do not try to reply until they have said "Go Ahead".
Dedicated textphone number in the call centre
A dedicated telephone number can be set up to connect a textphone customer call to an individual or team within the call centre who have been given deaf awareness training and have textphone equipment.
Automated call systems
Automated calling systems can cause problems when customers using a textphone try to call your business. Customers using a textphone will not hear the choices and will experience severe delays if they have to wait for the system to run through these choices.
If your call centre relies on an automated system, you may want to set up a dedicated textphone number which bypasses this system.
An understanding of language and culture
Most textphone users communicate in text because they are unable to hear. The language that is used can vary from standard English to text based British Sign Language.
Customers who use textphones get straight to the point and do not pad out conversations with unnecessary words and customer service assistants need to be aware of this. It is therefore important to take the time to check each others understanding to avoid poor customer service and possible customer complaints.
Your legal requirements
Under the Disability Discrimination Act, citizens that use textphones should have equivalent access to an organisation's people and services as that enjoyed by any other customer or employee. This includes calling into an organisation, the organisation calling out, and calls within the organisation.
While there is a significant move to new technologies such as email, web sites and SMS based communications, these do not provide an equivalent to a voice telephone call. The missing ingredient being the ability to have a real-time conversation over the telephone network.
Text Relay, along with textphones (sometimes called a Minicom) and PC textphone software, provide an equivalent voice telephone service for deaf, hard of hearing and speech-impaired people.
BSL Video – Good for business (6.06)
This video contains British Sign Language content, there is no audio content available. Skip VideoImportant Numbers
To make a call: dial 18001 + number
Emergency calls: dial 18000
Support & advice
Latest news
New research project about text relay services | 17 Aug 2010
Ofcom are asking people to have their say by taking part in their new research project about the future of text relay and other services for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or with speech difficulties.
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