Getting companies to understand 'I can't use a phone!'

Bloodheart

I can't use a telephone...

...this causes problems trying to contact companies, particularly in situations such as late payments when the demand you contact them within 'X' number of days, or situations where they've got something wrong and you've got to try to explain it to them and come to some sort of agreement about it.

I can use snail-mail but that takes too long, so if they want a reply within a set number of days you're stuck, and they tend to pull the 'your letter must have gotten lost' too often. I can use email but then they either get ignored, or I get told they can't answer questions due to security.

So, how exactly am I supposed to communicate with these people??

I cannot always rely on someone else to call them for me, because I don't really have anyone else to help me, surely companies MUST have something set-up to help people who cannot use a phone - I know I'm not the only person in the world with this problem.

Even if they cannot allow me to communicate via email, surely they could take into consideration the length of time it takes to use snail mail, or have something on my account so when I do write a letter (via snail-mail) they don't also just turn around and tell me to telephone them!

Ambersuccubus

It is very difficult. My hearing is such that I have times when using the phone is a practical impossibility, but as I am not permanently Deaf, I don't qualify for Typetalk or anything of that ilk. I find that banks are the worse offenders - the branch staff often will not help, and will try to make you use phone banking, and even if they try to make a call for you, phone banking creates difficulties for them - ended up crying in Santander the other day (although the branch staff were at least trying to help in that instance)
I don't understand why everyone tries to do everything by phone these days - I hate it even when I technically "can" do it. I much prefer written word for information, contracts, etc...why not more email use, if speed is so damn important?

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I always wondered exactly how someone hard of hearing was supposed to deal with the DSS now everything is by phone. Found out in the end - they take the word of a random person who says she knows the claimant and can give his date of birth. Just as well I helped out - they were closing the claim because he 'refused to communicate' with them. ??????????? He's going deaf!

shaven-monkey

Write your letter stating your position including a request for a written answer at the start. Bring it to the branch. Have fun with it and create multi choice forms more complex and rediculous than the ones used by the banks to hand to their staff.
online banking?
Contact local volunteer center to see if they have someone willing to translate from spoken to sign language and back again?

Prinzessilein

My ASD means I can't use a phone.

My social worker has helped to get the DSS to accept a letter from me that gives full authority to my mum to deal with any and all issues....or it would help if the advisors read the note before phoning! They ask to speak to me, mum explains they need to talk to her, they refuse because it's 'against the rules'! Mum has a heao more patience than I do, and gently but firmly asks them to check the necessary paperwork and then phone back.

It's a lot more difficult with other companies.

To my mind it is quite clearly discrimination. I can not use the phone. I am happier with letters or e-mail. My medical condition saps my confidence and independence....why can't this companies help to hold on to the little I have left?

Trialia

I know how you feel. I don't have anyone to use the phone for me, and I have anxiety attacks when I have to do it, and quite often that means I can't at all because after those, my auditory processing is shot. Sign language wouldn't help me - I don't know it, and I'm not deaf, I just can't process what I hear very well.

LameWolf

Another one here.... we had to renew the car insurance today. OK, my husband called them, but because it was going to be done on my credit card, they insisted on speaking to me. All I had to do was give the card number, expiry date, and state how my name was shown on the card, but by the time I'd managed that, I was shaking uncontrollably, and will probably feel sick for the rest of today.

Why on earth they don't have it set up to renew online is beyond me.:mad:

kingfisherblue

Can I suggest something? If companies insist on using the phone and you can't due to any type of disability, remind them that they are in contravention of the DDA. They must make reasonable adjustments, and this can include snail mail, allowing the time it takes for delivery to be taken into consideration.

If you deal with a company and want to conduct business in this way, or if you want to nominate somebody to speak on the phone for you, write to the Head Office and make the request. Also ask in the letter that Customer Services are made aware of this request, especially if you are nominating somebody to speak onth e phone for you. It does no harm to state that you are requesting this as a reasonable adjustment under the DDA. Also ask for confirmation that they will enable you to conduct business in your preferred manner.

jdturk

kingfisherblue wrote: »

Can I suggest something? If companies insist on using the phone and you can't due to any type of disability, remind them that they are in contravention of the DDA. They must make reasonable adjustments, and this can include snail mail, allowing the time it takes for delivery to be taken into consideration.

Obviously they are only in contravention of the DDA if the company knew that the person was unable to use the phone....you can't go all guns blazing if they don't know

kingfisherblue

True, i was referring to the fact that some companies seem to have ignored this though. Sorry for not making this clear.

serenity79

Trialia wrote: »

I know how you feel. I don't have anyone to use the phone for me, and I have anxiety attacks when I have to do it, and quite often that means I can't at all because after those, my auditory processing is shot. Sign language wouldn't help me - I don't know it, and I'm not deaf, I just can't process what I hear very well.

This happens to me as well, I've become a little bit phone-phobic over it. It's hard to explain to someone who doesn't have it, but I totally get where you're coming from. I've got perfect hearing, it's my comprehension of what I'm hearing that's screwed up. When I'm talking face to face with someone I'll use other things like body language, facial movements and watching lips to help keep track of what a person is saying. It also takes me a few moments to process what they have said before I can reply. When I speak on the phone, I don't have any of those things to fall back on, only the person's voice and words, so it's so much harder to take in and process their half of the conversation. That's why I prefer email and snail mail to sort out stuff, but a lot of companies only want to deal by phone.