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Why should you set up Connect Direct to support your Deaf/HH customers who use ASL to communicate?

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How does VRS work?

There are 5 Video Relay Service Providers, all for profit, nationwide. The VRS process has a sign language interpreter, based anywhere in the US, to answer calls via video from a deaf caller, anywhere in the U.S. The deaf caller, once connected to an interpreter, provides the interpreter with the phone number they want to call, and the interpreter (unfamiliar with the person, organization, or company they are calling), calls the number through a telephone call on behalf of the deaf caller and talks to the recipient, interpreting the menu tree, conversation, etc. The deaf caller and hearing recipient are entirely dependent on the third party interpreter, their skill level, their knowledge (or lack thereof) of the specific organization or industry, regional signs, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb7eU-hl6QQ&t=10s

Cost Savings

When using direct services, multiple benefits, both financial and equity-access and brand goodwill occur.

Companies See:
  • Length of call time decreases 33% on average
  • English queues no longer tied up with lengthy, third-party interpreted calls
  • Reduced repeat calls; direct services resolve the majority of call needs with one phone call, compared to 2-10 calls that deaf callers have to make through VRS to resolve their issue
  • Increase in customer satisfaction
  • Increase in customer retention
  • English-speaking representatives performing better when not struggling with third party calls.
    Agent Frustration Statistics
  • Reduced cost; although the FCC pays the third-party interpreter, you are paying your English-speaking representatives. By routing your deaf callers to trained deaf representatives, your English queue wait and hold times are lessened, resulting in increased customer satisfaction across the board.

Why not online chat?

Chat, Email and Text Message support are all conducted in English, which is a second language for the majority of Deaf and is not their native language. It is a common misconception that American Sign Language is a derivative of English. ASL is its own language with its own grammatical structure, completely different than English. Sign language is a visual language, requiring face to face communication; there is no written version of ASL.