6 ms·

I actually have a speech impairment (a stutter) and you’d think people would be willing to accommodate. I can speak just fine when I have complete agency over t

by mygo 8y ago

I actually have a speech impairment (a stutter) and you’d think people would be willing to accommodate. I can speak just fine when I have complete agency over the words I choose to say, but it’s the absolute worst when I have to read out some long specific access code or account number and say it 100% correct. Stutter even once and they think I meant 2 P’s when I just wanted to say a single P. And then it becomes this long drawn out process of “after AF6, it’s just a single P, but the rest of it is right” because I really don’t want to have to read out the entire code again. But sadly there have been more times than I can count where I told them I have a speech impairment, it’s difficult for me to say certain things in the way they need me to right now, and I’d prefer to send them an email (even offer to send them an email for them to open while we are still talking)... And they said no they cannot do that for one reason or another.

harryh 8y ago
That sucks. I guess "works every time" is an overstatement. I'm currently 3 for 3 but I guess you have a lot more attempts than I do.
- selimthegrim 8y ago
  You could always tell them you're halfway through a bottle of Colt 45.
jopsen 8y ago
When I lived in the US I would follow the phone menu for 30s or so, but at some point I would always a get annoyed enough and just hit random keys until the robot says: I don't understand let me connect you... Often hitting # repeatedly did the trick. But lot always.
- erichurkman 8y ago
  GetHuman has most companies' information online on how to get a human the fastest and alternate ways to contact them. I learned the other day that the CA Franchise Tax Board has a live chat via GetHuman [0] which saved an insane amount of time on hold. I was originally just trying to find alternate dial in numbers to actually talk to a person, not a robot. [0] https://gethuman.com/phone-number/California-Franchise-Tax-Board https://gethuman.com/phone-number/California-Franchise-Tax-B...
- mygo 8y ago
  this also happens when I’m speaking to actual humans. Sadly.
- ChoGGi 8y ago
  It isn't SFW (well some), but yelling a couple random swearwords works surprisingly well for getting a human on the line.
  - LorenPechtel 8y ago
    I've found multiple systems that go on your tone of voice. No need to swear or even raise it.
- JadeNB 8y ago
  > When I lived in the US I would follow the phone menu for 30s or so, but at some point I would always a get annoyed enough and just hit random keys until the robot says: I don't understand let me connect you... I don't remember which ones, but I've found several companies whose automated systems hang up on you after giving you a certain number of 'tries' to enter a menu option.
chimeracoder 8y ago
> Stutter once and they think you meant 2 P’s when you just wanted to say a single P. And then it becomes this long drawn out process of “after AF6, it’s just a single P, but the rest of it is right” because you really don’t want to have to read out the entire code again Have you tried using the NATO alphabet? I don't know if that would be easier or more difficult for you to say, but it's worth a shot, since it'd be less ambiguous over the phone: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_phonetic_alphabet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_phonetic_alphabet
- gutnor 8y ago
  Generally speaking people working in call centre, or that deal with client all day long, like the NATO alphabet, especially people that have to deal with random code, or need to get names spelled right. People that I know worked in call centre love it, and carry on using it decades after they left that job. It seems a bit more tedious, but the slower pace with reduced ambiguity means you almost never have to repeat yourself. Worth giving it a shot, speech impairment or not.
  - amalcon 8y ago
    My name has an unusual spelling, so I always have to spell it on the phone. I've had issues every time I try to use the NATO alphabet for this, because several of the phonetics are names. E.g. someone named Matt might say: "Matt, spelled Mike-Alpha-Tango-Tango" And get the response: "Ok Mike, now I need..."
    - zakki 8y ago
      I am not familiar with NATO standards until I read this post. And I’m not an English native speaker. But what I get from NATO idea is take the first character from the word said in conversation. So when speaking with someone on the phone, sometimes I say “I” as Italy instead of India. And luckily they understand it. You may try “Monaco” instead of “Mike”.
      - buzer 8y ago
sizzle 8y ago
Have you tried text to speech dictation? macOS has this built into accessibility options under the speech category. You can assign a keyboard shortcut speak from highlighted text, simple as that. I use it to read faster cause I'm a slow reader.
- abrkn 8y ago
  I wonder if they would accept that.
kstrauser 8y ago
It's morally OK to just lie about it. If I can tell them "I'm physically unable to speak", you can too.
tacon 8y ago
I suggest creating a form letter where you threaten to file an ADA action against them, as well as notifying your state's attorney, etc. Plus cc: the local TV station consumer reporter. When they give you static, they get a copy of that letter sent to their registered corporate agent, return receipt. Their lawyer has to handle all such legal threats. ADA actions are extremely expensive for corporations. People without an ADA issue should send their cancellation notice to the registered corporate agent, return receipt, which sets the date of cancellation and gets their (expensive) lawyer involved. Threaten to sue them under your deceptive trade practices statutes if they continue to bill your account. Lawyers shed these kind of nuisance things quickly and cut through the bureaucracy. Your file will be stamped "service terminated" posthaste. There is no better way to communicate your desire to terminate service than to notify their registered agent in writing.
- wcunning 8y ago
  How do you generally go about finding registered agents? It's never been super obvious to me that Sportsmans Guide is represented by "Clarke, Whitehall and Rosenstein, LLP" or some equally stuffy sounding law firm, much less where the firm might be reachable by registered mail...
  - TheSpiceIsLife 8y ago
    This[1] just says most states provide free access to their database to find registers agents. I don’t live in the US, so no idea which department handles that. 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registered_agent#Registered_agent_information https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registered_agent#Registered_ag...
  - CodeWriter23 8y ago
    Typically the Secretary of State for any given state maintains a registry of businesses that is searchable online. The main purpose for these databases is to verify the status of the Corp and to identify the Agent of Service. You need to know the name of the actual corporation to do the search. I say this because some businesses use a fictitious business name, also know as a DBA (doing business as) for branding purposes. In that case, you’ll need to find where the DBA is filed (maybe the County Registrar for a small company) and look up online or perhaps have to mail a request with a small fee, depending on how well funded the locality is.
thelastidiot 8y ago
The symptoms you describe are what someone I know experiences. In the same situation of making a phone call, he give the handset to his wife. What's pathetic is that the operator insists on talking to him "in person" even if he sits next to her. Some of these trained operators apply their company rules to the letter so much that it feels almost barbaric.
- fjsolwmv 8y ago
  Why blame the operators for management's barbaric rules?

by mygo 8y ago

harryh 8y ago

That sucks. I guess "works every time" is an overstatement. I'm currently 3 for 3 but I guess you have a lot more attempts than I do.

selimthegrim 8y ago
You could always tell them you're halfway through a bottle of Colt 45.

jopsen 8y ago

When I lived in the US I would follow the phone menu for 30s or so, but at some point I would always a get annoyed enough and just hit random keys until the robot says: I don't understand let me connect you... Often hitting # repeatedly did the trick. But lot always.

erichurkman 8y ago
GetHuman has most companies' information online on how to get a human the fastest and alternate ways to contact them. I learned the other day that the CA Franchise Tax Board has a live chat via GetHuman [0] which saved an insane amount of time on hold. I was originally just trying to find alternate dial in numbers to actually talk to a person, not a robot. [0] https://gethuman.com/phone-number/California-Franchise-Tax-Board https://gethuman.com/phone-number/California-Franchise-Tax-B...
mygo 8y ago
this also happens when I’m speaking to actual humans. Sadly.
ChoGGi 8y ago
It isn't SFW (well some), but yelling a couple random swearwords works surprisingly well for getting a human on the line.
- LorenPechtel 8y ago
  I've found multiple systems that go on your tone of voice. No need to swear or even raise it.
JadeNB 8y ago
> When I lived in the US I would follow the phone menu for 30s or so, but at some point I would always a get annoyed enough and just hit random keys until the robot says: I don't understand let me connect you... I don't remember which ones, but I've found several companies whose automated systems hang up on you after giving you a certain number of 'tries' to enter a menu option.

chimeracoder 8y ago

> Stutter once and they think you meant 2 P’s when you just wanted to say a single P. And then it becomes this long drawn out process of “after AF6, it’s just a single P, but the rest of it is right” because you really don’t want to have to read out the entire code again Have you tried using the NATO alphabet? I don't know if that would be easier or more difficult for you to say, but it's worth a shot, since it'd be less ambiguous over the phone: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_phonetic_alphabet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_phonetic_alphabet

gutnor 8y ago
Generally speaking people working in call centre, or that deal with client all day long, like the NATO alphabet, especially people that have to deal with random code, or need to get names spelled right. People that I know worked in call centre love it, and carry on using it decades after they left that job. It seems a bit more tedious, but the slower pace with reduced ambiguity means you almost never have to repeat yourself. Worth giving it a shot, speech impairment or not.
- amalcon 8y ago
  My name has an unusual spelling, so I always have to spell it on the phone. I've had issues every time I try to use the NATO alphabet for this, because several of the phonetics are names. E.g. someone named Matt might say: "Matt, spelled Mike-Alpha-Tango-Tango" And get the response: "Ok Mike, now I need..."
  - zakki 8y ago
    I am not familiar with NATO standards until I read this post. And I’m not an English native speaker. But what I get from NATO idea is take the first character from the word said in conversation. So when speaking with someone on the phone, sometimes I say “I” as Italy instead of India. And luckily they understand it. You may try “Monaco” instead of “Mike”.
    - buzer 8y ago

sizzle 8y ago

Have you tried text to speech dictation? macOS has this built into accessibility options under the speech category. You can assign a keyboard shortcut speak from highlighted text, simple as that. I use it to read faster cause I'm a slow reader.

abrkn 8y ago
I wonder if they would accept that.

kstrauser 8y ago

It's morally OK to just lie about it. If I can tell them "I'm physically unable to speak", you can too.

tacon 8y ago

I suggest creating a form letter where you threaten to file an ADA action against them, as well as notifying your state's attorney, etc. Plus cc: the local TV station consumer reporter. When they give you static, they get a copy of that letter sent to their registered corporate agent, return receipt. Their lawyer has to handle all such legal threats. ADA actions are extremely expensive for corporations. People without an ADA issue should send their cancellation notice to the registered corporate agent, return receipt, which sets the date of cancellation and gets their (expensive) lawyer involved. Threaten to sue them under your deceptive trade practices statutes if they continue to bill your account. Lawyers shed these kind of nuisance things quickly and cut through the bureaucracy. Your file will be stamped "service terminated" posthaste. There is no better way to communicate your desire to terminate service than to notify their registered agent in writing.

wcunning 8y ago
How do you generally go about finding registered agents? It's never been super obvious to me that Sportsmans Guide is represented by "Clarke, Whitehall and Rosenstein, LLP" or some equally stuffy sounding law firm, much less where the firm might be reachable by registered mail...
- TheSpiceIsLife 8y ago
  This[1] just says most states provide free access to their database to find registers agents. I don’t live in the US, so no idea which department handles that. 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registered_agent#Registered_agent_information https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registered_agent#Registered_ag...
- CodeWriter23 8y ago
  Typically the Secretary of State for any given state maintains a registry of businesses that is searchable online. The main purpose for these databases is to verify the status of the Corp and to identify the Agent of Service. You need to know the name of the actual corporation to do the search. I say this because some businesses use a fictitious business name, also know as a DBA (doing business as) for branding purposes. In that case, you’ll need to find where the DBA is filed (maybe the County Registrar for a small company) and look up online or perhaps have to mail a request with a small fee, depending on how well funded the locality is.

thelastidiot 8y ago

The symptoms you describe are what someone I know experiences. In the same situation of making a phone call, he give the handset to his wife. What's pathetic is that the operator insists on talking to him "in person" even if he sits next to her. Some of these trained operators apply their company rules to the letter so much that it feels almost barbaric.

fjsolwmv 8y ago
Why blame the operators for management's barbaric rules?