[nabs-l] question about working in call centers/ hotlines

Mon Apr 17 23:00:26 UTC 2017

Question 1.

Hi  Justin,
 OK yes I've heard of this. 
 So how would that work, how would it plug into both the phone and the
computer? 
 So then both my hands would be free to type  or hit buttons on the phone?
YEs.  What you do is you have headphones  with  a little splitter that comes
with them.  One cord from the splitter plugs into the computer where you can
hear your screenreader, or into the speaker, wherever your sound issues
forth, and the other plugs into the part which let's you interact with the
customer, in your case, that's going to be the phone part of your system. A
lot of these companies use a soft phone, so your second plug will probably
go there.  The customer won't be able ot hear jaws at all.  
Question two
 As I understand it so someone calls and you have two websites open. One is
called I carol.  They're specifically for hotlines and nonprofits. You fill
out call reports and  things on there. But you don't have to do that while
on the phone everyone just takes notes, handwritten I guess,  but I could do
with braillenote.  
When I took notes while talking to the customer, I used notepad, then copied
and pasted the notes into the system.  

The other site is called shoretel. Which is for all kinds of business the
computer hooks into the phone I guess, so the computer shows/ screen reader
would say who's calling. But I'm not sure what all else the screen reader
would read on that site/ with the phone because I only had a little time to
look at it last year. Will try and explain all this more in a minute. But if
anyone has heard of tel shore or I carol I would love to know.  
Question e.
 I'v enever heard of your system, but that side is probably where your other
headphone to hear the customer would be.
 Also how to handle the visual aspect of buttons on the phone things
lighting up/ blinking ETC. 
 Question 4 Maybe, for the visual aspect, you can have them wire some sort
of sound into it, or see if hooking up a braille display would let you read
the messages in braille if you read braille. Find our if there is some sort
of message box, or something. The JAWS cursor could read it.
If color are flashing on the phone, that's where I'd see if you could have a
sound represent each light or something  like that.  There are plenty of
switchboard operators and customer service reps who are blind.  

The American Foundation for the Blind is a resource for such. Where I'd have
to be on the computer while on the phone would be to look up a resource, and
then possibly call that place like a shelter while on the phone with the
person. 
 What happened when we tried  to have me on the phone and computer is the
wires just got tangled up. 
Question 5
 About the wires getting tangled up, that didn't happen when I used this
equipment, but since I don't know your environment, I don't know how to
advise, or what suggestions to make, other than to test the headset when you
get it and create a way to make it work.  Oh, the system I used was the
Avaya phone system. 
 So I guess want to know how this would plug into the phone and computer at
the same time  Thanks  Sam

-----Original Message-----
From: NABS-L [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sam via NABS-L
Sent: Monday, April 17, 2017 5:46 PM
To: 'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Sam <nelsonsam68 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] question about working in call centers/ hotlines

Hi  Justin,
 OK yes I've heard of this. 
 So how would that work, how would it plug into both the phone and the
computer? 
 So then both my hands would be free to type  or hit buttons on the phone? 
 As I understand it so someone calls and you have two websites open. One is
called I carol.  They're specifically for hotlines and nonprofits. You fill
out call reports and  things on there. But you don't have to do that while
on the phone everyone just takes notes, handwritten I guess,  but I could do
with braillenote.  The other site is called shoretel. Which is for all kinds
of business the computer hooks into the phone I guess, so the computer
shows/ screen reader would say who's calling. But I'm not sure what all else
the screen reader would read on that site/ with the phone because I only had
a little time to  look at it last year. Will try and explain all this more
in a minute. But if anyone has heard of tel shore or I carol I would love to
know.  
 Also how to handle the visual aspect of buttons on the phone things
lighting up/ blinking ETC. 

 Where I'd have to be on the computer while on the phone would be to look up
a resource, and then possibly call that place like a shelter while on the
phone with the person. 
 What happened when we tried  to have me on the phone and computer is the
wires just got tangled up. 
 So I guess want to know how this would plug into the phone and computer at
the same time  Thanks  Sam 

-----Original Message-----
From: NABS-L [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Justin Williams
via NABS-L
Sent: Monday, April 17, 2017 2:52 PM
To: 'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'
Cc: Justin Williams
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] question about working in call centers/ hotlines

You can order special headphones which have jaws in one ear, and the
customer in the other.  As far as I know J 3 Technologies sells them in
Summerville SC.  I don't know if they still do or not.  You want headphones
which are split so that you can hear jaws, or your screen reader in one ear,
and the customer in the other.
 Justin

-----Original Message-----
From: NABS-L [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Amanda Cape via
NABS-L
Sent: Monday, April 17, 2017 3:47 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Amanda Cape <cape.amanda at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] question about working in call centers/ hotlines

Hi Sam,
I am interested in these types of jobs and volunteer opportunities as well,
as I grauated last year with my bachelor's of social work. Have you received
any helpful responses thus far?
Thanks,
Amanda

On 4/17/17, Sam  via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
>  I'm writing as I'm trying to volunteer for a local crisis  hotline, 
> National runaway safeline.
>
>  They've never had a blind volunteer before and are less than thrilled.
>
>  I'm wondering how you tried to put people at ease in this setting, 
> especially how you dealt with having to use  the computer (so with
> headphones) and the phone at the same time?
>
>  Also how you dealt with having to use a phone where you had to do 
> things like call outside lines, conference, and there was stuff being 
> displayed visually I.E blinking lights ETC.
>
>  Any information is helpful.
>
>
>
>
>
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