Calls From Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Customers

When a deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech-disabled customer calls through a relay service, treat it exactly like any other call: stay on the line through the introduction, speak directly to the customer (not to the relay operator), allow extra time for responses, and do not hang up because the call sounds unusual. The Justice Department's ADA guidance states that covered entities must accept calls placed through TRS and VRS, and that staff must treat relay calls just like other calls.

The most common failure is not hostility; it is confusion. A receptionist hears "This is a relay call..." and assumes it is a robocall or a sales pitch. This guide explains the call types and gives your team a script.

Types of relay and accessible calls

Type	How it works	What you'll notice
TTY-based relay (dial 711)	Customer types; a communications assistant reads it to you and types your reply	An introduction, then pauses while the assistant types
Video Relay Service (VRS)	Customer signs to an interpreter by video; the interpreter speaks to you	Interpreter voice speaking in first person
IP Relay	Customer types over the internet; assistant voices it	Similar to TTY relay
Captioned telephone (CTS, IP CTS)	Customer speaks for themselves and reads captions of what you say	Customer's own voice; slight delays
Speech-to-speech	An assistant revoices a caller with a speech disability	Assistant repeats the caller's words

The FCC explains that dialing 711 connects anyone to a TTY-based relay operator for free, and that interconnected VoIP providers must also offer 711 dialing.

How to handle a relay call

1. Stay on the line through the introduction. It may sound scripted.
2. Speak directly to the customer. Say "What day works for you?" not "Ask her what day works."
3. Use your normal greeting and give your name.
4. Pause after you finish speaking. The assistant needs time to type or sign; the customer needs time to read or watch.
5. Say "go ahead" when you finish your turn on TTY relay calls, if the assistant asks you to. It signals the customer can respond.
6. Do not rush or talk over the delay.
7. Keep the same standards: take a message, offer a callback, send confirmation, as for any call.

Script for whoever answers

Assistant: "Hello, this is relay operator 1234 with a call. Have you received a relay call before?"

You: "Yes, thank you. Please go ahead."

(Then speak to the customer directly.) "Thank you for calling Bayside Dental, this is Ana. How can I help you today? Go ahead."

If you haven't received one before, say so; the assistant will explain briefly.

Things to avoid

• Hanging up because it "sounds like a sales call"
• Asking the assistant for their opinion or to "tell her" something
• Asking the customer to call back "on a normal phone"
• Refusing an order or appointment by relay that you would accept from anyone else

Calling a customer back

• TTY user: dial 711 and give the relay operator the customer's number.
• VRS, IP Relay or IP captioned user: dial their number directly; the FCC notes 711 does not work for these internet-based services and the relay connects automatically.
• If you don't know which they use: call their number directly first. If it fails, try 711.

And ask on the first call:

"What's the best way for us to contact you: call, text or email?"

Note the answer on the customer record so the next person knows. See how to log call notes.

Offer text and email as well

The ADA guidance lists written materials and text-based technologies among the ways businesses communicate effectively with people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Many customers prefer to text or email for scheduling and confirmations. If you text, get consent first and follow business texting etiquette.

Make sure your website and voicemail greeting mention that customers can text the business number, if they can.

Voicemail transcripts help too

Some callers leave voicemails through relay or captioned services. Others are hard of hearing themselves and find returning calls difficult. Reading voicemail transcripts, then confirming details in writing, avoids mistakes on both sides.

Training and policy

Add these lines to your call handling SOP and new-hire phone training:

• We accept all relay calls and treat them like any other call.
• We never hang up on a call because it begins with a relay introduction.
• We speak directly to the customer.
• We call back TTY users through 711, and others directly.
• We record each customer's preferred contact method.

Play a relay-style role-play in training. Hearing one once removes most of the confusion.

Checklist

• Staff know what a relay introduction sounds like
• "Don't hang up" rule in the SOP
• Script posted near the phones
• 711 callback process known
• Preferred contact method recorded for each customer
• Texting and email offered as alternatives
• Spam-screening rules do not catch relay calls

That last item matters: if you train staff to hang up quickly on unusual calls, see handling spam calls and make the relay exception explicit.

In-person and video interactions

Phone calls are only one channel. When the same customer visits, or joins a video consultation, the ADA guidance describes a range of auxiliary aids, including qualified sign language interpreters, real-time captioning, written materials and exchanging written notes, depending on the situation and the complexity of the communication. A quick written exchange can work for "What time works for pickup?" A detailed estimate, contract or medical discussion usually calls for more.

Ask the customer what works for them. People who are deaf or hard of hearing use different methods: some sign, some lip-read, some use captions or hearing aids, and some prefer text for everything. Their stated preference is the best guide, and noting it on the customer record means they only have to tell you once.

Common questions from staff

"How do I know it's not a scam?" Relay calls are not automatically suspicious. Apply the same checks you would to any call: no payments, passwords or codes approved by phone alone.

"What if the customer and I keep talking at the same time?" Pause longer than feels natural. Delays are part of how relay works.

"Can I ask the operator to repeat something?" Yes. Ask, then keep speaking to the customer.

How Callata fits

Callata transcribes every voicemail, so messages left through relay or captioned services can be read rather than replayed, and every call, text and note is saved to the contact, including notes on how each customer prefers to be contacted. Once your carrier registration is approved (a one-time $49 fee), customers can text your business number and reach whoever is covering the shared inbox.

The plan is $99 a month for up to five users, with additional users at $20 a month. Start with Callata.