Just heard stupid thing from my co-worker...

Updated: I have been approached quite several customers when I was called to front or heading to break room (they made us leave our smartphones/cell phones in locker). I had no choice but telling customer "I'm deaf and can you hold on for moment and I'll find floor salesperson for you?" Customers were nice enough to be patient with me.

I still not feeling comfortable doing that and I guess I have to suck it up and try do my job. :|
 
You're making it about you when it is really about the customer(both you and your coworker want the same thing). To most of us (hearing and non) what we do is just a job. What most people fail to realize is that the customers are really our boss. No kidding, if they don't buy the product you're waiting at the end of an unemployment line.

It would be one thing, if a boss/coworker suggested you wear a badge for no reason, but it is quite another if it helps a customer get what he/she wants. After all, the customer just wants his product, that's it.

I know this might feel difficult for you, but unless you think there was intentional harm between you and your coworker, I'd say the guy was just trying to help you out.

If you can find a better solution, I'd like to read about it. How would you handle the situation? There are going to be times you have to deal with customers, no matter how little.

In my case, when I couldn't hear well on the phone anymore, I would have a customer service rep talk with the guy and he would relay what was said to me.

In your case, that would work too, but I'm guessing you would just hand it over to the other guy anyway. The badge just further facilitates it. Is it less confusing? No, but neither will be trying to explain to the customer you are deaf, right?

Nobody wants to be labeled, but is it really any different than telling the customer you are deaf? After all, all roads lead to that conversation..
 
When I work with people, I figure that 9 out of every 10 customers aren't interested in ASL and all this deafness. Just get me the product and I'll be on my way, ok?

I recently had 2 regular customers who wants to learn ASL. One of them offered me-----teach me ASL. I'll help you learn more about bike repairs.

If you cross path with customers often enough, then they may ask about ASL. Help them a little bit with ASL. Don't go all this extreme about Deaf Culture and stuffs---yet.
 
dereksbicycles said:
When I work with people, I figure that 9 out of every 10 customers aren't interested in ASL and all this deafness. Just get me the product and I'll be on my way, ok?

I recently had 2 regular customers who wants to learn ASL. One of them offered me-----teach me ASL. I'll help you learn more about bike repairs.

If you cross path with customers often enough, then they may ask about ASL. Help them a little bit with ASL. Don't go all this extreme about Deaf Culture and stuffs---yet.
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If you are shitty at lipreading and verbally speaking, how do you communicate with the hearing customers? Paper and pen?
 
dereksbicycles said:
Yes, but lately, I've texted back and forth with customers. Also use Android notepads.
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So the customers don't mind talking with you via texting? As you may know, some customers (especially impatient old people) don't like to write or text since it wastes their time or since some of them are shitty at English grammar.
 
CrazyPaul said:
So the customers don't mind talking with you via texting? As you may know, some customers (especially impatient old people) don't like to write or text since it wastes their time or since some of them are shitty at English grammar.
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Many of them are willing to text. Many of them are even more technology advanced than I am. Heck, I text back and forth with a 70ish years old guy about bikes!!!

Yeah, most of my customers are younger folks who are more adapt to texting back and forth which is why I try to get more of my stuffs that caters to younger clienteles.
 
I guess that the OP would probably not like having the "I am d/Deaf" label, because first of all it make him feel less independent and not reliable employee. It is like being embarrassment over it. He would like to help the customers but when it come to communication, it is hard for him to figure out what the customers was saying with lipreading. He need paper and pen but he also should have his smartphone or IPad to communicate with the customers. Now he was not allowed to have smartphone and he had to put it away in the locker room. That was not fair when it come to communication with the customers. I know his co-workers mean well but this is different with different deaf and hard of hearing people meaning we are all different in our way of coping in the job or career. That is why we need accommodations to help us d/Deaf people to make our job easier to work with. Anyway, that is my opinion. :hmm:
 
I really don't see what the big deal is all about with a deaf badge thing. You can't compare Jewish badge to it; no one would commit a genocide against deaf people, LOL.

Anyway, getting to this point, your co-worker was simply suggesting you to wear a badge since you were complaining to him. It's for the customers to know you're deaf so that they won't feel you're rude to them when they ask for help.
 
I don't find that odd. When I stopped in a gas station in Rochester, NY there was a sign taped to the counter "Cashier is deaf. Please look him when talking and speak clearly during the transaction."
 
randomgirl said:
I really don't see what the big deal is all about with a deaf badge thing. You can't compare Jewish badge to it; no one would commit a genocide against deaf people, LOL.

Anyway, getting to this point, your co-worker was simply suggesting you to wear a badge since you were complaining to him. It's for the customers to know you're deaf so that they won't feel you're rude to them when they ask for help.
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Lol all you want fool. Then go study some deaf history.

That is exactly what Hitler did in WWII
 
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