wherein I receive a death threat

[smileyeagle1021]

Well, I knew it was only a matter of time. There is something about relay calls that sends hearing people into an irrational rage. Maybe they are impatient, maybe they have a legitimate reason to hate the caller (there are several who I would hate to have to talk to because they are royal creeps) and are just too small brained to comprehend what the role of an interpreter is, maybe people are just pricks in general.
So, without further ado

Me: This is (relay) communication assistant (number) is the phone number of the deaf or hard of hearing person you are trying to reach (number)?
HU: You're going to die.
Me: I'm sorry, is the phone number of the deaf or hard of hearing person that you are trying to reach (number)?
HU: Did you hear me, you are going to fucking die.
Me: Yes sir, I heard you, and I've known that for a while, it is one of life's few certainties, but if you do not verify the number that you are trying to reach, I cannot connect the call.
HU: You fuckers are all the same, I hope you die. *click*

Well, nice to talk to you too.

[Mytical]

I am not sure I have the words to respond to that..but I'll try.

What in the name of sanity would cause anybody to hate on somebody like that? Wait..that is the problem..sanity..forgot where I was. So I guess it will just have to be a moment....

[PepperElf]

can you still report them to the police, i mean since you have the number they were calling from?

cos at that point it's hard to tell if they were threatening you or the person they were trying to reach

[Merriweather]

So they called up Relay, as if they were going to place a call, and threatened you instead? Or gave you a number to dial, then threatened you when you verified it?

I would definitely call the police - there are crazy people out there, and it could be interpreted as someone with a grudge against people working there, and the next step could be to show up with an arssenal of weapons and start firing.

Cussing someone out is one thing, calling names is one thing, but saying "Your're going to die" - that's a threat. And I wouldn't take it lightly (though I think you handled it well to the caller). But after that, you need to notify the police.

[EvilEmpryss]

Me: Yes sir, I heard you, and I've known that for a while, it is one of life's few certainties, but if you do not verify the number that you are trying to reach, I cannot connect the call.
HU: You fuckers are all the same, I hope you die. *click*

First, I love your calm response. Full of win.

Second, his response says a lot about the people who do that job. You're all cool and collected. Double score!

[smileyeagle1021]

So they called up Relay, as if they were going to place a call, and threatened you instead? Or gave you a number to dial, then threatened you when you verified it?

They called the number to the person directly... when someone who is deaf or hard of hearing registers with us, they are assigned a phone number that when called is directed to our system which can recognize the number dialed and bring up their profile ID to connect to their IP Relay device. However, since a good 90% of the calls are either wrong numbers or people returning a missed call that have no clue what is going on, we always verify that first, they did intend to call someone who is deaf or hard of hearing and that it is the correct number (our question at the beginning kind of covers both) so that if they have any questions we can answer them before potentially wasting the time of our deaf users by connecting callers who don't actually want to talk to them.

As far as this lovely caller, I'm more amused than concerned... his area code is over 1000 miles away from us, and even if he were able to figure out where the company is located, the only published address anywhere is for the administrative office, which to even get to the receptionist requires getting past two security doors, the reception area has a 24 hour guard on duty, and has security that even I as an employee couldn't get past for anything other than the reception desk. If by luck he were to discover where the call center is located, he'd have to get past an outer security door, an armed security guard, and an inner security door. Oh, and where both our call center and our administrative offices are in an office park that is one of the largest tax bases for the county, the Unified Police Department takes very good care of us... not to mention, we never give out any personal identifying information, so the only place I'd have to worry is at work, where, frankly, I don't think I have to worry.
Now, if he meant that about the deaf user, then first, it isn't my place to get involved, second, I'm pretty sure the deaf user already knows this person's feelings (our users' phone numbers aren't listed, so these two have to know each other somehow) and will hopefully (or at least has been able to) take the appropriate action with law enforcement on their own.

[Merriweather]

thanks for the clarification. I've used relay a few times with a friend, but she usually calls me, so I wasn't really sure how it worked the other way 'round.

Yeah, since they dialed the registered user's number, not the company number, I would think it wasn't directed at the company, but at that person. And they weren't familiar enough to realize there was one more step in there, to verify the phone number.

Of course, every instinct in me yells, call the police on their behalf, but I rrealize you can't step in and take action for another adult, that's up to them. For all you know, it's some weird joke between the two.

I really have a lot of respect for what you do, it provides a service that I'm sure makes people's lives much richer, I know it has got to be a lot harder than most people would think (having to repeat things you'd rather not say, listening to stuff you'd rather not hear, being "in" on all aspects of someone's life, yet not in a position to make the tiniest of comments no matter what. And I'm sure you put up with a lot of abuse you can't even talk about due to privacy concerns. And I'd be willing to bet they don't pay you nearly enough to put up with all that.

[TonyDonuts]

By not losing your cool, you probably destroyed that dumb bastard's entire life.

Good work.

[downforit2008]

I would have calmly responded, "Yes. Death is always a part of the big circle of life, but it's what we do now that counts before that time comes upon us." One customer threatened to kill me last year because I was offloading carts in "his favorite parking spot and was taking too long." I said THOSE EXACT WORDS to him with a smile and his snarling features crinkled into one of confusion before he drove away without another word. SCORE one for me!!!

[emax4]

As far as this lovely caller, I'm more amused than concerned... his area code is over 1000 miles away from us, and even if he were able to figure out where the company is located, the only published address anywhere is for the administrative office, which to even get to the receptionist requires...

Don't be so sure. I work with people that still have an out-of-area area code. So, a cell phone call from my boss may show that the call originates from Florida, but he could be outside my front door.