Contact Numbers and Email Addresses to the 4th Power

In these days, it seems many of us are getting multiple assigned device numbers and email addresses - how can one possibly memorize them all?

Yet this all seems ironic given that many deaf and hard of hearing consumers may not utilize voice services, and actually end up having more phone numbers than hearing consumers.  This article will illustrate some examples of what has become common and tips on how to manage to share your contact information with others.

While the various relay services, communication devices, and various touch points (VP, VRS, email and wireless devices), are a blessing in disguise, we seem to have more numbers and email addresses for each person than ever before.

For arguments sake – below is an illustration of an example of what a family of four usually has to keep track of:

Work
- Local 10 digit number
- VP Device number(s)
- Toll free number
- Blackberry SMS number
- Fax (While its not relay related, its another number to track)
* Multiply the count of numbers by two if you have a working spouse

Home
- Landline or Other VOIP (broadband phone service) number
- VP assigned number some may have more than one VP device (I.e. VP-200, Z-340, PC based, etc).
- My own toll free number
- Spouses toll free number
- My wireless device SMS number
- Spouses device SMS number
- Teens wireless device SMS number(s) 
* Multiply by the number of wireless phones in the household

As the above illustrates, for work and in a family of four, there are about 12 different numbers to use and to keep track of.
Why I say "about" - because new technologies are forthcoming and changing all the time -thus new numbers will come and go.

Multiple Email Addresses
Now about multiple email addresses - no doubt many of us have more than one email address as well. We have them for various reasons – such as for work, home and wireless devices.

Examples
- Work email
- Home primary email
- Push email provider (for wireless device) (I.e. MobileMe, Mail2web, Fusemail, Gmail, Hotmail, etc).
- Spouses primary email
- Spouses push email provider (for wireless device)
- Kids primary email addresses
- Kids wireless phone email addresses

Add them up, that's a minimum of 7 email accounts for a family of four. Image the same with your friends – dealing with multiple email addresses and numbers.

Solution
What to do?
Only give out contact numbers and email addresses on an as need to know basis. There is no need to share all numbers and email addresses with everyone, you should selectively give your email/number to your contacts to prevent confusion.

For example, for your immediate family, share the primary contact points with them. 
For your friends and distant others, you may have a different set of preferences and ways for them to contact you.

Tips

• Create Different Versions of Personal Contact Cards
  Use FedexKinkos and Vistaprint.com, they can print up hundreds of cards in a flash for a low cost.
  If you need a few just cards print them yourselves.  Microsoft Word and Publisher offer document templates that allow you to create and print your own contact cards.  You can buy business card paper in most office supply stores (Avery paper).
• Document Email Addresses and Numbers into a MS-Word, MS-Excel or other readable format
  This will provide you a way to keep track of your numbers and email accounts.
• Utilize Address Books on Your Computer (i.e. Ms-Outlook, email/ISP provider) and Your Wireless Handheld
  By doing this, it will help you better manage your contact information, and reduce the need to memorize so many numbers and email addresses.

Lastly, make an effort to memorize at least some you important numbers and email addresses for emergencies or when you computer and/or handheld wireless device is not available.

Communication Technologies: Past, Present and Future

If you are reading this article on-line, you win a "point" for being up to date in using some of the latest technologies.

This article focuses on past, present and future accessibility and technologies that have greatly benefited the deaf / hard of hearing community over the past 30 years or so.  The list is not all inclusive, but contains a list of topics (technologies) that continue to be mainstream today. 

 

• For the younger crowd, this chart can help provide an insight to the limited technologies and services of the past. 
• For those of you who are younger than baby boomers a.k.a. Generation X, Y, Millennials and Z (I.e. 1964+ or younger), many of you can relate to the topics discussed. 
• For seniors, the chart can provide you with an update on what technologies are available for your use, and give you a chance to learn something new.

The linked chart was developed from comments from others, my own experiences and perspectives.  The chart contents may be updated overtime as I receive comments and continue to expand on it.   You do not necessarily have to agree to what is listed.

Since the chart is too wide and long for display on this blog, it has been converted into an Acrobat PDF file and posted on Comcast - click on the link below.

[Click to see: Chart of Communication Technologies: Past, Present and Future]

This blog is open to receiving feedback and discussions based on this topic.

Email Signatures

This blog entry covers email signatures:

What is a email signature?
It is an electronic signature with your contact info at the bottom of your email messages.

Email mail signatures usually provides the key information for the receiver to know how to contact you in return.

Why: You may be wondering what's wrong with the standard email header name and address that's included in the email header. While there is nothing wrong with using the standard email signature format options. However, given that deaf/ hard of hearing consumers / professionals tend to utilize several modes of communication while at work - Thus your friend or colleague may want to learn more about the alternative ways they can contact you. You can also proactively (voluntarily) indicate to them on the various ways they can contact you.

I have found that the use of email signatures at work proves to be more beneficial than at home because I work with co-workers country-wide. Personal contacts usually already know the best way to reach me.

What's in a signature?
Basically it can be whatever your like, but I recommend limiting it to the various ways/preferences on how you can be contacted.

Below is a fictional mock up of my email signature to illustrate an example of an email signature.

John Doe Blog Writer (job title) Company XYZ Chicago, Illinois http://www.companyxyz.com/

Email: john.doe@mail.com Sms: 123-321-4321 Message Service: 123-123-2356 Fax: 333-555-2222 Notes SameTime: John Doe

Comments:

- Adjust the description names to your preference.

- If you have a 10 digit relay number include it. I usually indicate it by calling it "Message Service" so the words "Relay Service" doesn't alienate some people.

- If you have an internal instant messages program at work: include its name.

- If you have access at work to one of the public instant messages providers like: Aim, Gtalk, MSN, Yahoo, etc. Include the info as well. Such as: Aim: Johndoe

- If applicable, add your VP number or ip address.

- Some people may include links to other relevant information such as their LinkedIn or Facebook profiles or personal web sites. However I would be cautious about including such in your work email signature.

On the PC side, both Notes and Ms-Outlook provides ways of settling up your signature to be automatically inserted in your email messages. Refer to your software help function on how to set one up.

Ms-Outlook allows you to utilize more than one email signature. This is helpful if you have more than one email account and/or have different contact preferences depending on who you are corresponding with.

Most wireless devices allow you to include a signature automatically. Some even allow multiple signatures but that can be tricky to set up and is not discussed here.

Bottom line is that by setting up your email program to automatically include a preformatted email signature, you can increase the chances of your messages being returned or be contacted in the future.

Format your signature depending on your needs. I don't recommend including any personal information such as your SSN or home address to protect your identity.
Lastly, be sure to test your email signature by emailing yourself until you are satisfied on how it looks to ensure that its error free and neatly organized.

Email away!

Meebo: Web based IM

Check out Meebo.com It's a company that provides web based instant messaging. This allows you to use a pc connected to the web that does not have IM installed by the use of flash / Java web page. It also has been know to work thru corporate firewalls.

Meebo allows to connect to various chat networks at once.
Better yet, create a Meebo logon ID, and connect from users across several networks at the same time.

Some of the popular networks that are supported:
- AOL Aim
- ICQ
- Google talk
- Microsoft Messenger
- Yahoo

Many of us have contacts inside and outside of the work place, and most companies only allow internal chats with the application of choice. Yet it has been shown to work thru firewalls.
- Use at your own risk -

Meebo is also good if you are traveling, or at a different location - say at a public library, friends or relatives house - you can still chat without needing to install anything on their computer. (In most cases it should work if not blocked by the locations firewall or network).

This is also an ideal IM tool for those (the older generation) who may be intimidated by having to install / maintain an instant messaging client on their computers.