Culture, Culture, Culture

What is it like to work for the Salt Lake Purple Call Center? Easy. It's like walking into a place every day knowing that you will be enveloped in a positive, supportive, fun environment.

My mission and goal is to elevate our interpreting community as a whole. With the edification of our interpreters foremost in my mind, I have set out to create a place interpreters feel appreciated, respected and cared for. We demand that our interpreters take care of our customers and give the most Nordstrom-like customer service that they can give. Therefore, I want our amazing interpreters to receive Nordstrom-like, high quality care.

That is what our culture is based on. Care.

Care looks like:
-     Free CEUs
-     Listening to our interpreters
-     Potlucks
-     Bonuses... monthly
-     Fitness challenges
-     Interoffice game challenges
-     A dedicated Facebook page
-     In-house music videos
-     Drawing for prizes
-     Massage, gym, chiropractic, and tuition reimbursements (for full time employees)
-     An amazing massage chair and relaxation room
-     A comfortable work space, and a separate, large hang-out space
-     Customer Service Week (a week to celebrate our interpreters)
-     Accessible management
-     And so much more...

At Purple Utah, we care about our interpreters. Our entire center is built on it. Come see and feel the difference!

The Nordstrom of VRS

The following personal experience is what I share with our new trainees:

When I was young and naive teenager, I decided that I was too cool for interpreting. By the time I was 19, I had already done time interpreting at Riverside Community College and free-lance interpreting around Southern California. I was paying my way through college by working Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays so I could take all of my college classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But interpreting just wasn't what I wanted to do. So I quit interpreting to become a waitress at Nordstrom. Because at that time, waitressing seemed like a better option.

My 39 year-old self looks at my nineteen year old self and shakes her head in derision. Silly, silly girl. Or was she?

What I learned from serving at Nordstrom has carried with me in every aspect of my career as an interpreter. The customer is always right. The customer is #1. I work for customer satisfaction.

When I started working at Purple, it was like my two worlds collided. My love and respect for the customer met Purple's love for customer service and we became a happy couple.

Purple puts the customer first. Purple believes in free-flowing communication for all. They strive to deliver high quality services by understanding customer's needs. Purple goes out of their way to consistently exceed expectations. Our core value is providing excellent service to our calling customers. Purple wants to know what our customers think, feel, and need. They provide ways for the customer to give constant feedback, and Purple listens proactively. Just like Nordstrom.

We hire interpreters with the customer in mind. We want the people in our ear and the person in front of us to have an amazing experience every time they call Purple. And we go out of our way to make it happen.

Borrowing a phrase from Nordstrom to fit Purple: "VRS services change. Technology changes. But Purple's commitment to happy customers does not change."

We are the Nordstrom of the VRS industry. We are in the business of putting the customer first.

Control Your Time

"Control your time"

"Cut out the middle man"

"Drop in schedule"

There are lots of descriptive phrases for how Purple handles scheduling, but what it boils down to is you are in control of your time.

Today two of our interpreters walked into our center and asked if they could grab some additional work hours to round out their week. They weren't pre-scheduled. I had no idea that they were coming. Both interpreters came on a whim because they had space in their calendar. I was thrilled to have them. I checked our online scheduling program and saw that we had availability nationwide. Within minutes they were on the phones and having positive customer interactions.

As Flex employees at Purple, you don't have to schedule your time in advance. We know ASL interpreters and we know that you are working for more than one agency or organization. We also know that Purple is just one of your incredible options. That is why Purple wants to let you be in charge of your scheduling.

We cut out the middleman. With our online scheduling program, you can grab shifts on your own, without even talking to a manager. We can accommodate drop-in scheduling. Are you in the neighborhood or driving by the call center? We'd love to have you stop by or give us a call. You can check availability and get started on the clock without approval. If you can't make a shift that you've signed up for, you can find someone to swap you shifts or to take your shift.You can budget your time with us on your terms.

Of course, there are people who do like to have a schedule and who prefer to know that they will have work six weeks in advance. For those of you who like that stability, we have options for you, too! We can schedule you in advance with your preferences to guarantee your access to work when you want it.

I'm not sure what motivated the two interpreters to come in today. Did they have unexpected bills to pay? Were they planning an epic vacation? Were they thinking of their Christmas savings? I may never know their back story for that particular choice. What I do know is that we had the hours they needed and that everything worked out perfectly.

We have a scheduling option for everyone! We want to accommodate you the best that we can.

Why Purple?

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away Purple was HOVRS (pronounced ho-verz), Hands On Video Relay Service under Ronald Obray. The HOVRS logo was purple. When talking about HOVRS, Deaf people would say, "What is HOVRS?" and the person responding would say, "you know... purple VRS" referring to the purple logo.


And that is the evolution of how 'HOVRS' became 'Purple'.


HOVRS opened its doors in 1982, when the idea of seeing and speaking to each other over a TV was confined to The World Fair, sci-fi fantasies, and cartoons such as The Jetson's:

The Jetson's

"Communication generally will be sight-sound by 2014"

1964 World's Fair

Since opening in 1982, Purple has striven to provide the best products and services to their customers. Through a variety of mergers and acquisitions, Purple has been able to stay abreast of what is trending and provide the newest and greatest technology for the Deaf.

Gone are the days of Deaf people laboriously typing messages to one another through a clunky, awkward TTY (teletypewriter) machine:

Circa 1960's (ish)

Now Deaf People can communicate with one another in their natural language by signing to each other remotely on their TVs, computers, smartphones, and tablets:

Interpreters at Purple are here to help when Deaf people want to make phone calls to those people who can hear and don't sign. Purple's Video Relay Service (VRS) allows persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing to communicate through the telephone with hearing persons, and visa versa. The VRS caller contacts a qualified VRS interpreter through a video camera and an internet connection. The interpreter then places a call to the party that the VRS user wishes to call. The interpreter relays the conversation between the parties, allowing free-flowing, natural communication in each party's natural language.

Here in Utah, we have a full call center with fun, skilled, qualified interpreters to assist communication between those who are deaf and those who can hear. We require certification and/or a Utah State license, and each interpreter has to pass our on-site screening. At our Salt Lake Center, we look for the highest level of interpreting skills and positive attitudes. We are committed to creating a supportive and encouraging interpreting environment.

Come and see what we have to offer!

Here to stay

There is no question in my mind that Utah has the best interpreters in the nation, bar none. I have interpreted all over the United States and all over the world, and I have never seen an interpreting community like ours. Our interpreters are highly skilled, but what makes our community unique is our fellowship and good-will toward one another. Not only are we colleagues, but we are friends. 

Purple Communications moved into Salt Lake City in June 2014. Of course, establishing roots here took some folks aback. Heretofore, there has been one primary VRS gig in town. There has been a lot of speculation since then. Can Purple thrive in the Utah community, some have asked. I'm here to give a resounding, affirmative YES!

Since Purple opened it's doors here in Utah, we have been number one in the company. We consistently and weekly hold the top spot in the nation. We have hired top-notch interpreters who are eager and enthusiastic about their work here. Our center is growing, and the size of our center will allow for unlimited growth opportunities. 

I can say without hesitation that we are here to stay!