[Suicide Junkie]

When I worked with a call center I noted a few things:
- Many people start out upset.
- When you speak good english, and spend the first 30 seconds calming them down with simple things, it helps a lot.
- When they realize you're NOT reading a script like a computer, and are actual nerds with a clue, it also helps a lot.
Note: Asking them to describe the symptoms in detail, and then just listening is a great way to let them vent AND refine your questions later.
- Explaining what you are doing while you do it also helps. *Light* technobabble, which you tweak on the fly to their level. You don't want it to feel like they are being put on hold again.