Author Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, publishes books about business, customer service, the call center industry, and business and writing.
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD How often have you called someplace and wondered if you reached the right number? All too often, calls are answered hurriedly, haphazardly, or incompletely. Or perhaps the agent seems out of breath by the time they complete a lengthy, tongue-twisting answer. It is vital that all calls be consistently answered […]
I survived the rigors of air travel and have safely returned from a successful trip to the American Telemedicine Association Annual convention. My AnswerStat magazine co-sponsored a three-hour session, “The Medical Call Center’s Role in Telemedicine.” It was fun to moderate the event and meet attendees. All of my conference objectives were met, including generating […]
I wonder, if you fly can it still be called a road trip? In any event, I am headed out tomorrow for the American Telemedicine Association Annual convention. My magazine, AnswerStat, is co-sponsoring a special session entitled “The Medical Call Center’s Role in Telemedicine.” Additionally, I will be serving as the event’s moderator. I am […]
Past, Present, and Future By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD The most buffeted segment of call center work has been the outbound arena, specifically, consumer calling. With the combined effects of a public outcry against intrusion, political expediency, and the enactment of state and ultimately a national do not call (DNC) law, outbound calling to consumers […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD When someone says, “Let’s watch a movie,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Do you immediately think of a group outing to go watch the latest flick? Perhaps your preferred viewing venue is the more cozy environment of your living room couch. Could it be that watching a […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D. When I set up my office several years ago, I invested a great deal of time to produce an optimal configuration, the epitome of efficacy and efficiency. Yet over time, things changed. New technology was interjected, additional office accouterments were added, and the scale of my work increased. As each […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Are you fed up with receiving “robo” (pre-recorded) calls? Last year, in an effort to curb their use and appease public outrage, our elected officials required that an opt-out option be present on all pre-recorded calls. Unfortunately, it was deemed both cumbersome and ineffective in curtailing the unwanted intrusions. One […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD It seems that “outsourcing” has been politicized. Once a word becomes politicized, as outsourcing was in the 2004 United States presidential campaign, all reasonable thinking stops and logic becomes, well, illogical. Rhetoric steps in and common sense is relegated to lesser important things. Think of any major societal issue and it […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Over the years, I have heard ample discussion on a multitude of creative ways to bill clients for call center services. The prevailing goal of each consideration is to maximize billable services and fees. While this is an admirable business objective – since the goal of commerce is to make […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D. Perhaps you’ve heard this story. Imagine you’re sitting in a college class. It’s one of those big classrooms with tiered seating, able to accommodate hundreds of students. The class is assembled with eager expectations; what will the professor do today? At precisely 8 a.m., he strides in and, without acknowledging […]