By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD In his article, Advertising’s Compound Interest, Jim Gustafson discusses advertising effectiveness. He correctly states: All advertising mediums can be effective when used properly and consistently. However, no advertising is worth the investment if you just shotgun it or try it a short time. The Right Medium The first key is […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD A few years ago, Dr. Maurice A. Ramirez recommended “Five Questions to Ask Your Hospital Before Disaster Strikes.” Be it a natural disaster, a manmade catastrophe, a terrorist attack, a pandemic, or any other large-scale emergency, it is critical for all medical personnel to be trained and ready, including the […]
Categories
They Just Don’t Get It
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD I wonder if my local phone company is clueless; it seems that they just don’t get it. By “it,” I mean everything: marketing, pricing, customer retention, technical support, and customer service. Although they are surely aware that they no longer function in a monopoly environment, their actions belie that reality. […]
Categories
A Failure to Communicate
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD You don’t need to spend much time in a call center before you realize that people who work there enjoy sharing anecdotes about the calls they’ve handled. This is a positive pastime, as it establishes community, provides a safe outlet, and builds a collective understanding. (The parallel activity of venting […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D. Over the years, I’ve attended numerous conventions, trade shows, expos, and conferences. Often, my role is that of a reporter and photographer. Sometimes I’m there to make a presentation, others times as an exhibitor, and occasionally as an attendee. For each of these functions, there are certain requisite steps needed […]
Categories
When a Telemarketing Call Fails…
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD I am the first to appreciate and embrace well-done and smartly executed outbound calling. I am also highly critical of and greatly annoyed by poorly executed telemarketing efforts. Another example for this latter perspective arrived at my office today, courtesy of my telephone. The call went like this: “May I […]
I publish four periodicals: two magazines, an e-publication, and an e-newsletter. There is an established workflow to each, with every day requiring that some task be accomplished for at least one of them. Additionally, one of the magazines has an overlapping production schedule, meaning that sometimes I have to start the next issue before the […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD As a magazine and Web site publisher, all manner of articles and press releases show up in my inbox on a daily basis. Although some of them are carefully targeted to the markets I serve, most are widespread missives that are sent to every publisher with a pulse, regardless of […]
Categories
Call Center Work
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Ironically, most of the communication that I do in producing Connections Magazine, a publication about call centers, is done via email and not the telephone. My phone rings infrequently, and when it does the caller is often someone I don’t want to talk to – either a mismatched attempt to […]
Categories
The Effects of High Unemployment
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD With the unemployment rate running so high, businesses needing to hire find themselves in a “buyer’s market.” There are plenty of people looking for work. This results in more applicants to pick from for each opening. High unemployment has also served to limit employment options, thereby reducing worker mobility. The […]