A few weeks ago, I lamented about the number of syllables in the letter W. I asked for he be given equal treatment to the alphabet’s other 25 one-syllable letters. Today, I have the same concern for seven. You see, of the single digit numbers, all but seven enjoy one-syllable conciseness. (In case you are […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD There are many good things happening in the call center industry. Millions of people are employed in productive positions that benefit both commerce and the economy. These jobs are desirable nonmanufacturing positions and essentially nonpolluting, making them highly attractive to state and local governments’ job-creation efforts. Call center agents receive […]
Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD I’m used to people harvesting contact information from my websites to send me messages, most of which are span. I have a dozen or so sites, with each containing links to many of the others. So it not uncommon for them to harvest an email from one site, jump to the […]
Recently I pondered the correct spelling for W. Not finding an official answer, I went with “double-u.” Upon further contemplation, I realized having similar doubts about the spelling of many letters. Therefore, I advance this list, which I ultimately found in Google’s scan of the book “The Institutes of English Grammar” by Goold Brown. (I’ve […]
No, this isn’t a post about George W. Bush. Instead, this is a blog about the letter W. I feel sorry for W; you see, it’s hard to pronounce. Consider the phrase, the “World Wide Web.” It is easy to say; it’s concise, with only three syllables, rolling off the tongue. Ironically, its abbreviation, “WWW” […]
By Peter DeHaan, PhD In retail, the term “shrinkage” euphemistically refers to stock which “disappears” before it can be sold. It is product that the retailer bought, but can’t sell because it is has been stolen or lost. In the call center, the inventory is labor and shrinkage is agents who are being paid but […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D. “My labor percentage is down to twenty-eight percent,” boasts the owner of a mid-sized medical answering service, seeking affirmation. “Twenty-eight percent!” I exclaim with raised eyebrows. “So, it’s good?” he probes, seeking validation. I carefully consider my response. “No, no,” I say, slowly shaking my head. “It’s terrible.” “Terrible?” he […]
The trend in magazine publishing is to migrate to non-printed forms of distribution (such as email, PDF files, and online reading) in order to reduce costs. While I see this transformation as spanning many years or even decades for most publications, I also noted that the recession is accelerating this trend. The reason is that […]
Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD We had some frustration taking delivery of a package today. It’s not the first time and, I’m quite sure, it won’t be the last. Sometimes our packages are delivered to the wrong address; other times — like today — the drivers don’t really attempt to make the delivery, they just leave […]
Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD I like to order online. Unfortunately, several of my recent e-purchase experiences have fallen short of expectations—providing valuable lessons in the process. The first occurred when ordering a box of books. Upon receiving the email confirmation, I noticed that I had inadvertently ordered forty copies of a different book with an […]