By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD How do you regard email? Is it something that you can’t live without, a necessary evil, or somewhere in between? At Connections Magazine, email is a critical tool that we use to communicate with readers, advertisers, and each other. Without it, our ability to put out this magazine would come […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D. I recently entered into a casual conversation with friends; they were talking about chess. One gave me a sideways glance, “You play?” It was stated as a question, but an underlying astonishment was embedded. I nodded affirmatively. “Any good?” came the follow-up query. Good is relative. Tournament good, I am […]
A Moment of Clarity
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD I recently had the privilege of attending the 2007 ATA Convention & Expo. Although my primary purpose was playing the role of photojournalist, documenting the conference in pictorial form, I also had an opportunity to hear dozens of call center experts and industry thought leaders, as well as interact with […]
I Want to Buy Some Shoes
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD When my daughter comes to visit, there are certain father-daughter activities that we enjoy. One them is going on walks. Unfortunately, I had been finding it necessary to forego that particular pursuit, not due to a lack of interest, but rather because of the likelihood that blisters would be a […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D. In my office is an evocative black and white aerial photo of my grandfather’s chicken farm, circa 1960. Grandpa and Dad ran the farm, along with a revolving assortment of hired help. The farm accommodated 15,000 hens. Four buildings housed “layers,” with eggs being the farm’s principle product. Each building […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Perhaps you have noticed that Connections Magazine has been publishing more and more press releases, announcements, and articles that highlight call center achievement and excellence – and I couldn’t be more pleased. This increase in coverage isn’t a result of a policy change or a new direction for the magazine, […]
Who Signs Your Paycheck?
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D. I tend to put off buying things. It’s not because I procrastinate (at least not too much), or because I am adverse to making decisions, or even because it’s a money issue. Sadly, the reason that I often avoid purchasing what I want or need is simply because it is […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D. Once thought of as a call center luxury, call recordings (also known as voice loggers) were used exclusively to document agent conversations with callers. However, call recorders are no longer just a tool to prove who said what or how it was spoken. Call loggers have proven themselves invaluable as […]
The Impending “Do Not Market” Threat
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Have you heard about the onslaught of Do Not Market laws proposed at the local, state, and federal level? You haven’t? Well, there is good reason that this pending legislation has caught you unawares. The fact is that it doesn’t exist—per se. However, in reality there is a plethora of existing […]
The Impending “Do Not Market” Threat
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Have you heard about the onslaught of Do Not Market laws proposed at the local, state, and federal level? You haven’t? Well, there is good reason that this pending legislation has caught you unawares. The fact is that it doesn’t exist – per se. However, in reality there is a […]