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Call Center

A Matter of Perspective

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD As the publisher of a trade magazine, I frequently travel to conventions and industry shows. And as a consultant, I frequently travel to my clients’ call centers. Therefore, it may surprise you that I don’t like to travel, especially to fly – the unpredictability, the impersonality, and the loss of […]

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Call Center

A Conscious Decision

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD It was 5:45 am. My family and I were in a hotel room in Alpena Michigan; we were there for a hockey tournament. I had just awoke, but yearned to fall back asleep. After a few minutes, the futility of attempting to do so became apparent and I got up. […]

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Call Center

The McDonalds’ Factor

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D I’ve never met anyone who felt they were over paid. Occasionally someone will privately admit to being adequately compensated, but most people are quick to assert that their pay is not reflective of the work they do or their value to their organization. This is especially true with call center […]

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Call Center

Dude, I’m Getting a Dell

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD From a business standpoint, I have long been impressed by Michael Dell who started assembling PCs in his college dorm room and parlayed his talent into the multi-billion dollar Dell Computer. Dell is legendary for their low-cost computers, resulting from efficient and innovative manufacturing processes. Plus, the idea of custom […]

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Call Center

Using The Internet To Enhance Your Call Center

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD By leaps and bounds, the ubiquitous Internet is becoming more pervasive and accepted, even expected, in our daily lives and the world around us. While some call centers strive to be innovators on the leading edge of this societal evolution, most are content to follow the lead and experience of […]

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Call Center

Working Without a Net

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD I first heard about the ‘Net over 20 years ago from one of my electronic school buddies. He landed a job with a computer mainframe manufacturer and was assigned to work at a university. He regaled me with tales of instantaneously sending text messages across the country and doing so […]

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Call Center

Implementing Remote Agent Stations

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD For years, starting when the teleservices industry was in its infancy, call center managers have likely wish that their staff could work from remote locations. The reasons for this vary, from tapping into a different labor market to providing a local presence and gaining greater efficiency by tying together multiple […]

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Call Center

What I Learned on My Summer Vacation

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD This fall, the thoughts of school age children everywhere are focused on returning to school. Some approach the new school year with dread and trepidation, a few with excitement and high expectation, and others with inevitable acquiescence and acceptance. Regardless of their personal perspective, many will be faced with the […]

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Call Center

Agent Headsets

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Headsets were an invention, born out of necessity, to prevent the fatigue and strain caused when agents worked all day on the phone. In order to free both hands for operating equipment, handwriting messages, and filing papers, operators of yesteryear could not hold a telephone handset with one hand, but […]

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Call Center

A $175 Oil Change

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD A few years ago I bought a new car. Although it wasn’t my practice to take my cars to their respective dealers for maintenance, a new car changed that habit. After all, there was warranty work to be considered and their coupons for low cost oil changes were enticing. I […]