Tag: Peter DeHaan Publishing

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Call Center

A Trip to the ATA Convention

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

Tomorrow afternoon, I’m heading off to the ATA (American Teleservices Association Meeting) in San Antonio, Texas.  It should be a great meeting and I’m excited about it (all except for the traveling part).

I won’t likely be blogging while I’m gone, but do plan to submit some convention reports on the Connections Magazine newsfeed, so if you’re in the call center industry, check that out next week (October 5-8).  I also hope to record some interviews as well.

In an unrelated issue, Detroit is currently playing San Antonio for the WNBA finals.  Ironically, I will not be in state where any of the five scheduled games will be played (not that I have any interest in going).

The first two were in San Antonio this week, while I was in Michigan.  The next two will be in Michigan, while I am in San Antonio.  The final game, if necessary, will be in San Antonio, after I return to Michigan.

I doubt, however, we will ever get to game five, as Detroit took the first two and only needs to win one more.  They should accomplish that on Sunday — unless they get overconfident.

So, when I return, I may have something to blog about traveling (airlines and hotels), share about my latest saga with the post office… or maybe something completely different.

In any event, I will try to keep it interesting.

Read more in Peter’s Sticky Series books: Sticky Leadership and Management, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Customer Service featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Connections Magazine, covering the call center teleservices industry. Read his latest book, Healthcare Call Center Essentials.

Categories
Writing and Publishing

Internet Sales Rise and Fall With Catalog Mailings

The DMA (Direct marketing Association) recently released their annual report on the catalog industry.

The report indicated that in 2007, 36% of sales [for the catalog industry] were conducted online. What is shocking is that this statistic is a decrease from 2006, when it stood at 40%. In fact 2007’s percentage was lower than both 2005 and 2004. To find a lower number, we need to go back to 2003, when it was a mere 29%.

What’s the deal? Is there a backlash against online buying?

No, seemingly it was a postage increase! This convincing theory blames the huge postage increase in May of 2007 as the culprit. Many catalogers drastically scaled back their mailings when their postage costs jumped 40%. Although some Internet buyers function strictly online, others are driven online when they receive a catalog or other direct mail piece. Ergo, less mailings equal less orders, and a decrease in sales.

I, too, feel the pain of the catalogers, as I experienced similar increases in postage for my magazines: Connections Magazine‘s postage increased 39% and AnswerStat, 41%. As a result, I began scrutinizing my subscriber list much more closely. Some magazines were pushed to e-publishing, dropping their print versions altogether.

So it should not be at all surprising that the USPS is seeing a drop in mail volume, which caused them to suffer a $1.1 billion loss for the third quarter. As a result, next year’s postage increase is expected to be the maximum legal amount. Experts predict that could mean magazines and catalogs will face a 5 to 6% bump.

Of course that means the affected mailers will scale back more, further lowering mail volume, and necessitating another maximum increase in 2010 — as mailing costs and post office efficacy spiral further out of control.

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.

Categories
Call Center

My Visit to St. Louis

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

We (my bride and I) have safely returned from St. Louis. The ATSI convention was great. I snapped hundreds of pics—hopefully a few will be good enough to print. I also recorded 7 interviews for future podcasts, which will be posted online at podcast.connectionsmagazine.com starting this week. 

The drive there and back was uneventful (except for one short traffic delay from an accident).  Driving only took a tad longer than flying. I surely didn’t miss the airport security and all the other hassles of flying.

The hotel was typical for its price class: $9.95 a day Internet access, $3.95 bottled water in the room, and a sign reminding me that they would only provide fresh towels if I asked. To see what they would do, I didn’t ask, but they replaced them anyway.

Why do upper tier hotels pull all this stuff, with the lower priced ones acting much more accommodating and providing better value? In the room, I was amused by the granite counter-top adorning a vanity with a cheep veneer face. I do, however, give high marks to a polite and helpful front desk staff.

One evening, we had a chance to visit the arch (just a few blocks away). Since it’s next to the Mississippi, we got an up-close look at the flooding, which was a fearfully awesome sight.

On Friday night, we met my cousin; this was the highlight of the trip. He took us to a local pizza outlet (IMO’S) and then to Ted Drew’s, a local frozen custard stand. It was the most wonderful tasting dessert I have ever had. I’m still salivating over it. 

Their website mentions shipping orders anywhere in the continental US — for $90. (This gives me an idea for another “Smokey and the Bandit” sequel: deliver a trailer full of ice cream across state lines before it melts. And because CBs aren’t cool any more, they’ll communicate via text messaging from their cell phones. Very hip. I’m sure it would be a hit.)

Anyway, if you are ever in St. Louis, you must check out Ted Drew’s—you’ll be glad you did. And don’t be put off by the long lines—they move quite quickly, plus its part of the experience.

Read more in Peter’s Sticky Series books: Sticky Leadership and Management, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Customer Service featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Connections Magazine, covering the call center teleservices industry. Read his latest book, Healthcare Call Center Essentials.

Categories
Writing and Publishing

Road Trip to St Louis for the ATSI Convention

Today my bride and I are headed to St. Louis to cover the ATSI convention and expo.  It takes almost as long to fly as it does to drive, so we will be cruising the Interstate highway, instead of flying the friendly skies.  Even with gas around the $4.00 a gallon mark, it will be far cheaper and much less of a hassle to drive than fly.

I’m not sure if I’ll have time to update this blog until I return, but if this blog goes silent for a couple of days, do not despair – I still love you and will miss you!

My first priority while gone will be to provide updates on the convention.  These will be posted at newsfeed.connectionsmagazine.com.  So if you don’t find me here, check there.

Regardless of what happens the next five days, expect me to be back blogging next Monday at the latest.

Have a great rest of the week!

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.

Categories
Writing and Publishing

That “New Shower Curtain” Smell May Indicate Presence of Toxins

Each day I receive a plethora of press releases. While some are exactly the information I seek to share with readers of Connections Magazine and AnswerStat magazine, others are more broadly targeted, and too many are complete mismatches. Consider the numerous email missives I’ve received to save the manatees or promote Michigan Special Olympics. Although both are great causes, they do not comprise the news my readers crave. Even more off course are the many pleas to promote a “hot” indie band or club. Oddly they are always from out of state.

Someday I will share a few of these random headlines, but today I want to zero in on a specific one from yesterday: “Toxic Ties to ‘New Shower Curtain Smell’ Evident.” It seems that the Center for Health, Environment & Justice is taking a stand against shower curtains made of PVC. They announced a call-in press conference for this morning.  I’ve never experienced a phone press conference (actually, I’ve never experienced any in-person press conference) so I thought I’d check it out.

These guys came across as rank amateurs. They started late, were unprepared, the technology confused them, the online information was not online during the call, and the audio was so choppy as to be unintelligible. Sadly, I learned nothing about the dangers of PVC shower curtains — only the dangers of bungling a live press conference.

To their credit, they did place a follow-up call to apologize for the audio problems and answer any questions. Figuring that I already wasted enough time on the failed press conference, I declined further information.

Still I wonder if I should be concerned about my shower curtains.

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.

Categories
Writing and Publishing

Adventures in Podcasting

A few months ago I starting listening to podcasts — and I’m hooked.  I know, podcasts have been around for a long time, but it was only recently that I had a compelling reason download and listen to some.  Having an iPod made all the difference, as the podcast could then become portable, untethering me from my computer.  I have filled my iPod Nano with an array of podcasts, with more recordings on my computer patiently waiting for space to be made for them on my trusty iPod.

All this got me to thinking.  As a publisher, why not branch out and try my hand at podcasting?  Unfortunately, my communication strength is in written form as opposed to the spoken word.  This produced a dilemma.  The solution seems to be pursuing an interview format, as opposed to a monologue.  That way, my part would be short and concise, with the interviewee comprising the majority of the recording.

The process would be simple and straight-forward: Find a relatively quite place, turn on the recorder, and talk.  There would be no edits, no pausing, and no “re-dos.”  This should result in a real and compelling dialogue that is honest and true — no sound bites, no twisting of what was said.

I put all this to the test.  At the recent ATA 2008 Washington Summit I recorded three interviews and have put them online on the official Connections Magazine podcast site. 

(They were initially added to the Connections Magazine newsfeed, newsfeed.connectionsmagazine.com, but in the future, I think I will just add them to the podcast site).  One of the podcasts was listened to more than 100 times the week it was posted.

Later this month, I will be attending the ATSI Convention and Expo in St. Louis.  While I am there, I plan to record more podcasts and will add them online over the summer.  I already lined up a few people to interview and am contemplating all manner of interesting and intriguing questions to ask them.

Whatever happens, I know that this will be a fun adventure — and I hope that many others will agree.

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.

Categories
Writing and Publishing

Upside Down Addressing

Implementing Mandated Change

Although the new postal rates are now in effect, I have yet to learn how much more it will cost to mail my magazines. Now there is another new postage rule for me to figure out. It’s called upside down addressing.

Essentially, the USPS wants the mailing addresses on magazines to be printed upside down. 

That is, if the magazine is turned upside down, the address should read correctly in the upper right corner. I suppose that is to improve automation speed and aid in accuracy. It will also look funny.

On my magazines I put the address on the back cover. This is in part to keep the front cover unadulterated but also because that is how Connections Magazine was when I bought it.

The last thing I want to do is mess around with the addressing. If the USPS can’t read the addresses, I fear having thousands of them returned to me “undeliverable as addressed.” Even worse would be for an entire printing to be rejected at the post office.

Although upside down addressing can be done on the back cover as well, I’ve yet to see an example. It’s safe to say that, be it on the front or on the back, a cover redesign of my magazines will be required. The good thing is that I have a year before it has to be implemented.

Until then, join me in checking out addresses on mailed magazines and watch everyone switch over to upside down addressing.

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.

Categories
Writing and Publishing

Travel Tidbits

I have returned from a phenomenal conference.  ATA knows how to put on a first-class event.  I was able to hear several great speakers (CNN’s Paul Begala, for one — he gave some cogent and compelling insight into the US Presidential race).  I saw old friends and made new ones.  I recorded three podcasts — the first one is already online.  Plus, I took over 400 pictures for Connections Magazine.  I am still processing everything — as well as trying to catch up — and will have more to share tomorrow, but first, I have a few sundry items to get off my mind:

Both airports (Grand Rapids and Washington-Reagan National) had constructions projects underway.  Am I imagining things or are airports more likely to be undergoing construction than not?

I struck out again with airplane food.  I think they’re trying to kill me.  The trail mix I ingested on the way there had 18% of my recommended daily allowance of fat — per serving.  The 4 oz bag contained 4 servings!  On the return flight I fared only slightly better with the Pringles (but they did taste good!)

The hotel was great; friendly and professional staff (who used my name whenever possible — and mostly pronounced it correctly, which is not common when I get away from SW Michigan) and smartly decorated and furnished rooms.  But how come the more you pay for a hotel, the more likely they tack on extra charges?  For a $70 for a room, there is free Internet and local calls (sometimes even long distance), the workout room is included and often a continental breakfast.  The room includes a coffee maker (not that I use it), a mini-frig, and sometimes a microwave.  However, when I pay 3 to 4 times as much, they charge for Internet and local calls (I heard of one hotel charging for room-to-room calls), there is no coffee maker, mini-frig, or microwave.  Breakfast is on your own — and expensive — while one visit to their exercise room is often more than the introductory rate for a month at the gym.  I don’t get it.

On the issue of the linens, they crossed the line.  A note card informed me that to “conserve water” they would not be changing the bedding — unless I called the front desk.

Lastly, I am perplexed.  What name do you use when the maid is a guy?  “Male maid” rolls off the tongue, but it’s certainly not politically correct.

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.

Categories
Healthcare Call Centers

A Tale of Two ATAs

This weekend I’m headed out to the ATA meeting in Washington.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

You may be wondering, “Didn’t you just return from the ATA meeting in Washington?”

Ah, yes, but that was the American Telemedicine Association (aka ATA) meeting in Seattle, Washington.  Now I am going to the American Teleservices Association (aka ATA) “Washington Summit” in Washington, DC.

I know; I get confused, too.  The first ATA was for AnswerStat magazine; coverage will be in the June/July issue.  The second ATA is for Connections Magazine; coverage of that event will be in the June issue.

This is my second year attending the ATA Washington Summit.  I’m quite excited; it’s a great association, with wonderful leadership, and the members are first-class.  In addition to preparing attendees to meet with their Congressional representatives, there will also be some PAC (Political Action Committee) events and the SRO (Self-Regulatory Organization) will be discussed.

For this trip I was fortunate to book a direct flight from Grand Rapids (about an hour north of were I live); that’s a welcome bonus.  Flying out of Kalamazoo (the closest airport to me) always requires a connection — unless my destination happens to be a hub city!  So, I will gladly drive a bit to enjoy a direct flight.  The only downside — which is minor — is less travel time to spend reading and listening to podcasts.

So, this blog will be idle for a few days, but I am sure I will have lots to share when I return.

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Healthcare Call Center Essentials, available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of AnswerStat and Medical Call Center News covering the healthcare call center industry. Read his latest book, Sticky Customer Service.

Categories
Healthcare Call Centers

I’m Back!

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 interest among potential writers. I even have some ideas for new advertisers!

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

I will share about the convention tomorrow. In the meantime, here are some of the random observations:

  • The American Telemedicine Association puts on a well-organized and professional event. I was honored to be part of it.
  • It’s always exciting to meet people you’ve only known through email and the phone.
  • After bragging about my packing expertise, I found that a shoulder bag was a bit optimistic, so I resorted to a wheelie; I had room to spare. That was good because I picked up a lot of literature at the convention.
  • Airport food is getting better, with more variety; airline food is getting worse and is even less healthy—if that is possible. In my $5 “snack” I ingested a day’s worth of saturated fat; the only semi-nutritious item was a slab of processed cheese.
  • I listened to several hours of podcasts on my iPod, which was an enjoyable diversion on the plane.
  • I also read four books—yes four! They didn’t require a great deal of focus, which was good, since there are a lot of distractions when flying.
  • I made connections at Detroit Metro, which is my favorite airport. Even if I don’t need to, I usually ride the tram just for fun and I am pleasantly awed by the animated fountain.

Tomorrow, I will tell you about my adventure in procuring breakfast.

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Healthcare Call Center Essentials, available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of AnswerStat and Medical Call Center News covering the healthcare call center industry. Read his latest book, Sticky Customer Service.