Business articles by Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Once when I needed to order some ink cartridges for my printer—the kind I can only buy directly from the vendor. There was a problem with the website, so I picked up the phone to place my order. I told the agent I wanted to order two black ink cartridges. […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD The idea of self-service has existed in many industries for years and even decades. This includes self-serve gas pumps, checking your own groceries, buying airline tickets online, and banking. Gas Stations First, let’s consider gas stations. Unless you are a 30-something driver or younger, you probably remember the days of […]
It May Not Matter as Much As You Think By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD It amuses me to tell people I went to college for 40 years. Their reactions vary from shock to admiration, from pity to surprise. As a high school sophomore, I learned the local community college would admit selecting high school seniors. […]
Do You Want a Staff of Perfectionists? By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Some managers say “yes,” whereas others respond with a resounding “no.” The informed answer is, “it all depends.” Here’s why: Of that portion of the populace who are perfectionists, some are blindly or proudly so. Others are self-aware of possessing this characteristic and […]
Telling Others That You Appreciate Them Can Make a Huge Difference By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD In the years between high school graduation and my first real job, I took on a variety of part-time work while being a full-time student. During one such vocational transition, the placement advisor at school knew of an immediate […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD As I look back, I see how things have changed. I have changed, my family has changed, technologies have changed, my business has changed, and the industries I work in have changed. In today’s business environment, a culture of change is essential for every organization. In my younger days, I […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Perhaps you’ve heard this story. Imagine you’re sitting in a college class. It’s one of those big classrooms, with tiered seating, able to accommodate hundreds of students. The class is assembled in expectation; what will the prof do today? At exactly 8 o’clock, he strides in and without acknowledging the […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD When people ask what I do for a living, I reply that “I publish magazines and websites for the call center industry.” Their responses are varied, as well as interesting. For some people, their eyes immediately glaze over, and they change the subject. Others key in on the word “publish,” […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD How does your company handle cancellations? Do you allow anyone to process terminations, quickly and without hassle? Or do you have a specific “cancellation” strategy, with a team assigned and trained to follow an exact protocol? Either approach has its strengths and limitations; both fall short of the customer’s best […]
Key Lessons in Customer Service By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD When my internet service goes down, I seldom call customer service to report it. I simply don’t have the time to waste with my provider’s nonsensical troubleshooting process. Instead, I usually wait in hope that someone else will report the outage and achieve a timely […]