By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD In my column “Game On,” I discussed gamification: motivating behavior by applying gaming theory. I questioned if it was mostly hype or offered merit, sharing my experiences with gamification from a customer perspective. Now I’ll share my gamification experience from an employee perspective. My story goes back a few decades, […]
Category: Healthcare Call Centers
Healthcare call centers articles by Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD We often talk about call center agents working at home, but what about supervisors and managers? Though I now write about the industry instead of working in it, I believe management can work at home, too. For the past fifteen years, I’ve worked at home. The benefits are many: no […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD The term “Internet of Things” may be new to you, or it might be something you’ve already grown weary of with eye-rolling boredom. Though a definition for the Internet of Things is still evolving, expect to hear a lot more about it in the future. Basically, the Internet of Things […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Whenever I make a phone call, I watch what happens; it’s an occupational hazard. Often what I witness provides fodder for a column or blog post. So, based on personal experience, here are some ways you can either amaze or annoy your patients and callers: Interactive Voice Response: Most people […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD To make sure you continue to receive AnswerStat magazine, we need your confirmation. Here’s Why: AnswerStat magazine is an advertiser-supported magazine. That means the companies that advertise in AnswerStat make it possible for you to receive it. Please join us in thanking our sponsors and advertisers for making AnswerStat possible, […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Standing groggy-eyed in a fast-food restaurant, contemplating my breakfast options, the positive, friendly demeanor of the girl behind the counter captured my attention. Suddenly she saw someone out of the corner of her eye, and her smile widened. “Good morning Jimmy,” she called out. I assumed Jimmy was a friend. […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D. Email is a cost-effective way to reach customers and patients. But just because it’s cheap and easy doesn’t mean it’s always a good idea. When done incorrectly, email messages can alienate the very audience we’re trying to cultivate. Send Only Useful Messages: I once had the grand idea of using […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Being farsighted and using a computer all day makes glasses a necessity. Imagine my dismay while cleaning my glasses when I heard a snap and a lens fell out. I arrived at my optometrist’s office as the doors opened. “Can you fix them?” I asked. The technician replied that, short […]
Categories
The Fast-Food Factor
Does Your Call Center Have a Fast-Food Hiring Mentality? By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D. I’ve never met anyone who felt they were overpaid. Occasionally someone will admit to being adequately compensated, but most people say their pay doesn’t reflect their work or value to the organization. This is especially true of call center agents. I’ve […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD I’ll admit it; I’m an idealist. I think life should be fair; everyone deserves equal opportunity. That’s why I favor impartiality when distributing calls in the call center, with each call handled in the order received and going to the next available operator: universal call distribution. However, we must remember […]