We Need a Quality Time-OutWhat will you do with yours?
Mon, 03/31/2008 - 22:00
Starbucks’ announcement that it would close for three hours on February 26 to retrain about 135,000 in-store employees sent shudders through the thousands of coffee fanatics in the nation. Would java aficionados have to forego their venti-decaf-no… The Medicare Morass The twilight years can lead to a health care black hole
Wed, 03/05/2008 - 22:00
Advancing into that mystical category of “senior citizen” brings with it certain perks. Simultaneously becoming a senior citizen, retiring, and joining the ranks of Social Security recipients is a financial trifecta.I retired in 2003, and when I… What Makes a Good Employer?May I have the envelope, please!
Mon, 03/03/2008 - 22:00
Each year at this time a momentous event is announced in the pages of a prominent magazine. No, I’m not talking about the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, although thoughts of that warm me up on frigid evenings in Michigan (sorry if that’s… Some Unfinished BusinessA potpourri of customer service and quality cogitations
Mon, 02/04/2008 - 22:00
When finalizing my plans for a new year, it’s always gratifying to realize that all previous plans have been completed. As I recently went through this annual process, I noticed several issues affecting customer service and quality that I’d… Where’s My Onion Soup?I don’t like the way my hair smells, either.
Sun, 01/06/2008 - 22:00
In the last couple of months, two topics have become particularly vexing to me. First, how can we be environmentally responsible by purchasing E85 fuel when there are few service stations that provide this new elixir? Second—even more difficult to… I’m Perfect, So Why Change?New Year’s resolutions for everyone except me
Wed, 01/02/2008 - 22:00
Now that I have your attention, let me explain. This year I will enter a very special age group, namely, those people eligible for Medicare. The magical age of 65 provides one with certain mystical rights—Medicare benefits, of course, which means… My Christmas Wish: Quality in the HighestSanta, I’ve been good all year!
Mon, 12/03/2007 - 22:00
Sitting in my home office contemplating the upcoming holidays reminds me that I have yet to submit my wish list to Santa. It’s a long list, crammed with lots of items for me, and I have included some requests for you, the readers. Of course it’s… Training a PigFrustrating and unrewarding
Mon, 11/05/2007 - 22:00
An old saying has guided me through the years—“Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time, and it annoys the pig.” A recent article in the Wall Street Journal in the Cubicle Corner section was written by a good friend of mine, Jared… Does Being Cheap Get You Great Service?Sometimes
Mon, 10/01/2007 - 22:00
Since 1994, the American Customer Satisfaction Index, under the auspices of the National Quality Resource Center at the University of Michigan, has been the standard for measuring consumer satisfaction. The index measures satisfaction with 200… Nurse, I’m Ready for My Cappuccino!And tell my visitors I’ll see them now
Tue, 09/04/2007 - 22:00
Being confined to a hospital bed can bring more discomfort than the malady that prompted the admission. Crowded rooms with other patients in various stages of illness, tasteless meals delivered with apathy, loud announcements for lost doctors, and a…