Friday, July 28, 2006
Good Point, Steven
Steven Cohen talks about the value of experience and how one doesn't necessarily have to have an MLS to be a librarian. I agree with this completely. It has never made much sense to me that an experienced, enthusiastic, motivated non-MLS can't move into the ranks of librarianship. To me, there should be two ways to enter the profession; go out and get an MLS, or work your way up to it.
I wrote a similar comment about this to Library Journal last year. See "Let 'em join our Club".
I wrote a similar comment about this to Library Journal last year. See "Let 'em join our Club".
Friday, July 21, 2006
Are Librarians Customer Service Oriented?
Meredith writes the following in "The 21st Century Librarian: Further Thoughts and Your Comments":
"I guess I take it for granted that people working in libraries have a customer service orientation, but I really should know better. Many of us do come from other helping professions (social work, education, etc.) and many people enter this field because they want to help people. But I have known people in this field with the “it’s not my job” attitude about anything that lay a bit outside of their regular job duties, even when it would help a patron."
I don't think people who enter the field don't have an interest in customer service, either. However, I have encountered a tremendous blindspot with colleagues when it comes to understanding the role of customer service in maintaining a strong, relevant position within the community served. Consider these two quotes from the OCLC Perceptions Study:
From the Conclusions section, Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources: a Report to the OCLC Membership
- People trust what they find in search engines. They also trust what they find in libraries. They trust them about the same.
- Search engines fit the consumers' lifestyle better than physical or online libraries. The majority of respondants, age 14-64 see search engines as a perfect fit.
These are two things that librarians did not have to consider twenty years ago. Our information services were the most convenient and trusted sources on the block. Now, whether we like it or not, we are in the marketplace with other sources (who are trying to make money!) and our relevance depends on whether our communities see us as valuable and worthwhile within that context. If the perception is that we are no different than online sources, then we need strategies to get our patrons to think of us when they need information. And the best way I know how to do that is to show them how powerful my expertise is, how much time (and money for businesses) they can save by putting me to work for them and how integral my institution is to the health and well being of the community. That is the point of customer service; convincing people that we are worthwhile, and worth their continued support.
Does this mean that librarians don't care about customer service? Of course not, and I wouldn't suggest that has ever been the case. But does this mean that we must develop customer service that is specifically designed to compete within the 21st century information environment? You bet it does. My career, and the job security of a group of dedicated professinals whom I supervise is riding on it. We just can't afford to be "wait until they ask us for help" librarians anymore and we can't assume that our worth is self evident. We know that we have a lot to offer and now it's time to stop the handwringing and start strengthening the value that people place on us.
Tag: customer_service
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Internal Customer Service
More follow up on the 20 points (yes, this is a thinly veiled attempt to promote the list...)
3. Treat each other well and you will find that treating patrons nicely becomes easier.
Susan Friedman's advice to managers says very well why it is important to create a polite, supportive and friendly atmosphere:
That is a pretty quick and easy explanation of Internal Customer Service. Libraries that foster a culture of mutual respect and teamwork are in a better position to provide exceptional service to their patrons. Such an environment simplifies the worklife for staff because they are able to focus on the customer rather than the motives, moods and defenses of their coworkers and/or supervisor. If they feel safe, secure and trusted in working with other staff, then they will not be reluctant to use their best judgement and take risks that they believe will benefit customers. The flip side of course, would be that staff worry constantly about covering their own rear ends and making sure they are not to blame when conflicts arise.
Organizations with high levels of internal customer service have a "Benefit of the Doubt" mindset which simply means that employees trust one another and assume they are all equally interested in providing exceptional customer service. High levels of trust, support and mutual respect must pervade the organization, from the top down and across units. There has to be a concerted, deliberate effort to reduce barriers between departments, to create a cooperative culture and to eliminate provincialism.
Tag: internal_customers
See the 20 Points on Excellent Library Customer Service
3. Treat each other well and you will find that treating patrons nicely becomes easier.
Susan Friedman's advice to managers says very well why it is important to create a polite, supportive and friendly atmosphere:
"Treat employees well. Employees are your internal customers and need a regular dose of appreciation. Thank them and find ways to let them know how important they are. Treat your employees with respect and chances are they will have a higher regard for customers. Appreciation stems from the top. Treating customers and employees well is equally important."
-From "At Your Service: The Ten Commandments of Great Customer Service!"
Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY.
That is a pretty quick and easy explanation of Internal Customer Service. Libraries that foster a culture of mutual respect and teamwork are in a better position to provide exceptional service to their patrons. Such an environment simplifies the worklife for staff because they are able to focus on the customer rather than the motives, moods and defenses of their coworkers and/or supervisor. If they feel safe, secure and trusted in working with other staff, then they will not be reluctant to use their best judgement and take risks that they believe will benefit customers. The flip side of course, would be that staff worry constantly about covering their own rear ends and making sure they are not to blame when conflicts arise.
Organizations with high levels of internal customer service have a "Benefit of the Doubt" mindset which simply means that employees trust one another and assume they are all equally interested in providing exceptional customer service. High levels of trust, support and mutual respect must pervade the organization, from the top down and across units. There has to be a concerted, deliberate effort to reduce barriers between departments, to create a cooperative culture and to eliminate provincialism.
Tag: internal_customers
See the 20 Points on Excellent Library Customer Service
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
ASK ME! button
Here's another ASK ME! thing.
This is a button we made for working our booth at the Bloomington Business EXPO. They worked pretty well there, so we decided to keep using them at our desks.
This is a button we made for working our booth at the Bloomington Business EXPO. They worked pretty well there, so we decided to keep using them at our desks.
Monday, July 17, 2006
ASK ME! Bookcart Magnet
This is an idea that we came up with to let patrons know we want them to ask us questions when we are in the stacks. Nola (pictured) is the genius behind the idea. She had been out weeding with the laptop and had noticed people wanted to ask her questions but were unsure about whether she might be too busy. So, although we're not "deskless", we have a new tool to get out there and make it happen with the patrons.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Exceptions to rules- good for customer service?
I have gotten some feedback on this one:
17. Don't hide behind policies and procedures. Empower staff to make exceptions.
I completely sympathize with the well intentioned mindset that looks at exceptions as dangerous opportunities to create unequal, unfair or unequitable service. It's only natural to be concerned about slippery slopes. Moreover, I know that it is also easier to train people to be rigid than it is to train them to be flexible. After all, how will you know one person won't just buckle every time they are asked to make an exception, while others hard nose every person they deal with? Well, that's the job of management to create an organizational culture that understands the importance of trusting well trained employees to make the right decisions. Like the Nordstrom's Employee Handbook says:
Welcome to Nordstrom. We are glad you are with our company. Our number one goal is to provide outstanding customer service. Set both your personal and professional goals high. We have great confidence in your ability to achieve them. So, our employee handbook is very simple...Our Only Rule: Use good judgement in all situations
See more of The Nordstrom Way...
And here is a better clarification of making exceptions than I can write on my own, from Shep Hyken. If you haven't checked out his stuff, I'd recommend it:
Flexibility - Rules and policies are nothing more than guidelines. Don’t let “company policy” stand in the way of making a customer happy. However there is eventually a point where you have to take a stand. In spite of what you may have heard, the customer is not always right. But, they are always the customer. So, if they are wrong, let them be wrong with dignity. Do what you can, within reason, to see that your customer is always happy. I am reminded of the CEO of a major company that called all of his people together and told them, “Do whatever it takes to make the customer happy.” Well, they did, and almost put the company into bankruptcy. Along with empowering people to be flexible goes training. If properly trained, the employee can deliver what the customer perceives as a “what-ever-it- takes” attitude, and the employees won’t put the company out of business.Creating an organizational culture that supports employees' judgment is high art. It starts by hiring the right people in the first place and it extends to creating an environment that trusts them and that nurtures their customer service instincts. And it also requires a lot of training to get employees to understand when, say, the issue is a patron problem rather than a customer service problem. But the most important thing to me about Point #17 is that it sets a very high standard for the relationship that exists between everyone in the organization, from adminstrators to line staff. It requires high levels of trust to believe that all staff can be empowered to make the right decisions and it requires a high level of knowledge and training for staff to develop the tools to handle everything that comes at them. You can't just tell staff to go ahead and make exceptions on their own if everyone is not on the same page.
This Quote came from Fyken's "The Basics of Service".
See all "20 Points on Excellent Library Customer Service"
Tag: customer_service
Thursday, July 06, 2006
20 points on excellent library customer service
We don't have a "Customer Service Statement" at our library, so I have been working on coming up with one. I'm collecting examples from libraries, so if anyone wants to include one, I'll be happy to know about it. Here is the feed from my de.licio.us customer_service page.
From what I have seen so far, there are common threads among the policies, statements and procedures found. Some of them put the principles in pretty formalized language, but some in particular (like this one from Loveland, CO) are a more down to earth. Being more fond of a familiar tone, I'll state the trends in my own way in no particular order (unless free association constitutes order).
- Get the patrons what they want, how they want it, on time and with a smile.
- Having a good attitude is not optional: you can't turn it on for patrons and off for staff.
- Treat each other well and you will find that treating patrons nicely becomes easier.
- Follow the Golden Rule, always.
- Everything you do in front of patrons means something (whether you mean it or not).
- No department or person has a monopoly on the definition of customer service.
- Poor customer service drives people away. No patrons, no library. No library, no job. No job, no food.
- If you don't want to be there, it will show.
- Be professional; take customer service seriously.
- If you don't like helping people- all kinds of people- then don't enter a service profession.
- Customer service is a process, not a goal.
- Every interaction with a patron is an opportunity to convince someone that the library is indispensable.
- Listen to your patrons, listen to each other.
- Don't expect great customer service if you don't encourage it, promote it, reward it and thank staff for it.
- Welcome patron suggestions sincerely.
- Treat patron complaints as opportunities to get better. Don't take it personally, either.
- Don't hide behind policies and procedures. Empower staff to make exceptions.
- Ruthlessly seek out unintended, negative consequences and barriers to customer service.
- Be active, get out of your seat, approach patrons.
- Say "thank you" and "please" (thanks jennifer...)
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Library - home to everyone...
Plan-it-X Fest is this week and next in my town. Hundreds of kids will converge on Bloomington. Many of them are traveling across the country, following music shows and alternative gatherings, flopping where they can, eating whatever they can scrounge up...connecting with each other on the internet at the public library.
Word has gotten out that the library is a welcome place for the Fest kids. In fact, someone (presumably connected with the Fest, but it's kind of an underground thing, so it's hard to know) even stopped by to let us know that it was coming up. So, we're ready for the punks, which basically means we just need to print out a lot more guest passes for the computers. Other than that, it'll be business as usual.
Word has gotten out that the library is a welcome place for the Fest kids. In fact, someone (presumably connected with the Fest, but it's kind of an underground thing, so it's hard to know) even stopped by to let us know that it was coming up. So, we're ready for the punks, which basically means we just need to print out a lot more guest passes for the computers. Other than that, it'll be business as usual.
