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Customer Service: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians
Discusses the aspects of good customer service, management commitment, staff training, the employee as a customer, reward and recognition, market research, and ways to keep customers for life
115 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
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May 22, 2017
I found some interesting things out for work. Bosses said I need some work on my customer service. I have done some webinars and I am reading some books. One of the problems at my library is that they want better customer service but they do not do any training. They expect me/us to figure it out on our own.
It would be nice to have more encouragement from the upper staff. Memo's or e-mails telling us the good things we are doing would be nice. How circulation is up or the results of survey of our patrons telling us how we are doing as a group. I only seem to hear the bad stuff. And, our library is going through a construction process, it would be nice to hear more regular updates about how things are going; and whether they are on track or running late and the opening will be delayed.
Here is a quote about making decisions based on informed judgement… judging what is right based on rules and what would be best for the customer and the library.
“Sessions for staff including...'informed judgement.' There are no right answers to 'informed judgement.' The only way staff develop the skills is through continual training examples, and personal effort.” pg 43 My library system does not do training for this, so I am on my own. “Developing staff skills in using informed judgement comes slowly. Staffers are afraid to take risks. They want to use rules and procedures as a safety net. Employees have to learn to think of a customer's interest first as they make decisions. Staffers learn through discussion of case studies at staff meetings.” pg 43 We don't discuss this at staff meetings so I have to bother the upper management whenever I have a decision to make that goes beyond the rules.
“A few hints for personal interaction: Good customer service depends on these factors: reliability; the ability to provide the information, assistance, answer the questions, provide the special events and programs that were promised; responsiveness; the willingness of every employee to help the customer promptly; assurance; the knowledge and courtesy you show to customers, and your ability to convey trust, competence, and confidence; empathy; the degree of caring and individual attention you show customers. It also depends on tangibles; the provision of facilities, books and information, materials, equipment and your own (and others') appearance.” pg 47
Problem Solving and Complaint Management -
“1. Respond immediately. … Often the fact that you are listening and trying to resolve the issue is more important than the solution.”
2. Stress what you can do fo the customer, not what you can't do....
3. Don't challenge the customer. … Stay calm and keep the conversation in a neutral area. Concentrate on trying to find a solution that you both can live with.
4. Allow the customer to express his anger....
5. If rules and procedures are the issue, state them in such a way that they benefit the customer.” pg 49-50
I try to do #1-4 but #5 is hard. How do you restate rules to benefit the customer? The rules are the rules. Why can't people just follow them and not question and challenge them all the time. I didn't make the rules... I just try and enforce them.
One of the ideas presented in the book was a response card for patrons. Not a complaint card but a response card. I love the idea of a response card for the customers to fill out that acknowledges special service from employees instead of just complaints.
So, the library that I work for, I think, needs some work; and I still need some work with my customer service. God is good and I am trying.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge prompt(s) –
A book with career advice
It would be nice to have more encouragement from the upper staff. Memo's or e-mails telling us the good things we are doing would be nice. How circulation is up or the results of survey of our patrons telling us how we are doing as a group. I only seem to hear the bad stuff. And, our library is going through a construction process, it would be nice to hear more regular updates about how things are going; and whether they are on track or running late and the opening will be delayed.
Here is a quote about making decisions based on informed judgement… judging what is right based on rules and what would be best for the customer and the library.
“Sessions for staff including...'informed judgement.' There are no right answers to 'informed judgement.' The only way staff develop the skills is through continual training examples, and personal effort.” pg 43 My library system does not do training for this, so I am on my own. “Developing staff skills in using informed judgement comes slowly. Staffers are afraid to take risks. They want to use rules and procedures as a safety net. Employees have to learn to think of a customer's interest first as they make decisions. Staffers learn through discussion of case studies at staff meetings.” pg 43 We don't discuss this at staff meetings so I have to bother the upper management whenever I have a decision to make that goes beyond the rules.
“A few hints for personal interaction: Good customer service depends on these factors: reliability; the ability to provide the information, assistance, answer the questions, provide the special events and programs that were promised; responsiveness; the willingness of every employee to help the customer promptly; assurance; the knowledge and courtesy you show to customers, and your ability to convey trust, competence, and confidence; empathy; the degree of caring and individual attention you show customers. It also depends on tangibles; the provision of facilities, books and information, materials, equipment and your own (and others') appearance.” pg 47
Problem Solving and Complaint Management -
“1. Respond immediately. … Often the fact that you are listening and trying to resolve the issue is more important than the solution.”
2. Stress what you can do fo the customer, not what you can't do....
3. Don't challenge the customer. … Stay calm and keep the conversation in a neutral area. Concentrate on trying to find a solution that you both can live with.
4. Allow the customer to express his anger....
5. If rules and procedures are the issue, state them in such a way that they benefit the customer.” pg 49-50
I try to do #1-4 but #5 is hard. How do you restate rules to benefit the customer? The rules are the rules. Why can't people just follow them and not question and challenge them all the time. I didn't make the rules... I just try and enforce them.
One of the ideas presented in the book was a response card for patrons. Not a complaint card but a response card. I love the idea of a response card for the customers to fill out that acknowledges special service from employees instead of just complaints.
So, the library that I work for, I think, needs some work; and I still need some work with my customer service. God is good and I am trying.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge prompt(s) –
A book with career advice
Displaying 1 of 1 review