<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[A Life in Libraries]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://cherylbecker.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[cbecker53]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://cherylbecker.wordpress.com/author/cbecker53/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[When You Say &#8220;Customer Service. . . &#8221; You&#8217;ve Said it&nbsp;All]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>I recently read the thoughtful post &#8220;<a title="Which Kind post" href="http://www.infoblog.infopeople.org/2012/04/which-kind-of-customer-service-do-you-mean/?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+infopeople+%28Infoblog%29&amp;utm_content=Google+Reader" target="_blank">Which Kind of Customer Service Do You Mean?</a>&#8221; on <a title="Infoblog URL " href="http://www.infoblog.infopeople.org/" target="_blank">Infoblog</a>.  Good question!  When a library requests staff training on customer service, whoever is scheduling the training should be really clear on what they mean, and the trainer/consultant should be sure to ask exactly what they mean by customer service.</p>
<p>The post is right, I think: when library people say &#8220;customer service&#8221; they can mean (at least) two different things:  1) &#8220;how can we fix staff people&#8217;s behavior?&#8221; or 2) &#8220;how can we improve the services we offer?&#8221;   I actually think these two things are very related (but very different questions, I agree), and can even be taught in the same training session, or at least #2 can be touched on in a session that is primarily about #1.  Granted, either can become an all day (or all week!) training.</p>
<p>I agree with the point in the Infoblog post that &#8220;In both cases you will want to work on the foundational elements of communication.&#8221;  Additionally, it is imperative that you tie customer service to your library&#8217;s mission, vision, and strategic plan.  <a href="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/280093301.jpg"><img loading="lazy" data-attachment-id="562" data-permalink="https://cherylbecker.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/when-you-say-customer-service-youve-said-it-all/attachment/280093301/" data-orig-file="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/280093301.jpg" data-orig-size="500,409" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="280093301" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/280093301.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/280093301.jpg?w=500" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-562" title="280093301" src="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/280093301.jpg?w=300&#038;h=245" alt="Bother me" width="300" height="245" srcset="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/280093301.jpg?w=300&amp;h=245 300w, https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/280093301.jpg?w=150&amp;h=123 150w, https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/280093301.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a> For example, the Waterford (CT) Public Library&#8217;s <a title="Waterford CT mission" href="http://www.waterfordpubliclibrary.org/library/mission.htm" target="_blank">Mission</a> includes the goal &#8220;People in Waterford consistently receive quality library service provided by well-trained, dedicated, knowledgeable and customer-oriented staff&#8221; [this refers to that &#8220;first&#8221; kind of customer service.]  The <a title="Ames PL strategic goals " href="http://www.amespubliclibrary.org/aboutLibrary/StrategicPlan/StrategicPlan-Goals.asp" target="_blank">goals</a> of the Ames (IA) Public Library&#8217;s strategic plan define the types of services they  will offer. [this refers to that &#8220;second&#8221; kind of customer service.]</p>
<p>As most public libraries struggle to do more with less in this current economy, we often hear (or fear) &#8220;something&#8217;s gotta give.&#8221;  But in order to remain relevant to our public, and prove ourselves as an essential service, that &#8220;something&#8221; must not be customer service, no matter how you define it.   You can find lots of articles on customer service in public libraries.  <a title="Not So Secret Keys Public Libraries" href="http://www.publiclibrariesonline.org/content/not-so-secret-keys-great-customer-service" target="_blank">Here&#8217;s</a> just one, from Public Libraries magazine.</p>
<p>So what do YOU mean when you say &#8220;customer service&#8221;?  And how are you improving it at your library?</p>
<h5><span style="color:#999999;">Photo © 2006 Tracy R, Flickr.   http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/</span></h5>
]]></html><thumbnail_url><![CDATA[https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/280093301.jpg?w=300&fit=440%2C330]]></thumbnail_url><thumbnail_width><![CDATA[]]></thumbnail_width><thumbnail_height><![CDATA[]]></thumbnail_height></oembed>