Presented at the NYSLAA Conference, 10 June 2016, Chautauqua Institute

1. You Can’t Teach Nice
Retail Management Strategies for Enhanced
Library Customer Service
Amanda E. Perrine, MLIS

2. About Me

3. Workshop Overview

4. Why Are We Here?

5. ALA Code of Ethics
O We provide the highest level of service to all
library users through appropriate and usefully
organized resources; equitable service
policies; equitable access; and accurate,
unbiased, and courteous responses to all
requests.
O We treat co-workers and other colleagues
with respect, fairness, and good faith, and
advocate conditions of employment that
safeguard the rights and welfare of all
employees of our institutions.

6. The Tale of the Microfiche

15. Everyone Thinks You’re a
Librarian

16. Even the Janitor

17. 17
Group Activity: Hiring
O What do you look
for when hiring
(staff or
volunteers)?
O Education
O Work Experience
O Personality
O Other?

18. 18
You Cannot Teach Nice

19. 19
The Right Fit

20. 20
The First Step

21. What’s in a Name?
O Guest
O Member
O Constituent
O Patron

22. Activity
O Describe the
customers in your
library.
O Happy, angry,
confused
O What proportion of
each type of patron
make up your library?

23. Satisfied, Pleasant, and Positive
Lonely or Confused
Aggressive or Disruptive
Angry or Abusive
Dangerous
From ALA Customer Service Presentation

24. Lonely or Confused
Aggressive or Disruptive
Angry or Abusive
Dangerous
Satisfied, Pleasant, and Positive
From ALA Customer Service Presentation

25. Our Customers: Specifics

26. Activity: Patron Names
O Name 10 regular
patrons and why they
come into the library

27. Group Activity: Service
Quality
O What organizations or
companies provide poor
service?
O Why?
O What organizations or
companies provide excellent
service?
O Why?
O What is excellent customer
service?

28. Excellent Customer Service

29. Satisfied vs. Highly Satisfied
Patrons

30. Word of Mouth

31. Poor Experiences

32. Partner Activity
O Discuss a great
service experience
you have had
O Discuss a poor
service experience
you have had

33. Which do you remember
more?
O The good
experience or the
bad?

34. Which did you share?
O Have you spoken to
others about either
of these
experiences
before?
O People at the place
it occurred or
friends and family?
O Did you share in
person, on social
media, or both?

35. Customer Service Expectations

36. Group Activity: Expectations
O What customer
service
expectations
do you have at
your library?
O What other
expectations
may you want
to add?

37. The Customer Journey

38. Activity: Patron Journey
O Draw the typical
journey of your
patrons

39. The Moment of Truth

40. A Patron Walks into Your
Library

41. The Confused

42. 42
Signage

43. 43
Great Signage

44. Middle of the Journey

45. Time is Relative

46. Perception is Reality

47. Resetting the Patron’s Internal
Clock

48. Acknowledge Patrons

49. Just Say Yes

50. 50

51. Staff Empowerment

52. 52
Front Liners’ Ideas

53. 53
Aces in Their Places

54. 54
Magic Apron Training

55. Upsell

56. Upsell

57. Surprise and Delight

58. End of the Journey

59. After the Journey

60. 60
Coaching
O What, Why
O What You Did
O Why it Was Good
O What, What, Why
O What You Did
O What You Should
Have Done
O Why You Should
Have Done it
Differently

61. 61
Service Assessment

62. 62
Culture of Assessment

63. Journey Gone Wrong

64. Dealing with Problem Patrons

65. It’s Not About You

66. Depersonalize the Situation

67. Apologize & Empathize

68. Active Listening

69. Body Language
http://cinelessons.tumblr.com/post/24242875351

78. Source:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Crossed_Arms_%28
6768267591%29.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crossed_legs.jpg

79. Source:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Crossed_Arms_%28
6768267591%29.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crossed_legs.jpg

80. Source:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Goth_f222791.jpg

81. Take Action

82. Ask for Help

83. The Internal Customer

84. Contact Overload Syndrome
Source:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Day_42_Overwhelme
d.jpg

85. Relax

86. Re-energize

87. Ask for Help

88. Activity: Next Steps
O Review your library map
O What do you want to
keep the same?
O What changes do you
want to make?
O What potential
roadblocks may you
face?
O How can you take of
yourself, too?
88

89. Thank you!
O Questions?
O Contact Me
O aperrine@onlib.org
O SlideShare:
amandaeperrine
O LinkedIn:
amandaeperrine
O Blog:
Amandaeperrine.
blogspot.com
O Twitter:
O @amandaea129