This document provides guidance on how to provide excellent customer service at the Harris County Public Library. It emphasizes listening to customers' needs rather than just their requests, saying yes when possible but knowing when to say no, and nurturing long-term relationships through empathy, attention, follow-up, and going above expectations. Specific tips include learning about customers, giving options, apologizing when needed, taking responsibility for problems, and resolving issues quickly. The goal is to leave all customers feeling heard, satisfied and glad they came to the library.

1. Capturing Customer
Service
How to Provide Stellar Customer Service in the Harris
County Public Library Galaxy

2.  Customers ask for what they want; it is
our job to also provide what they NEED
 A customer’s needs may vary based on
PERSONALITIES or CIRCUMSTANCES
What do our Customers Need?

3.  If asked to define service, many would
respond the answer is giving the customer
what they WANT, which sets the scene for
FAILURE.
 Try to say YES as much as possible.
 Saying NO doesn't mean you’ll end up with
an unhappy customer
 Saying yes doesn’t guarantee a HAPPY
customer
What are our Customers
Looking For?

4. 1. It is AGAINST Federal Regulations
2. It is a violation of PRIVACY
3. The customer has a history of ABUSING
the system
4. It goes against our MORALS/ETHICS
5. It NEGATIVELY impacts another
customer directly
In What Instances Might We Say
NO to a Customer?

5.  Excellent customer service is provided when you
address these basic, less obvious needs:
1. LISTEN effectively
2. Provide OPTIONS
3. Be FRIENDLY
4. Express Empathy and Understanding
WITHOUT JUDGEMENT
5. Give the customer a feeling of CONTROL
6. Give INFORMATION
7. Always be FAIR
How Do We Provide Stellar
Customer Service?

6.  Resist DISTRACTIONS and stay ALERT
 Judge CONTENT not DELIVERY
 Learn to listen ACTIVELY
 Listen TWICE as much as you speak
 Don’t INTERRUPT
 Avoid DEFENSIVENESS
 Keep an OPEN MIND
Ways to Improve Listening
Abilities

7.  Notice NON-VERBAL Communication
 RESPOND, so that they know you are
listening
 When responding, use SHORT responses
when the speaker is saying something
IMPORTANT to them
 SUMMARIZE what they’ve said
Ways to Improve Listening
Abilities

8.  LEARN about your customers
 Give PERSONAL service
 ANTICIPATE their NEEDS
 Exceed their EXPECTATIONS
 Be familiar with NON-LIBRARY topics
 ALERT them to new products/services
 Know and adapt to their PERSONALITY
How do we Create Long Term
Relationships?

9.  Learn about PERSONALITY styles and
use that knowledge
 Be KNOWLEDGEABLE about your
organization and its offerings
 Under PROMISE and over DELIVER
 Be POSITIVE about your organization
 Listen Actively and EMPATHETICALLY
 APOLOGIZE when appropriate
How do we Nurture those
Relationships?

10.  Give them our FULL attention
 Don’t play the BLAME game
 Be a HUMAN being
 Don’t treat them like an INTERRUPTION
 Make sure customers are GLAD they
came to you
 Don’t ever talk over THEIR HEADS
 Always say THANK YOU
How do we Nurture those
Relationships?

11.  Be HONEST, even if it hurts
 Go the EXTRA MILE
 Be glad to accept CONSTRUCTIVE
criticism
 Respond in a TIMELY manner
 FOLLOW UP when appropriate
How do we Nurture those
Relationships?

12.  Find OPTIONS if at all possible
 Take RESPONSIBILITY for satisfying the
customer
 BE sure your “tone of voice” is
ENTHUSIASTIC
 Don’t make DEMANDS of your customers
 Always make TIME for your customers
 Remember it would be difficult to over use
THANK YOU
Ways to Nurture our Customer
Relationships

13.  Let the customer VENT
 Don’t open the NEGATIVITY door
 Eliminate your EMOTIONS
 OWN the problem, don’t pass the customer
around
 Say what you CAN do
 Give OPTIONS if possible
 Resolve it QUICKLY
 FIX whatever caused the problem
 Don’t take it PERSONALLY or HOME
How to Handle an Upset Customer

14.  A SATISFIED customer will tell 1-3
people about their experience
 A DISSATISFIED customer will tell 9-10
people about it
Keep this in Mind!

15.  Keeping everything you just learned in
mind, answer the questions on the blog
below this PowerPoint.
Now On to the Quest