This document discusses good customer service practices for libraries. It emphasizes treating customers with respect, politeness, and professionalism according to the Golden and Platinum Rules. Key aspects of good customer service include promptness, personalization, effective communication skills like active listening, addressing customer needs, and exceeding their expectations. The goal is to create a welcoming environment and positive first impressions.

3. What is good customer service?
• The Golden Rule:
–Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you.
• The Platinum Rule:
–Treat others the way they want to be
treated!
• Think about how the person you are helping
would want to be treated. That is more
important than how you want to be treated.

4. Definition
• “Customer service is the practice of delivering
products and services to both internal and
external customers via the efforts of
employees or through the provision of an
appropriate servicescape.”

5. YOU are the library
You represent the entire system to
each customer you encounter.

6. Each of us are responsible for creating a
positive experience for every customer no
matter what.

7. The services marketing triangle
Company
Internal Marketing
Enabling Promises
External Marketing
Making Promises
Service Providers Customers
Interactive Marketing
Keeping Promises

8. Characteristics of good customer service
• Promptness: the quality or habit of arriving or being on
time.
• Politeness: is the practical application of good manners
or etiquette.
• Professionalism: All customers should be treated
professionally, which means the use of competent
hands and appropriate technology where applicable
• Personalization: is a tailored means of meeting the
customer's needs more effectively and efficiently,
making interactions faster and easier and,
consequently, increasing customer satisfaction and the
likelihood of repeat visits

9. Skills of Efficient Customer Services
• Patience - to accept or tolerate setbacks, problems, or pressures
• Attentiveness - being alert, observant and attentive) to
customers.
• Good Communication Skills- able to convey information to
customers clearly and simply
• Knowledge of the Library Services
• Ability to Use "Positive Language“
• Ability to "Read" Customers
• Ability to Work under Pressure
• Tenacity - a great work ethic and a willingness
• Willingness to Learn

10. First Impressions
• By greeting every customer who enters your
library you are establishing a positive first
impression.
• People generally formulate their first
impressions in the first seven seconds.
• You have the power to set a positive or
negative image in those first few seconds.

11. Effective Communication Skills
Eye contact & visible mouth
Body language
Some questions
Encouragement silence to continue
Summarizing Checking for understanding
what has been said Smiling face
Effective
Communication skills

12. Communicating with customers
• To create a welcoming and positive work environment,
we will…
– be visible, approachable, proactive, and ready to assist
– be professional in attire, language and etiquette
– watch for customers who need help
– make eye contact and greet the customer
– acknowledge promptly (e.g. within two working days) to
external and internal customers be it in person, via email,
phone, or instant message
– actively listen to the customer’s query
– acknowledge waiting customers

13. • Library staff members take responsibility for seeing
that the customer is satisfied. They:
– Respond confidently to a customer request
– Say, “Let me find out...,” rather than “I don’t know.”
– Offer the customer a positive alternative such as keeping
materials aside until the customer has obtained the
necessary borrower’s identification or referring the
customer to other sources likely to help
– Ask the patron if the question has been answered or if
s/he found what was needed
– In summary, what do most customers really want? They
want someone to acknowledge their presence, listen to
them, and help them obtain what they want.

14. Listening/Inquiring
• Library staff members are effective in identifying the
customer’s exact need, in a manner that keeps the
customer at ease.
• They respect the needs of those who desire confidentiality
and privacy when dealing with sensitive questions relating
to health conditions or legal issues, including:
– Lower their voice if speaking confidentially to the customer
– Do not use an exasperated tone of voice
– Put a “smile” in their voice
– Do not interrupt
– Listen actively, asking questions as necessary
– Rephrase the customer’s question to check for understanding
– Avoid using library jargon
– Listen to the message and are not influenced by the appearance
or age of the customer

15. Skills for Customer Service
• Know about your organisation
• Learn the technical parts of the job
• Communicate well
• Be consistent
• Be organised
• Know your place in the team and be a team
player

16. Exceed Customers Expectations
• Need to understand what customers expect first.
• The most effective way of determining what
customers want is to simply ask them.
- “How can I assist you today?”
- “Is there anything else I can do for you?”
• Never say “I don’t know.” Instead, say “Let me
find the answer for you.”
• Anticipate their needs.