Customer service

Course Instructor: Cheryl Gould

Fee: $75 for those in the California library community.

• Would you like to improve your library's user experience?
• Wondering how the Experience Economy applies to you?
• Wish you could wave a magic wand and upgrade your facilities?

Attend the Experienceology workshop to learn a straightforward process that re-frames your library from the user's point of view. Experienceology takes a library visit and breaks it into 8 sequential steps, allowing you to analyze all aspects of your experience and prioritize changes.

What factors make certain conversations in the library "difficult"? For some it might be that a specific topic is uncomfortable. For others, it may be that certain circumstances make us feel awkward. Often, we know that if the conversation is handled badly, it will result in serious repercussions. In some instances speaking up (or down) "the chain of command" is stressful. For many, it often comes down to personality and style. Some people really are difficult to talk to in any situation.

It's a self-service world. ATMs, airline check-in machines, and self-serve gas stations are all part of everyday life. And survey data show that many customers like the sense of control that self-service brings. That means that the time is right for libraries to explore new ways to provide effective assistance to the independent user.

In this class we'll look at a variety of ways to help the public serve themselves using different media, including written materials, audio, and video. Did you know that

Format: Meeting Room

Do you ever have difficult or unsatisfying interactions with library users from other cultures? Do your customers ask for services in languages you don’t understand? Do your excellent customer service skills seem to fall short with diverse library users? Would you like to be able to communicate effectively with any customer who comes through the door?

Your library's attendance is up, but collection use is down. Your building is overcrowded - bursting at the seams - leaving little room for tempting displays and browsing areas. So many collections and special services areas have been added that the building organization no longer makes any sense. Signage is outdated, redundant, overabundant, and negative. Your customers are browsing, but not buying.

Using the basic principles of wayfinding and signage, urban planning, retailing and conversion, the class will discuss:

Sep - Dec 2006

Spanish is California's "second language," yet many of those who work in California libraries speak little or no Spanish. Do any of the following situations apply to you?