Customer-Friendly Is More Than An Attitude An Infopeople Workshop December 2004-April 2005 Elaine Z. Jennerich

Agenda  Introductions  Customer-friendly attitude and actions  Confusing the customer  Listening  When saying “no”

Introductions  Name  Library  Position  One thing you like about serving your library’s customers

“To create a positive first impression, we need to know how to connect immediately with others regardless of their age, gender, ethnic background, mood, or the situation.” …Jeff Mowatt

Rapport  Making the customer feel important  Small talk = Big return

Exercise #1: Building Rapport  Break into small groups

Look at the “library users” in the pictures  Create rapport building questions or comments for each picture  Share one example with whole group

Artistic Give And Take Exercise SSit back to back AArtist assistant describes picture AArtist creates the picture RReverse roles

GIVE AND TAKE OF COMMUNICATION …  What happened? Language/terminology Nonverbal Feelings/emotions  Outcome?  What did you learn?  What would you do differently?

Customer-Friendly – Basic Attributes  Expect to have a good day  Smile  Greet the customer  Eye contact  Simplify language  Make the customer feel important  Open body language  Listen, listen, listen  Ask open-ended questions  “Is there anything else I can do?”  Thank the library user

Personal Action Plan Write down one action you can take to improve rapport with your library users.

Confusing The Customer “If confusion is the first step to knowledge, then I must be a genius.” ….Larry Leissner

Clear Explanations And Directions Remember the Artistic Give and Take? What did you learn about giving clear explanations and directions?

Avoiding Biblio-Language What is the alphabet soup in your library? Jargon? Abbreviations? Acronyms? Biblio-language?

Exercise #2 Simplifying The Language  Write down ten biblio-language examples.  Create sentences  Exchange sentences  Simplify sentences

Personal Action Plan Write down one action you will take to simplify communication with your customers.

Watch video…..then take the quiz “Communicating with ESL Customers” Exercise #3: Customers With A Difference

Phone Customer (ESL)  What techniques work for you?  What doesn’t work?  What difficulties do you have?  What difficulties do your customers have?

Personal Action Plan What action will you take to improve your interaction with users who are not native English speakers?

Listening We have 2 ears and one mouth; obviously, we should be listening twice as much as we speak. ….anonymous

Listening Myths  Listening is a natural skill.  Listening is passive  Interrupting is bad form.  You can stop listening when you get the general idea.  Listening and hearing are the same.

4 Types Of Listening  Inactive  Selective  Active  Reflective

Main Barriers To Listening  Noise  Distractions  Movement  Physical surroundings

Additional Barriers To Listening Other barriers to listening?

Just React  Licorice  Liberal  Crutches  Toddler  Muslim  Retarded  Stutter  Piercings  Hockey  Teriyaki  Hip-hop  Prayer  GED  Old  Librarian  Disfigured

“Emotional” Reactions The human mind always takes the “emotional road” first.

Listener Filters  Prejudice/bias  Assumptions  Listener thoughts  Feelings about topic  Feelings about speaker  Conflict of values  Difference in style

Listening Exercise In your group, discuss what you might do to overcome at least 3 barriers and 3 filters from the list that are assigned to your group. Someone from your group will report to the whole class.

Personal Action Plan What specific step will you take so that you will be listening to users more effectively?

Saying “No” NoNo way…No NONo Won’tnoNeverNo NopeNoCan’t no Nono

“No” Situations In what types of library situations are you unable to fill requests or have to say “NO”? Let’s create a list of some those situations together…..

Can’t Fill A Request?  Do you understand the problem?  Form a team with customer  What can you do?  Create a “neutral zone” on paper

Neutral Paper Zone  Takes emphasis away from feeling and makes it more tangible  Focuses on facts  Lessens effects of personality and biases  Creates teamwork  Stresses options, solutions….

Neutral Zone Examples

Personal Action Plan You must say “no” to a customer or can’t fill a request. What is one way you will do that better?

Let’s Review the Day What did you learn today?

Personal Action Plan Using the 5 actions you chose throughout the day, write a paragraph describing your overall action plan!

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