1. Secret Shopper Training: Odum Library
October 2014
Sally Westendorf & Ashley Beaudoin

2. Purpose of Project Improve for the STUDENTS
Ensure the library and library representatives benefit the students according to their needs
Enhance/develop customer service skills to meet standards
Are issues resolved?
Are questions answered?
Why we need you:
Purpose (Notes):
-Enhance and develop librarians customer service skills to meet benchmark standards
-Improve customer service skills throughout the library so students, faculty, staff, and those within the community can experience quality services
-Increase customer satisfaction ratings toward Odum library and their services
- Have librarians provide consistently high level of customer services throughout their work days

3. DO
Familiarize yourself with the location you will be visiting in the library
Prepare your script
Review our example scenarios
-Visit the library once or twice before you conduct your secret shopping. We will ask you about your experience navigating through the library.
-Please, run through what you are going to ask of the librarian before you visit. That way you don’t slip up on your words too badly and give away what you are really doing.
-Use our scripts if you can’t think of something you actually need help with from a librarian.

4. DON’T
Act deliberately aggressive, hateful, violent, mean, or rude towards library employees
Indicate that you are a “secret shopper”
Forget to complete the evaluation survey immediately
-You should not be deliberately hateful – when we use the term problem or issue we mean something more like a question or a way they can provide a service to you.
-You should NEVER indicate that you are a secret shopper (even after you are finished). If they know they are being evaluated they may be more prone to act in a socially desirably way.
Don’t tell them you real intensions even after you are “done” because they may be continually evaluated for the next two months by other secret shoppers.
-Remember, take the evaluation immediately – if you wait too long, their evaluation may be compromised.

5. Why NOT to be “difficult”
Secret shoppers should NOT be deliberately difficult or hostile
We are NOT trying to push the employees “to the edge”
Use the scenarios we provide for you Or
Use a scenario that is similar to the ones we suggest
We are trying to determine how apt the employee is at providing you with a specific service that is most likely defined within their job description.
We don’t want you to demand the paper towel dispenser be replenished, we want you to focus on library-related topics.
We need your assistance/help (notes):
Reasons why we are reaching out to you…..
We need secret shoppers that are wanting to take part in enhancing customer service skills within the library
We want your input on how well the service is when needing further assistance at the library
We want to compare the librarians perceptions of their performance with those who are a customer

6. What to Look For Observe the employee’s: Professionalism
How they lead you to the next step
Body language
Tone
Do they resolve the issue/question or not?
Are their recommendations helpful?
Were their directions easy to follow?
Keep these types of details in mind while the librarian is helping you with your issue.

7. Tools to Use
Example Scenario:
Reference Desk Scenario 1:
You are in a class requiring you to research and present on a journal article [psychology of motivation] – your professor needs you to present a second article that supports the main article, too.
Can they help you look up articles regarding your topic?
How do you find out who supports the information from the main article?
If your topic has only been researched by a few people, what else do they suggest you do?
Can they help you do all this today?
We will provide you with a list of example scenarios – we advise you to use one of the examples, or something similar, as a guide.

8. Take the Survey Immediately
While this experience is fresh, go to a computer and complete the survey
If you wait too long, you may evaluate the library representative incorrectly
See the link in your for the survey

9. Other information
Please contact us if there is a problem or you have any questions
Sally Westendorf –
Ashley Beaudoin –
Or call the Employee Development Office