Which Way Do You Want to Serve Your Customers?
by Dinesh K. Gupta and Ashok Jambhekar
Dinesh Gupta is the assistant professor and head of the Department of Library and Information Sciences at Kota Open University in Kota, India.
Ashok Jambhekar is chief librarian at the Vikram Sarabhai Library, Indian Institute of Management, and head of the National Information Centre on Management (NICMAN) in Ahmedabad, India.
The Importance of Customer Service
Library service is essentially a service to the community of users.
But some librarians could be accused of poor services to customers. The development of customer-oriented services skills not only allows the library to put forward the services offered as effectively as possible, but also test its services and facilities against users' needs and wants. Thus, the library needs to re-examine the ways in which it serves its users. A good service is of little benefit to the community if it is not made available in the most effective way. Part of this strategy will involve the careful presentation and packaging of services and facilities offered to give both the best individual service, and at the same time, a clear and effective message about the total library services to customers.
Service-Mindedness: At the Heart of the Profession
Libraries have always been services, in the sense that they offer a collection for consultation by a body of people, with a catalog as a key to the collection. Librarians have also generally been people who have wished to be of service to the community, though in a less direct way than, say, social workers.
But "service" has come to connote a more positive kind of activity than consultation, which requires little direct effort on the part of the library. Even catalogs can be passive-basic and author-designed with users in mind, accessible by a variety of elements, capable of generating selective printouts, while also being interactive. Thus, the service is the access to books and information and the advice and assistance that staff provides to users. Whatever the mechanism may be for the delivery of services to users, "we must see that it is delivered on time, as per the specifications of the users, in the quantity they requiredno more, no lessin the packaging they preferred, at the place they need it, in a courteous, helpful and proper manner. This is all important (believe it or not), and serves as the essentials behind 'service mindedness.' Developing a 'customer service culture' by embracing all these objectives, is the hallmark of any organization which is prepared to invest the effort it takes to be successful" (Gupta and Jambhekar, 2001).
All libraries might claim to be service-oriented, but, in fact, are they service-oriented? Is their approach to serving customers proper? How good are their services? And, to what extent do they serve their customers? These are the questions every LIS manager needs to respond to while making decisions about the customer service in his/her library. A library's organizational success may depend on these responses.
Customer Services: A Professional's Outlook
Many authors have commented about the importance of customer service in library and information services. There are very pragmatic reasons, including "quality" and "accountability," that make it necessary for looking at information services in terms of customer service. High standards of customer service create higher visibility for the information service unit. It is this enhanced visibility that will lead to better positioning in the organization. If the services are good, the unit will also be perceived as good. As managers of various departments come to recognize how good the information unit can be in providing the products and services they use for their work, they will encourage others to avail to the services of the unit, and word will spread throughout the organization. Incorporating high standards of customer service into information services has to do with the conduct of those who are successfully serving the unit. It goes without saying that satisfied users come back for more services, and as these numbers grow (satisfied customers who are also committed to success for the information unit itself), a group of them may evolve into an unofficial support group for the information unit. They become, without knowing it, advocates or political sponsors, for the information service unit. As questions of vitality, expertise and/or authority of the specialized library or information unit come up, these people are available, ready and willing to emphasize the value of the information unit to the organization or community. There are four essential motivating factors that drive us to excel in the delivery of information services and products, and the information service managers who succeed recognize the value of these in the work he/she does (St. Clair; 1993):
The value of the service is determined by our users. If we cannot provide them with what they need for their success, something is wrong.
We want "repeat business"to bring customers "back for more." The more customers use the libraries services, the larger the role will become for your organization.
Being service-oriented should be at the core of our profession. If we do not like being responsible for the provision of information services of the highest quality, perhaps we are in wrong business.
The work of the information service unit supports the overall mission of the organization, which provides its support. When that primary role becomes muddled or weakened, it is time for a re-evaluation of what we do.
Customer Service in LIS: A Closer Look at Users
Customer service is a critical and inseparable part of doing business in libraries, which we provide through user services, circulation services, readers' advisory services and reference services. However, quality service goes beyond these. Most of these play a part in customer service, but fall short of the 'whole.' Customer service requires entirely interlocking each network which contributes to the well-being of the organization and then meeting the mission and the service vision. More closely, the services of the library can be divided into two: the "front office" and the "back office."
Front office procedures are those experienced by the customers. In some instances, they represent a very small portion of the total library and information strategy. For instance, in a public library the extent of personal contact between the customer and the library employee is limited to use of reading room facilities, giving replies to some queries, pointing out the location of the information sources, etc. In libraries the customer is exposed to physical facilities and to numerous personnelranging from circulation clerk to stacking area staff and the reference assistance to the media adviser. Due to the importance of the relationship between the service provider and consumer, quality of customer service is increasingly being viewed as a key to the total service strategy. Recognizing the importance of such interactions for customer satisfaction, it can be said, "Customer service is the task that involves interactions with customers in person, by telecommunications or by mail. It is designed, performed and communicated with two goals in mindoperational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Essentially it embraces all personnel whose jobs bring them into contact with customers on a routine, as well as on an exceptional basis. Such personnel become part of the overall product, even though their jobs may have been defined in strictly operational terms. Hence the need to balance operational efficiency against customer satisfaction (Lovelock, 1991)."
Customer service is about more than just asking your customers what they need or sending out surveys to determine customer satisfaction. Customer service is about stretching to give more than the customer expects. It's about providing value-added service without being asked. It's about putting yourself in the place of that customer and thinking like a customer! Each of us should know what our customers expect before they know it. If you can, go a long way toward truly satisfying their needs. If you can make satisfaction a regular habit, you can make your customers allies in the battle of budgets, respect or any other needs you might have (Bender, 1999).
Attributes of Customer Service
The delivery of service must be timely, accurate and with concern and courtesy. One may ask why these elements are important. The answer is: all services are intangible and are a function of perception. As such they depend on interpretations. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, service by definition is perishableif left unattended, it can backfire on the organization. This relates directly to the acronym "COMFORT," which signifies the importance of service (Caring, Observant, Mindful, Friendly, Obliging, Responsible and Tactful). These characteristics are the most basic attributes of customer service; without them, there can be no true service of any kind (Stamatatis, 1997).
· "Caring" shows that, indeed, you are very much interested in what the customer has to say. You may spend time with the customer to find out his/her real needs, wants, expectations, etc.
· You must be "observant." In most cases when dealing with service-related items, observations may contribute to satisfying the customer more than direct communication. Pay attention to body language and mannerisms. If necessary, read between the lines. Always try to be one step ahead of the customer. Anticipate his/her action. Actively listen to what the customer is communicating, as well asand perhaps more importantlywhat he/she is not communicating.
· You must be "mindful." Remember that you and your organization exist to satisfy the customer. Without the customer's need, you do not have a job nor does the organization have a service to provide. The customer has a choice, and as such, if you or your organization does not recognize the urgency, the sensitivity, the uniqueness, the expectations and the influence that the customer has, you will not be successful in satisfying the customer.
· You must be "friendly." Friendliness does not mean being a pest. Offer guidance and information, and let the customer know you are there for help. If you have to, provide feedback to help the customer make his/her decision. If you do provide feedback, be truthful.
· You must be "obliging." Patience is the keyword when a customer may be making up his/her mind while talking with you. You are serving as the guinea pig for the customer's decision. As such, accommodating the person may make the difference between a satisfied and dissatisfied customer. It may make the difference between a sale and a walkout. When obliging the customer, do not hesitate to educate the customer as well.
· You must be "responsible." You are the expert. The customer is looking to you to provide the appropriate information in a clear, concise and easy-to-understand manner. However, the strategy may backfire. What you are trying to accomplish is the development of a relationship where your expertise can indeed help the customer.
· You must be "tactful." In any service organization and in any service delivery, there are going to be problems between you and the customer. Do not panic. Tactfulness is the process through which the conflict may be resolved. Your focus is to satisfy the customer, and as such you should try to identify the problem, analyze it and then resolve it in the most expedient way. Being tactful does not mean that you have to give in to the customer all the time. Act in a professional manner, be composed and communicate to the customer in a way that is not threatening or demeaning. Be willing to listen and exchange information with the intention of resolving the conflict. Being tactful means presenting the facts and information in a nice manner. It means listening patiently. It means thinking before speaking. It means listening to customers without interrupting. Remember nature also has the same message (i.e., there are two ears and one mouth).
Categories of Customer Service
There are basically five categories of customer service (Khera, 1997). One may need to ask, "Into what category does our organization fall?" The categories are:
· Miserable Customer Service: The employee actually goes out of his way to irritate the customer and makes the buying experience pathetically unforgettable.
· Careless and Unconcerned Customer Service: In this scenario, the employee is indifferent to the customer's needs. He/she could not care either way whether the customer buys or not. Here the attitude resonates, 'take it or leave it.'
· Anticipated Customer Service: Where the customer gets what is expectedno more, no less. Every customer has some expectation of product/service, courtesy and price when they go to make a purchase. Based on the treatment a customer receives, the organization gets labeled. The question is, "Is it good to get labeled?" It is if the label is good.
· Competent Customer Service: In order to understand what is competent customer service, we must understand that the employee should have skills and a desire to serve customers. It is not uncommon to see many organizations train their staff in customer service skills, such as greeting customers, shaking hands, saying "please" and "thank you," smiling and so on. These courtesies are very important. But unless we have a true desire to serve the customer, how long can a person keep a fake smile on his face? Besides, people can see through a facade. If a smile is not sincere, it is irritating. There has to be substance over form, not form over substance.
· Exceptional Customer Service: It is an organization's responsibility. It is a mutually profitable relationship. It is organizational commitment to do whatever it takes to make the buying experience delightful for the customer by providing added value products or services. It is the delightful experience that brings the customer back. Any experience that is enjoyable will be one customers want to repeat. It is the added value that breeds loyalty. Exceptional customer service includes competence and courtesy. When a customer makes a purchase, he/she has actually purchased the right to be treated with courtesy and to be provided with competent service. In order to provide exceptional customer service we must recognize customers' needs and expectations. There is a difference between customer service and customer satisfaction. Customer service is from the provider's point of view, whereas satisfaction is from the customer's point of view.
The selection of service will have a vital impact on the overall performance of employees, management and the organization as a whole.
Some Questions About the Customer Service in Your Library
Users are described variously, such as:
· Users are those for whom information systems are created.
· A user is the king around whom all the activities of the library revolve.
· L&I Centers exist to meet the needs of all its users.
· A user is the focal point of all information activities.
· L&I Centers are worthless without users.
The above descriptions are very broad-based and imply that every L&I Center must develop infrastructure, resources and services to fulfil information needs of every individual user or user group. The purpose of an L&I Center is defined by the needs of users, and the success of that service is determined by satisfaction or delight of users (Gupta, 1996). The "User is the King" attitude also recognizes the fact that it is important to keep in mind a user's lifetime value to the organization, rather than to look at the value of one transaction. However, even libraries do not consider giving users service on a continual basisthey see every visit by a user in a transactional manner. To assess the service approach of a library, the following are key questions that every LIS manager needs to ask their staff:
· How do you rate the quality of service you offer?
· Are customers happy with the level of service you provide?
· Do you find the service component of the library difficult to manage?
· What are your customer's views about the service of the library?
· Are you aware of the poor or good services you provide to customers? What attempts have you made to improve or benchmark the service?
· Is your service user-friendly? Is it convenient to the customers?
· Do customers have clear expectations from your library? Do you know what they are?
· Do you have a promise for your customers? How do you plan to meet it?
· Does every function in the library see itself as contributing to customer satisfaction?
· Is the concept of internal customer satisfaction working in your library? Is it measured?
The response from your library to these questions largely enunciates the approach used to serve your customers. There could be a number of areas in which there is steeper development in your library, because more and more information is available on the Internet and online services. But, relatively, this is a more leisurely, lagging and limping improvement when it comes to services. Goodson (1997) has expressed his worries over such a move. To him, "Librarians are in great danger of being cut out of the loop completelynot because they think they no longer need us. Why not? We have tried for years to convince them that this is true, that they can do it all themselvesand with many resources available as close as their home computers, I can assure you that these are what they will usenot because they are the best materials for their needs, but simply because it's convenient. The unique thing about librarians is that we are trained not only to find information and organize it, but also to evaluate its quality. But we have consistently abdicated these responsibilities in misguiding attempts to make libraries more and more self-service. Again, as the availability and access to information technology escalates, librarians have less and less time left to show people what we really can do for them. We are well on our way to extinction if we don't start changing the way we do things and fast."
The Need For a Fresh Look
Tomorrow's new services and ideas will come from active investigation about themselves, their fields, their libraries, and most importantly, the users they serve. Unfortunately, the traditional and extensive surveys many libraries employ reveal nothing about the individual user's needs or the services that may be offered. Most of the time individual users remain invisible. Is it the right way to understand the user and their needs? Or could there be any alternative to such a system, which helps us to properly recognize these needs in order to meet them exceedingly? A strategic focus on customer service can act as an effective tool in helping libraries to accomplish their mission of serving users in an improved way. All products for which every library strives to provide access must be served with a customer "service" attitude, to offer a total value proposition to every individual customer. We must start providing good services to customers, because customers do not know what good service isuntil they do not get it. And good service adds value to library resources. 
| References: | |
1. Bender, David, R. "Executive Outlook: Putting the 'Service' in Customer Service," Information Outlook, June 1999, 5. 2. Goodson, Carol. "Putting the 'Service' Back in Library Service," C&RL News, March 1997; 186-187. 3. Gupta, Dinesh K. "User-Library Interface: A Key Approach to LI Marketing," Library Sc. With a Slant to Documentation and Information Studies, 33(40), Dec. 1996; 201-204. 4. Gupta, Dinesh K. and Jambhekar, Ashok. "On the Link Between Marketing and Quality," in Papers of the IFLA Pre-Conference Satellite Meeting, at Quebec, Canada, 14-16 August, 2001; 205-219. 5. Khera, Shiv. "How Focused Are Our Organizations?" Financial Express Brand Wagon, 8 July 1997. 6. Hoadley, IB. "Customer Service? Not Really," College and Research Libraries News, 56(3), 1995; 175-176. 7. Line, Maurice B. "Library and Information Services and Institution," International Encyclopedia of Information and Library Science, ed. by John Feather and Paul Sturges; London, Routledge, 1997; 266-273. 8. Lovelock, C.H. Services Marketing, 2nd Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1991; 262-263. | 9. Morris, R.C.T. "Towards a User-Centered Information Service," JASIS, 45(1), 1994; 20-30. 10. Paul, M. "Improving Service Provision," Australian Library Journal, 39(1), 1990; 64-69. 11. Robertson, W.D. "A User-Oriented Approach to Setting Priorities for Library Services," Special Libraries, 71(8), 1980; 345-353. 12. Stamatatis, D.H. Total Quality Service: Principles, Practices, and Implementation. New Delhi: Vaniti Books, 1997; 160-162. 13. Sirkin, Arlene. "Customer Service: Another Side of TQM," Journal of Library Administration, 18(1/2); 71-79. 14. St. Clair, G. Customer Service in the Information Environment. London: Bowker Saur, 1993. 15. Walter, Suzanne. Customer Service: How-To-Do-It Manual of Librarians. New York: Neal-Schuman, 1994. 16. Wehmeyer, Susan. "Saying What We Will Do, and Doing What We Say: Implementing a Customer Service Plan," Journal of Academic Librarianship, May 1996; 173-180. 17 Weingand, Darlene E. Customer Service Excellence: A Concise Guide for Librarians. Chicago: ALA, 1997. 18. Wilson, LA. "Building the User-Centered Library," Reference Quarterly, 34(3), 1995; 297-301. |
RSS
Feedback form
