Building a Successful Customer‐Service Culture: A Guide for Library and Information Managers

Citation

Boyle, D. (2004), "Building a Successful Customer‐Service Culture: A Guide for Library and Information Managers", Library Review, Vol. 53 No. 5, pp. 285-286. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530410538445

In an age where information has become so readily available, the requirements of the library customer have become more demanding, more sophisticated and, perhaps, most importantly, more diverse. Customer service has become a major feature of the library and information service. By highlighting examples of “good practice”, and deploying management perspectives, this publication aims to tackle the question – what makes a successful customer‐service culture?

The opening chapters of the book highlight the importance of staff and customer interaction. By identifying who the customer is (both user and non‐users) and listening to their needs, library managers can plan a service to meet the increased expectations of their diverse customers. Customer participation will increase if their views are taken on board and appraisal techniques such as customer surveys are one way of attaining customer perspectives. Strategies must then be developed fully, taking into consideration budgetary issues, in order to translate objectives into actions and produce a more modern thinking service that shifts from a one size fits all to a more open service. We are warned that as expectations rise so does demand and if this is not met then customers will be critical of the service.

Management themes continue as the next few sections focus on leadership, human resource management and marketing. Meeting the needs of the customer, as discussed above, depends on good quality staff. Leadership techniques must shift from a hierarchical style towards a more flexible and inclusive one. Communication is crucial to this and the manager must be able to clearly articulate goals and expectations, yet provide rewards and incentives to staff in order for them to carry out these goals. Anticipating customer behaviour is also important; however, the customer is not always right and the manager must be aware of this as well.

Mission statements and service strategies are discussed and should be brief, relevant, clear and specific. They must be able to motivate staff and present to the customer clearly what they must expect of the service. Investors In People and The Training Cycle are reviewed and look at how an empowered, skilled, and highly motivated staff produces a customer‐focused service based on strong leadership.

With the shift from product to customer needs, marketing the service again depends on customer interaction and communication with customers. Surveys must be undertaken, not just of current customers but also potential ones, in order to continue to improve and innovate key services and introduce a range of new ones. A good marketing plan must be implemented and Kotler's marketing mix based on customer value, cost to the customer, convenience and communication is featured.

Quality of service is then considered and frameworks, such as the Business Excellence Model, the Charter Mark and NVQs are highlighted to show how quality can be measured for the service and staff. These are seen as effective self‐assessment tools where improvement can be measured.

The final sections look at planning a building, partnerships and virtual services. The chapter on planning a library building specifies an academic environment and stresses how one must look not only at the current needs of staff, services and library users, but also their future needs as well. To fulfil their role as social and cultural institutions, libraries need a clear vision and people‐centred approach. Inter‐library loans, shared catalogues and the UK Libraries Plus scheme are discussed as ways in which partnerships can improve the library service and mutually benefit these organisations.

The final chapter discusses a virtual library service and the role of the Internet, as opportunities for providing a branch of the library that meets customers’ needs anytime, anywhere. The chapter looks at what makes a good Web site, discussing the resources offered, user friendliness in terms of navigation and a tool to promote the library service. Virtual customers are still customers and a bad Web site is of no use to them.

Presented in a highly readable, yet informative style, this book aims to present good practice in terms of customer service. This is achieved with good management advice which focuses not only on the importance of existing customer involvement, but that of the potential customer as well.