Mary Blissenbach: January 2010 Archives

Have you ever been in a store looking for something and you can't find it? Then a worker stops to ask you if you are finding everything OK or if you need anything else? Isn't it great that you can then ask where that item is. Many times when patrons come to the desk, they may have been looking for one item and they were not able to find it. Some patrons will ask directly for it and others will not, they don't want to bother us. If we simply ask patrons "Did you find everything you need today?" when they stop at the desk to check out their items it can make the difference between a good experience and a bad one. Taking the extra time to ask can make a huge difference. So the next time you work the desk, start asking, "Did you find everything you need today?"

This is another customer service secret shopper point. For review so far we have:
Greetings , saying Hi and Have a good day
Name Tag , you need to wear it in staff areas, this includes when shelving
Appropriate clothing , be clean and neat
Ask if found OK , asking patrons in they need anything else
Explanations , can you explain due dates and what a hold is
Directions , can you give clear directions so the patron will find what they need, give a map if needed

We hope that everyone will score 10 points when we are secret shopped latter this spring. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

When a patron asks you for directions to a location in the building, are you able to answer clearly? Part of giving excellent customer service is the ability to give good directions to help patrons find the locations that they need. Do you just mumble and say "Take the library elevator to get to Level F". Or do you say "Take the library elevator to Level F and to get there you will go through the center doors and take a left to find the library elevator". You can also show directions on a map to help the patron or walk with them if you are able to. The location they are looking for might be another library and they need to know where Magrath Library is for example. Giving good directions is another point that the secret shoppers are looking for. If you are not taking the time to give good, clear directions, it is time to start.