LI850 Making a Difference Presentation

7/28/2019 LI850 Making a Difference Presentation

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Making aDifference:Becoming a

Customer-Centric

Library

Crystal Garcia

LI850XI Leadership and

Information Organizations

Emporia State University


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Customer-Centric?

A customer-centric organization is anorganization that is operated from its

customers point of view

-Marianne Lenox

Hunstville-Madison County Public Library


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Boomtown

Sherwood, Oregon

1990 population = 3,080

2012 population = 18,200


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New Sherwood, Old Sherwood

Newbies

Commuters

Young families

Growth is good

Historical ties

Farming andagriculture

Growth is bad


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Old Library, New Library

Then Now


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New Library

In Civic Building

More space

More staff

More Patrons

More prominentlocation

Much busier!


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Old Library

One room

Not enough spaceClose relationships

with patrons

Small town feel


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The Common LinkAll residents want to feel a connection to theircommunity and feel that their community is connectedto them.


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Why Change?

Library advisory board members reportnegative word-of-mouth.

Increase in negative patron comments.

Increase in patron frustration.


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Why Change? (cont.)

Knowledge is created throughconversations

-David Lankes

What exactly should I be

doing?

Ask your community!


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Desired Change

A customer-centric library is operated fromthe its patrons point of view.

Improved library image

Increased library support

Improved customer service skills

Stronger staff/patron relationships

Improved library services throughconversations with patrons


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Desired Change (cont.)


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Step 1: Establishing a Sense ofUrgency

Need to protect the reputation of thelibrary.

Impending library levy asking voters torenew library funding.


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Word-of-Mouth

While it may be true that the best advertisingis word-of-mouth, never lose sight of the fact

that it can also be the worst advertising.-Jef I. Richards


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Patrons Pass Levies (or dont) Levy funding directly affects the livelihood of

library employees.

Levies are passed every 5 yearsso librarystaff always have to be on.


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Discussing the Crisis

Tell everyone at the same time.

Take into account varying levels ofexperience.

Put everyone on the same page.


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Step 2: Forming a PowerfulGuiding Coalition

Library Manager

Circulation Supervisor

1 Lead Worker

1 Circulation Assistant


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Step 3: The Vision

A customer-centric organizational culturewill reconnect the library with its patrons

and help establish the library as acommunity hub.

Improved interactions between patronsand staff will foster mutually beneficial

relationships.


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Vision into Reality

Change = Learning

Refocus staff training on soft skills


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Strategy #1 Soft Skills Training Series

Customer Communication for

Government Responding to and Assisting People with

Unique Needs

Developing Cross-Cultural Intelligence

What is Emotional Intelligence?


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Strategy #2 Introduce UnifiedServices

Any library service can be conducted atany service point.

Non-hierarchical

Increase staff/patron interaction


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Strategy #3 Empower ThroughEducation

Voluntary participation

1 ALA online course

2 ALA webinars

Explore areas of interest

Become subject experts


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Step 4: Communicating theVision

Frequent and Varied

The Sherwood Gazette

City of Sherwood newsletter, The Archer

Staff newsletter column

Lead by example

Mini presentations/reviews by staff


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Step 5: Remove Obstacles

Professionals vs. Paraprofessionals

Trainings as opportunities

Update library job descriptions


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Step 6: Plan for Short-Term Wins

Implement 2 patron-initiated changeswithin 6 months after training series.

Formally recognize and reward staff withdemonstrated performanceimprovement.


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Step 7: Producing Still MoreChange

Is policy change needed?

Rotate the members of the guiding

coalition.


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Step 8: Institutionalizing NewApproaches

New values will be included in newstaff/volunteer training.

Patron-initiated changes will be routinelyrecognized.


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Time For Change

Our only security is our ability to change.-John Lilly


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ReferencesFyten, M. (2010, March 5). The power of bad word of mouth [Web log comment].

Retrieved from http://brainsatwork.typepad.com/brainswork/2010/03/the-power-of-bad-word-of-mouth.html

Kotter, J. (1995). Leading Change: Why transformational efforts fail. Harvard BusinessReview, 73(2), 59-67.

Lankes, D. (2011). The Atlas of New Librarianship.

Lenox, M. The Customer-Centric Library [powerpoint presentation]. Retrieved fromSlideShare website: http://www.slideshare.net/mlx/the-customercentric-library

Roark, C., & Freemyer, J. Organizational Change. Indiana Wesleyan University.

Woodward, J. (2005). Creating a Customer-Driven Library. American LibraryAssociation.

LI850 Making a Difference Presentation

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