An Analytical survey for improving the front desk Service of FHS Library:

1. An Analytical survey for improving the front desk Service of FHS Library: The Customer Relationship Environment Syed Attaullah Shah Humera Ilhaq Lubna Nizamuddin • Abstract: • The Faculty of Health Sciences Library, AKU provides high quality front-desk services without any bias based on gender, • education, position, race, religion, disability, and User categories such as faculty, students, clinicians, researcher, general staff • etc. Keeping in view psychological, behavioral, attitudinal expectations and needs of Library users and to provide high quality • library service, it is exceedingly challenging For library management to provide and maintain high quality counter service for • its users. For the purpose of evaluation of our current environment and to know about Users expectations and demands • about counter services. A survey is conducted For the library users. The survey form is designed and developed in view of AKU • quality policy, environment, Practices and prospects. For this study, we distributed and then received 60 filled- in survey • forms (questionnaires) from the library customers. Through this survey it was tried to know users approach to services, • psychological, behavioral, attitudinal expectations from counter staff and services; users satisfaction level, users • expectations, good and bad experiences, Suggestions and recommendations • Methodology: • For this Survey a Questionnaire used. Questionnaires were distributed among the library users i.e. Faculty, Students, Clinicians, • Researchers and other general staff who regularly use the library front desk services. The soft copy of questionnaire was • distributed through email and hardcopy by hand. In this qualitative survey. Some Questions were open-ended and some • were close-ended. After collecting the filled Questionnaires the results were tabulated on Excel Sheet and also showed in charts. • Results: • The Users of FHS Library are satisfied, happy with the library front desk services and front desk staff. We received 60 responses • and the majority of them were positive and encouraging, As well as very few concerns were also expressed. The result of the • survey will be very helpful for further improvement and development of our counter services. Whereas, we have already taken • steps to deal with some of these concerns which are expressed by some users. We sent more then 100 survey forms through • email, but unfortunately, especially the faculty did not take interest in this survey except 4 faculty members. The Nursing • students took much interest in filling the survey form, their share is 33% out of total forms of the survey, and Medical students • was 20%. Other remaining respondents from various categories were 40% of the total. According to the analysis; the age • group, students showed their high satisfaction and interest in the development of library services. Their ratio is 60% of the • total filled survey forms. Whereas, the senior users of 40 to 50 years and above 50 filled only 6% of the total submitted forms. • A good number of library users showed their high satisfaction and contentment specially their easy and uncomplicated feelings • during the counter services, behavior and efficiency of library staff during the counter services. In the answer against the • question concerning discrimination, some users took very positive, they were happy that the library staff provides their extra • support in friendship discrimination. Whereas, a majority of customers said that they did not find any discrimination at counter • service. However, a few users showed their concern about gender and status consciousness, discrimination. Most of the users • were highly satisfied in driving attention of library staff, even when they were engaged with other user or work. The most • delighting, encouraging outcome of the survey is the response of a question “How do you compare the library front • desk services with other front desk services of AKU, where do you place the library counter services”. 64% library • users recorded their fulfillment that the performance of library front desk service is better than other counter services • provided by different departments of AKU. Whereas 23% users believed that the performance of library counters are like • other counters of the AKU and 13% said that our service is sometimes good and some times bad in comparison to • other counter services at AKU. While no single respondent under rated the library counter services below any other • counter of AKU. • Need of the Survey • Without good assessment libraries could lose touch with users’ desires and needs and even become irrelevant Activity to • seek and measure the library’s impact on teaching, learning, clinical practice and research. To gather a better awareness • of the interaction between library users and library staff. • To obtain data to know about present planning, management and implementation • To measure that organizations’ mission, values, structure, resources, system, culture, and behavior are being implemented • on what level. Further planning will be based on fact basis • Survey participants: • All categories of library users: i.e. Faculty, Students of different programs, Researchers, Clinicians, and general staff of both • genders and different age groups. • Benchmark: • To test current practices. • To find ways to be close for customers’ benefit. • To improve our self on customers’ advice and to obtain and introduce new ideas of customers • To boost the staff’s morale and encourage them through Evidence Based Librarianship (EBL). • Evidence Based Librarianship (EBL): • An attempt to analyze and implement by users reported observation • criteria to evaluate the standard of services are planned by the librarians for whom the judge of performance is • customer. • Further Research: Need to evaluate the impact of library on education, clinics and Research programs. Behavior of Counter Staff Problem Solving at the Counter Does the Staff Understand Users’ Problems Users’ Level of Satisfaction Comparison with other AKU Counters Seventy Percent Satisfaction 11% Sixty Percent Satisfaction 2% To find exactly what customer want Promote library services • Suggestions received for • library front desk services • Front desk staff should have electronic monitoring • camera system for vigilance inside the library • Please replace old, slow counter computer with a • faster one, • Change the software for books issue and return • They should ask the outsiders for identification • and stop non-authorized people. • Copies of text books should be more • Weaknesses found at the counter: • System is slow • Loss of books that are supposed to be on shelves. • Non-availability of most recent books • Computer system some times does not work Easy Customer Advisory Aware about Duties And Essential Information • Comments of • Library Users • Staff Available and friendly behavior.  • Staff Ready to help any time • Staff is courteous and helpful. • Helpful and cooperative attitude.  • Able to find assistance very easily. • Even if staff is not able to solve problems, • the staff at the counter are very polite. • Well-mannered and helpful staff • Prompt problem solving. • Good staff efficiency and bad computer system • . Good First Impression Helping Hands Courteous Patient