Customer Service to Children & Teens

1. Customer Service to Children & Teens Geoffrey Gregory, CATS Division Grand Junction, CO August 15, 2014

2. Discussion of Issue Brainstorm.

3. Why practice good customer service? (for babies, children, teens, and caregivers)

4. Why practice good customer service?

5. Strategies for promoting positive customer service. Brainstorm.

6. Strategies for promoting positive customer service, cont. • customer service checklist/badge, annual performance review. • message from the top: why welcome children in the library (financial reason). • staff training on working with kids and teens. • community outreach events requirement • daily huddles-- all staff & departments. • mandatory summer reading training for all staff.

7. Strategies for promoting positive customer service, cont. • learn names of regulars of both parents and caregivers • emphasis on building relationships and meeting kids where they are. • effort to serve kids with special needs. • http://www.ala.org/alsc/edcareeers/alsccorecomps Competencies for Librarians Serving Children in Public Libraries • Training: Every Child Ready to Read @ Your Library Overview (HPLD- Colleen) • Other?

8. Role Playing: Bad Example/Good Example Your supervisor, when talking with customers and staff, sarcastically refers to children as “the little darlings”. A clerk shows no enthusiasm whenever a child arrives to receive their summer reading prize. A baby is crying loudly while the mother continues to look for books. Two twelve year old girls remain outside the library after it closes. A four year old boy comes to the desk and says he can’t find his father.

9. Conclusion