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Effective Reference Encounters: Achieving Service Excellence

Effective Reference Encounters: Achieving Service Excellence. Preconference Presented by Marie L. Radford, Ph.D. mradford@scils.rutgers.edu British Columbia Library Association, Burnaby, BC, Canada 1:30pm-4:30pm April 16, 2009. AGENDA. Defining & Delivering Excellent Service

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Effective Reference Encounters: Achieving Service Excellence

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  1. Effective Reference Encounters:Achieving Service Excellence Preconference Presented by Marie L. Radford, Ph.D. mradford@scils.rutgers.edu British Columbia Library Association, Burnaby, BC, Canada 1:30pm-4:30pm April 16, 2009

  2. AGENDA • Defining & Delivering Excellent Service • In FtF & Virtual Environments • Promoting Positive Encounters • Stress & Problematic Behavior • Approachability & NV Communication • Overcoming Barriers to Excellence

  3. Reference Environment:What’s Changed? More complex society, systems, sources, & services. Factors adding to complexity: High Tech Rapid Change Time Constraints Budget Constraints Diversity of Users 3

  4. Why Bother?? Satisfied? Remembers 18 months Tells 4-8 friends Dissatisfied? Remembers 23.5 months Tells 9-16 friends Takes 7 things going right to recover from 1 thing going wrong!

  5. Management Literature Comes to Consensus Front-line staff are vital link. Must be empowered to address user needs: Knowledge Authority Adequate Resources Confidence Training 5

  6. If we can reduce the stressful encounters and multiplythe satisfying ones, our working lives will be more enjoyable! 6

  7. Expectations: 2 Views Users -Short-term objective -Immediate gratification -Expects to use less effort than actually required -Technological Idolatry Librarians -Long-term objective(s) -Creation of “Independent User” -Instruction Opportunity -Expects good attitude & effort

  8. From Library USER’s Point of View Satisfaction increases Complaints decrease Positive library experience enforces positive feelings From YOUR Point of View Numbers go up Support up PR improved Morale up Effectiveness up Your day is pleasant! Service Excellence: 2 Views

  9. Reference Research Radford & Connaway Seeking Synchronicity Chat (2005-2008) Radford Encountering Virtual Users (2006) The Reference Encounter (1999) Approach or Avoidance? (1998) Dewdney & Michell (1996) Oranges & Peaches Ross & Dewdney (1994) Best Practices Relationships & communication important for success & satisfaction Present in all venues FtF, e-mail, & chat! 9

  10. Dual Dimensions Content The “WHAT” Information exchange Relational “HOW” message is to be taken Relationship of participants 10

  11. Reference Success: 2 Views Users Highly value Librarian’s attitude & personal qualities. Some value interpersonal aspects more than receipt of info. In VR info valued highly. Librarians Highly value content, transfer of info. Also value relationship qualities (but to a lesser degree). 11

  12. ALA/RUSAGuidelines(2004) Components Approachability Interest Listening/Inquiring Searching Follow-up

  13. Approachability & Interest Extremely important for service excellence Mostly communicated nonverbally 13

  14. Activity Approachability Quiz 14

  15. Nonverbal Communication Messages 65% or more of communication Powerful, instant, judgments Diverse user base, likely to be NV differences Wrong to interpret NV behavior of one culture = NV behavior of another See handout for NV behaviors

  16. Positive NV Behaviors Immediately acknowledges user Frequent eye contact Nods, or indicates that request is being understood Uses sympathetic noises (mmm) Holds head up Cheerful facial expression Leans forward 16

  17. Negative NV Behaviors No immediate acknowledgment No change when approached Stays seated Body turned away “Do not disturb” posture Annoying nervous gestures Makes negative noises Uses sharp tone of voice 17

  18. Major Cause of Problematic Behavior STRESS • Interpersonal relationships with co-workers & library users are the major source of stress to library staff • But also the major source of satisfaction!

  19. Causes of STRESS • Modern Life • Economic Woe • Emotional Woe • Relationships • Staff Stressors • Short staffing • Ever-growing & competing user demands, expectations • Lack of compensation • Time pressure - overwork

  20. TECHNOSTRESS • Stress brought on by dealing with technology • Rapid change • Software problems • Hardware meltdown • Training lag • Technological idolatry • Upgrade fatigue

  21. Burnout – Another Type of Stress Characteristics: • diminished personal accomplishment • emotional exhaustion • depersonalization

  22. Who is Most Susceptible to Burnout? • People in helping professions who have significant amounts of interpersonal contact. • Sound familiar?

  23. 10 Trends Complicating Our Lives- Making us Cranky Compressed Time Communication Overload Dis-Connectedness Cost Competition Customer Contact Computers Change Coming of Age Complexity (Adapted from Charles, 1999)

  24. Activity • Cranky Quotient

  25. Coping with STRESS Yours & Theirs • Lowering Your Stress- Common Sense • Rest, Exercise, Nutrition • Spirituality/Meditation • Balance Work/Fun • Beating Burnout – “Triple A” Approach • Awareness, Analysis, Action • Knowing Strategies when Other is Stressed • Be Prepared for Stressful Encounters • Reduce Stressful Encounters

  26. BREAK TIME Please return on time, Thanks! 26

  27. Video Clips

  28. Small Group Activity • Break into groups of 3 • Remember a difficult interaction you had (or observed) recently with a library user. • What happened? • What went well? Not so well? • What did you learn? • What would you do differently? • Take turns discussing. • Report out.

  29. Take the LAST Approach for Difficult Interactions • Listen • Apologize • Solve Problem • Thank Them!

  30. HALT! • Hungry • Angry • Late • Tired

  31. When the Answer is NO… • Focus on what you CAN do, vs. CAN’T do • Offer alternatives • Offer partial accommodation • Show genuine regret • Provide some explanation • Broken Record Technique - be polite, but firm in repeating “no” if necessary

  32. Chat vs. FtF -- Similarities? Real Time Negotiating Questions Answering Questions Service Excellence as Goal Diverse Variety of Users Building Relationships Time Pressure! 32

  33. VRS Session Times Session time Mean – 12.42 Minutes Median – 12 Minutes Minimum – 12 Seconds Maximum – 71 Minutes Wait time Mean – 1.87 Minutes Median – 1 Minute Minimum – 1 Second Maximum – 67 Minutes 33

  34. Chat vs. FtF – Differences? Keyboard Woes! Lack of NV Cues! Limited Knowledge of User Limited Knowledge of Available Resources Technical Problems Transcript produced Other Differences? 34

  35. Transcript Analysis Results 2 Major Themes Relational Facilitators Aspects with positive impact on interaction that enhance communication. Relational Barriers Aspects with negative impact on interaction that impede communication. 35

  36. Transcript Examples Natural Resources of Washington (Positive) Question Type: Ready Reference Subject Type: Economics Duration: 19 min., 21 sec. Telekinetic Powers (Negative) Question Type: Subject Search Subject Type: Parapsychology & Occultism Duration: 7 min., 29 sec. Physics (Negative) Question Type: Subject Search Subject Type: Physics Duration: 17 min., 8 sec.

  37. Small Group Activity • Looking at transcripts • Facilitators, Barriers • What works? • What doesn’t work so well? • Comments?

  38. Recommendations: Chat & FtF See Recommendations in handout Training in basic interpersonal skills Awareness user may need reassurance Recognize & provide reassurance Awareness of appropriate self-disclosure When to disclose Acknowledgment of user’s self-disclosure Humor – importance of acknowledgment 38

  39. More Recommendations Greetings & Closings. Beware negative closure! Beware robotic scripts! Inclusion (use of we, let’s, etc.). Take cue from user & mirror relational strategies. Don’t B afraid 2 use informal language, abbreviations & emoticons as appropriate. 39

  40. What Library Users Expect… • You care • Keep Promises • “Fair Fix” • Apology (if appropriate) • Professional Response

  41. Bottom Line for Service Excellence • Area of Ongoing Improvement, but… • Worth it!! • See list of additional readings. • Questions?

  42. End Notes This is one of the outcomes from the project Seeking Synchronicity: Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, and Librarian Perspectives Funded by IMLS, Rutgers University, & OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. Special thanks to Co- PI, Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, OCLC Project web site:http://www.oclc.org/research/projects/synchronicity/

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