The bandwagon seems really full sometimes. Everyone is jumping on with the new catch of the day or with the most “innovative” ways to do things. And I am (usually) right there cheering it on. When I feel it. I’ve felt it a lot lately. But in the past few days, I find myself feeling like the bandwagon seems a little empty (even when it’s overflowing). The bandwagon makes much noise. Much hoopla. Maybe too much?
When the bandwagon begins to feel like the status quo mobile, it’s probably time to jump off. Or at least move out of its way (lest you be told you’re raining on the parade). What’s a little rain, though, if the bandwagon is strong enough to withstand it.
Let it rain.
library
Keep Them Turning (and Returning)
Where in the world have I been? Not recently posting…thoughtthe mental posts have been flying off left and right, they haven’t made their way to “Yes to Know” yet…tonight, I plan to break that pattern. I’d like to say I’ve been on a world class holiday to an exotic locale–who wouldn’t–what I have been on is a jouney into the Realms of Meetings, meetings, meetings–to the point of brain frizzle at times in the past month or so. It’s all good…pushing my bounds for sitting and thinking out loud as well as listening and rolling with it, working to keep a vision even during some blurry moments—in other words, I’m involved in a huge work project that is absorbing most every last minute of my day.
In the middle of this series of meetings and changing the world as we know it, I went away for 5 days to the Duke Writer’s Workshop where I attending a novel writing workshop led by novelist Lynn York. A great workshop where I learned more about the craft of writing as well as the craft of letting-go (re: very little Internet connection and dealing with the urge to check in at work each hour while away far back into a mountain retreat center).
So…any good lesson is one worth applying across many fields: One of the ideas that floated to the surface in the workshop is that writer’s really must consider what keeps the reader turning the page. What will drive them on to the end of the story? Makes sense. Plot, love of character, suspense, you get it…
Nooooooooooow, tell me this: what do we do to keep our customers “turning the page?” What do we do to keep the returning? What do we consciously create to make the experience of walking through our doors a “new chapter” each time? Are we changing out the scenery (take a note from your favorite retailer–try Urban Outfitters, you can work wonders with a few cans of paint, newspaper and and old sofa!)? Are we catching them just before they walk out the door with a taste of why they should come back ( a list of soon to be releaseed books, cds or dvds). Are we spending as much time thinking about what will bring back our users again and again as we are sitting in meetings?
Overwhelm Them!
Is anything more important–but less interesting to say–than “Customer Service?”The way I think about it is this: If you don’t have a focused aim (such as “every customer is going to leave here wanting to come back again–soon”) and instead have a generalized view of customer engagement (such as “we give good customer service” or “we have high service excellence standards”) you will hit your mark everytime–and that mark will manifest itself as vague “friendly service” –and what this really means is “general mediocrity.” I was perusing a book online today and came across this passage:
“If we served people the way we want to be served we wouldn’t have ‘situations.’ The problem is that most of us don’t want to serve. ‘Serve’ is a nasty word–something we did to make our way through high school or college. In the real world we think, it’s not by job to serve people below me!‘”
It’s true. Come on, take off that I’m-here-to-serve halo and admit it. Service is an important and necessary need, but it has an ugly reputation. So, let’s give it a make-over. First, let’s stop using the phrase “customer service” so much. Let’s stop saying we’re here to “serve.” How about we’re hear to “delight,” “intrigue,” “expand opportunities,” or–even better–OVERWHELM.
Let’s make it our aim to have each customer leave feeling overwhelmed, not underwhelmed–and feeling more than “well, I got the book (or form or sandwich or paycheck–yes staff are our customers too–don’t leave them underwhelmed) I was looking for.”
I propose this:
A new customer engagement motto:
WE OVERWHELM OUR CUSTOMERS IN NEW AND JUICY WAYS WITH EACH VISIT!”
Now that’s a motto that excites me, and I’d rise up to meet that challenge each day! How about you?
5 "Why Nots?" for Libraries
Here they are–fresh off the top of my head (well, I’ve been holding onto a couple of these for a while, time to let them go)…5 no-brainers for libraries.
I wonder why Libraries don’t…
1. Play the cd’s that we have in our collections IN the library. Think: A small sign that says “Like what you’re hearing? You can check it out NOW!”
2. Sell stamps at the circulation desk (everyone needs stamps).
3. Put shelters over our outdoor book drops.
4. Unlock those program doors and let people gather in them just to talk–yes, just to talk (the non-program program!)
5. Stop charging overdue fees–especially for children. (For all you avid policy-makers out there, just borrow a few lines from Netflix…it’ll be ok. If madness ensues, at least you’ll make the cover of Library Journal!)
Yes, that last one is a big one. But, why not?!
Apologies to any libraries who are already doing any (or all?) of these.
Unleash The Talent
How well do you know the staff members that work right beside you…the ones that you interact with periodically but sometimes forget their names…or even the ones you supervise on a daily basis? A better question than this–as far as a productive work environment goes–how well do you know the staff member’s skills and talents? Or just plain old interests. Simple as that. What we are finding more and more is that if you aren’t tapping into the best talents and skills of a staff member (regardless of whether these talents and skills fit directly into their prescribed job description) then the best work and optimal job satisfaction is not being touched on. It’s not just about getting the job done, folks. We’re talking impact on on many levels. It’s all holographic…many levels, many activities, all moving parts contributing to a whole.
So, let me get grounded here…. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal suggests that we’re often overlooking the talent that surrounds us each day as we look for something more elusive, some talent that rests in another organization or another business.When–surprise–some of our best talent is right outside our door, left to plug away at tasks or duties, often uninspired and stale. The article points out: “Companies are filled with alienated employees who feel underutilized and ignored, and are either coasting or searching for new jobs elsewhere. A whopping 70% of U.S. employees say they feel either ‘not engaged’ or “actively disengaged” at work, according to a recent survey by the Gallup Organization. “
There are pockets of skill, talent–shall we say even passion? Why not? These pockets are often only as deep as we delve. The article goes on to say that “coaching” is the key to tapping into and opening up this talent. True in most cases. Personally, I am a bit over the word “coaching” as it is so used and misused and often a cop-out practice by organizations when some staff simply need to be managed out of a system and encouraged to move on. I don’t know if it’s so much about “coaching” a staff member to help them flourish as it is about just starting to recognize them as having something beneficial that can feed into an existing program or service and amp it up. It doesn’t have to be a planned process so much as a nod to “go ahead, run with that idea.” Who couldn’t name at least one person who could bring a new voice, a new perspective, a new spin or sparkle to an existing service just by being invited into the loop? Why don’t we invite them in? Take the leash off their necks (and desks). Free them up for a day, a week, a month to run wild with a idea. Great things could happen. The process alone is freeing, and in that it is great. If you recongizea skill or talent or simply a good idea on the job–recognize it, name it immediately…you will likely unleash a tethered talent. And follow-up…young talent, especially, can be strong–but shy.
Break The Rules, Create Anew
Since Helene posted Joyce Valenza’s New 2.0 Rules, I have found myself either referring to them, reflecting on them, or going back and reading them again and again. Just today I was in a (loooong) meeting (now that’s the way to start a Monday off right, kiddos!), when a meeting participant made the comment that it was really “management’s” job to make sure that staff are on target with needed training. First of all, for once and for all, can we please stop referring to the nebulous “management.” I think the “they” in statements like “They won’t let us” is the same group as “management” as in “management is holding us back, man!” So, with this thought on the tip of my brain and a magic marker in my hand, I ran to the first flip chart available and wrote boldly one of Joyce’s new 2.0 rules on the paper: Train Thyself! And so it is. Handholding is allowed in the 2.0 world, but just for kicks. You’ve got to have both hands on the keyboard and striking out on your own course of learning, training , and discovery. If you’re waiting for a manager or supervisor to come to you and suggest you take this or that session, you may as well have him or her pack your lunch and cut the edges off your p&j. Take the reigns, pros of the future. There is so much available to us, so much learning and unlearning we can do right from the comfort of our own laptops or even on a lunchbreak. The classroom is wherever you happened to be connected or intrigued or wanting more. Dig deeper…on your own terms and with your own motivation (there is no other kind…but that’s a rant for another day). Now go read Joyce’s New Rules…and get to learning, shaking, rethinking, moving, acting, changing your world!
Barriers Part 2
In an earlier post I discussed psychological barriers that can be imposed on library users. What about the plain old fashioned “physical barriers?” Those are the ones that we have to deal with every day and in a really obvious way. So why are they there? Best intentions. Truly, it is the best intentions (at least I want to believe it is) that causes libraries to stick up enter/exit bars and winding paths of stanchions to get to the check-out desk. We say we’re helping keep order, keeping our users from getting confused or losing their ways. Hmmm, how about just cluttering up their paths? You’ll see in this photo that the stationary barriers are still there (not much we can do about those without the use of heavy equipment…though we should–and I say WILL–must believe we WILL). But, you’ll see a lot of freed-up space in the lobby behind them. This is now USABLE space because the imposing (and not-so-pretty) mismatched stanchions were removed. And guess what? People know how to form a line (or lines) on their own. Why do we think we have to direct them to a station? Even on the busiest days since the stanchions were removed, people find their way. They fall–you got it–in line! Now to get rid of those hardcore enter/exit bars…the ones that smack you in the gut because you entered through the exit line (this happens more times than you can count–to users and staff). There are better ways! We’ll never implement them if we don’t challenge ourselves and TRUST our users–and ourselves–to be, well, smart–and human!
Yes to Know 