I was in a library the other day, sort of hanging out near the circ desk while I waited for the person I was supposed to be training. (In case you haven’t noticed from my other posts, I spend a lot of time like this!) As I was standing there, the phone rang.
Circ Clerk: (with a smile) Hello! Public Library!
<pause>
CC: (smile fades)Well… (uncertainly) I’m not really sure.
<pause>
CC: Um… I just don’t know. (frowning) On the main highway I suppose. You know,
Main Street .<pause>
CC: It depends on where you are coming from. I don’t really know…
<pause>
CC: East or West? What town are you coming from?
<pause>
CC: Oh, I don’t know where that is. I don’t live right around here…
<pause>
CC: Well, you could ask someone when you get close. We’re really right on
Main Street .<pause>
CC: (with a sudden look of utter confusion) Our Web site? I don’t know… maybe it’s there…
<pause>
CC: OK. Sorry about that. Goodbye.
I’m sure this not the first (nor the last) time someone has called this library for directions. I’m also guessing that they get calls for library hours, event information, renewals, policy questions, and other routine inquiries. Most of which have simple, consistent answers that could be given easily and clearly… if they were pre-scripted.
Do any of your libraries keep a set of typed, canned answers to typical questions somewhere near the main phone? I’ve seen this at libraries from time to time, but it doesn’t strike me as all that widespread a practice. But maybe that’s just my impression.
Nothing so long and complicated that staff would panic trying to find the right answer in a tall stack of densely printed pages… just a short summary of what to say to those questions. Something for the clerks answering the phone to fall back on when they don’t readily know the answer, they forget, there has been a change, or they just space out (we all have those moments!).
This poor lady could have really used a copy of the directions right near the phone… and so could her patron!
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July 19th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
My previous place of work did this - and it was a major help when a person called for directions only a week after I moved into the state! It was also done to ensure that policies were given out accurately and the same for everyone.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:38 pm
Well, at least she answered the phone nicely (which is more than I can say for most of our circ staff).
I think the “script” idea is great. But what I’m wondering is, why didn’t she hand the question off to someone else? Another circ person, or, um, I don’t know, REFERENCE?
Although, just the other day I got a call about directions - from someplace I was completely unfamiliar with (I do not live in the town, either). The guy seemd to be in a huge hurry, so I handed him off to a circ person who is a life-long town resident. She was able to help him right away - imagine that! So, back to my original question - why didn’t the woman who answered the call ask someone else for help?
And, it’s really sad when an employee has no idea what is on the library’s webpage.
Customer service training for everyone!
July 23rd, 2007 at 1:54 pm
The first public library I worked at had a sheet of common answers for the circ people. But it was well known that we should patiently listen to the patron’s question then reply nicely that we didn’t know squat and we’d transfer the call to Reference. I agree, having a sheet was handy for most. Though asking for help, aka, passing the buck is always your best bet.
October 15th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
This is another example of why the circ desk should have an internet connection (and the clerks be trained). The librarian could have gone to Google maps, or Yahoo maps or whatever and just read off the directions for the patron. Easy - I’m sure that is why the patron called - they expected them to look online - not necessarily have it in their own personal information bank. Isn’t that what we do - answer questions because we look them up….