Customer Service Standards

Approachable. Access services staff are ready to greet approaching patrons. We stop all activities and conversations when patrons approach the desk. We focus on the patron. This means we:

• Look up or stand up, establish eye contact, and smile.
• Speak to the patron first and ask if we can be of assistance.
• End conversations when a patron approaches the desk; avoid personal conversations at the desk.
• Place and receive personal telephone calls only when away from the desk.
• Take work to the desk that does not demand undivided attention or deep concentration.

Communicate Well. We listen carefully and are interested in patrons' questions. This means we:

• Listen carefully.
• Ask questions to clarify problems, avoid putting the patron in a defensive position.
• Confirm an understanding of a patron's need through verbal and nonverbal communication.
• Speak plainly; avoid technical jargon and library terms.
• Respect and adapt to the different communication styles of our diverse user community.
• Follow up on problems reported by patrons. Communicate personally with patrons so they know how a problem was resolved or how it will be addressed.

Courteous. We respect individual patrons and are courteous. This means we:

• Are patient, polite.
• Maintain a calm and pleasant manner even when a patron is demanding, unreasonable, or unpleasant.
• Request backup when a patron exceeds the boundaries of acceptable behavior.

Modeled on Boston College O'Neill Library, Access Services, Service Desk Standards

February 2006