CUSTOMER SERVICE IN IIM LUCKNOW LIBRARY By Mr. Shantanu Ganguly Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, India & Assoc. Prof. Dinesh K. Gupta VMOU, Kota India ABSTRACT Information is user-driven, its quality and timely availability significantly contributes in affectivity and efficiency of decision-making process. Successful libraries and information services have demonstrated the real value of customer service. Therefore, a strong customer services programme in library and information centers brings out quality service for their clienteles resulting into increased customer base. Customer service underlines everything done in the library, from structuring, process to the methods employed to make information available to users. An explicit customer service plan gives an opportunity to evaluate the service, design, delivery and outcomes. The effective customer service establishes sustainable communication between the library and the users which ultimately helps in creating customer loyalty and long-term relationships. Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of customer service and outline the practices and conditions required to provide excellent customer service in libraries and information centers. Design/methodology/approach – The concept of service being at the core of the library profession and the role of libraries to lifelong learning are reiterated to emphasize the importance of quality customer service in libraries and information centers. Findings – The paper presents ways to establish an effective customer service plan in libraries and provides examples and models for better customer service initiatives. It will also discuss the various customer service strategies implemented for the internal and external customers of the IIM-Library and Information Center. It will also depict that with the implementation of various steps of customer service to enhance customer base has increased over the period. Research limitations/implications – The paper shows the limitation of being the case study of one of the leading management institution in India. This approach paper may be useful for those institutions which are working in the similar kind of environment. Practical implications – The paper provides a practical help and a useful source of information for libraries planning to set up customer service programs or to improve their customer service efforts. 1 INTRODUCTION In today’s changing scenario, libraries have to rethink their services and their position in the internet age, because nowadays information seems to be at everyone’s fingertips very easily, the role of libraries in the information chain is no longer accepted without question and new approaches including the commercial approach came to the management of information. The concept of customer service is continually emerging as sound business practices in libraries. The people who deliver information products and services must have an understanding of customer service, must be comfortable with the 'idea' of serving the users who come to them for information, and must be willing to incorporate good customer service practices into their daily interactions with users. Anything less threatens the very existence of the service they are chartered to provide. This paper focuses on the customer services aspects implemented in the IIM-Lucknow Library. IMPORTANCE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE Why is the subject of customer service only now coming to our attention? Why have librarians and other information services practitioners not thought about customer satisfaction before now, and why have words like 'customer' and 'client' begun to replace the library's 'user,' 'patron,' and the charmingly quaint (or so it seems now) 'reader'? The answers would seem to have to do with two changes in our society in recent years, both of which are much connected to the easy availability of information (especially with the many continuing successes in information technology) and the broad-based acceptance of information as a commodity, to be handled and treated as any other commodity is handled and treated these two changes are the evolvement of other, more discreet methods of information management, some of which have grown out of traditional librarianship, and our society's new requirement in this much vaunted 'information age' - for the precision of the information function. For most enquirers (except in scholarly pursuits, perhaps, or the preparation for a new theory or concept on the part of the enquirer), the route to the information is irrelevant. What they want is the specific piece of information or, at least, a referral to a source for that information. Generally speaking, today's enquirers are not interested in bibliographic instruction, in being educated in how to find the information. They want the information, and all else just gets in the way. Customer service itself, as a management concept, must be explored, and the best beginning is provided by Karl Albrecht, who with Ron Zemke wrote a seminal work on customer service in the service (as opposed to the manufacturing) economy. Albrecht provides a useful definition, one we can translate directly into information services management: “Service management is a total organizational approach that makes quality of service, as perceived by the customer, the number one driving force for the operation of the business.” 2 Jacqueline Dunckel and Brian Taylor have created a definition that, works well for the information services field: Customer service, or good customer relations, can be described as expectations: • • • • The expectation that a product will produce the benefits promised The expectation that the service will be of the standard promised The expectation that, if expectations are not met, the seller will make good on the promise. Related to the Albrecht and Dunckel and Taylor approaches to customer service is a third concept which adapts perfectly for the information services manager. Leslie Harps gave a presentation in January, 1992, in which she outlined three key concepts: 1. Customer service must be treated as part of your marketing strategy. Good customer service and satisfied customers don't just happen. You have to work at them. 2. Your front-line people can be an incredible resource for you, if you select, train and support them properly. Do you hire front-line people for their customer relations skills, or for their data entry skills? 3. You need to determine how easy you are to do business with, from the customer's point of view. With these concepts in mind, it is appropriate to proceed to the role of a customer service philosophy in the delivery of quality information services. While most of the ideas described originated in the business community, there is no reason to deny their applicability to the library or information services environment. It is commonly accepted that quality customer service is based on two requirements, a formal strategy for quality customer service, and a commitment to hiring front-line people selected, trained and supported (as Harps emphasizes) with customer-service goals in mind. These concepts enable the information services manager to examine customer services programs and to make recommendations for improved services. It is necessary, for the effective maintenance of library or information services programs, that the good will of users be maintained, and the problem can be seen as a business- or support- related one: The staff must treat the users as customers because, in effect, they are. Without the customers, there would be no need for the library or information services unit to exist. So the basic questions to be asked are: • • How good is your customer service? How easy are you to do business with? 3 Meg Paul, have synthesized basic requirements for quality service, especially in terms of the relationship among staff, library or information services management, and senior management in the parent organization or community. If all stakeholders in the delivery of information can agree to subscribe to what Paul calls 'A Philosophy of Service,' the information service is well on its way to succeeding in the provision of quality information to its customers Keeping in mind the Meg Paul’s Philosophy of Quality Service, we coined our own Philosophy of Quality Service, which is described as under: Meg Paul’s Philosophy of Quality Service 1. People come first. 2. We give accurate and reliable information. 3. We are serious about our high level of service. 4. We cannot afford to give one wrong answer. 5. We are accessible and easy to approach. 6. We are doers we work hard. 7. We want our staff to be happy working for us. 8. Service is a state of mind. People must care and have a desire to do it right and do it now. 9. The client is always right. 10. Everyone must be thinking about how to do his/her job better and more effectively. 11. Enthusiasm and faith are necessary to remove barriers and increase productivity and decrease costs. IIM-Lucknow Library’s Philosophy of Quality Service 1. We always give top priority to our clients –both internal and external customers 2. Customers satisfaction level judge the accuracy and reliability of the information. 3. We think and re-think our service very seriously 4. Before giving wrong answers to the customer we analyze twice and its repercussion in short term and long term 5. Any customer, any time can approach us through telephone call, personal meet, email, chatting etc. 6. We work hard to cater the best service to our clients 7. Staff motivation programme and job rotation is carried out to break the monotony of work 8. We are always on out toe and proactive to respond the best 9. We develop innovative ideas for effective service. 4 CONCEPT OF CUSTOMER SERVICE Customer service is defined as an organization’s ability to consistently meet the needs and expectations of its customers. In the corporate world, the emphasis on customer service has been described as a marketing concept of business management. When an organization has adopted the marketing concept, it “moves from a product orientation to a customer orientation . . . The foundation of the marketing concept is a business philosophy that leaves no doubt in the mind of every employee that customer satisfaction is of primary importance. All energies are directed toward satisfying the customer” (Kaliski, 2001). According to the marketing concept, an organization must determine what the customers want and use this information to create satisfying products and services. Providing excellent customer service entails making every effort to satisfy the customers’ requests. Over the years libraries have adopted successful customer service strategies from the corporate world. Many academic libraries in the India now provide round-the-clock access to the libraries to meet the demand for longer hours by students. The libraries have discovered that students still need human interaction despite the convenience of digital access. Technology is moving us toward 24-hour teaching and learning. A 24hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week library accommodates students who want to work on their own clock. People who use the libraries are often called users, readers, patrons, or clients. The term “customer” is applied to the library setting when libraries start to implement customer service strategies. A “customer” seeks a product or a service, and spends money, time or energy in the process. Customers have expectations and needs, and those expectations and needs must be translated into service in libraries. CUSTOMER SERVICE IN LIBRARIES Traditionally libraries tend to be judged by their facilities and their collections, for example, by the square meters of floor space, and by the number of volumes on the shelves and the number of journals or databases subscribed to. A library with over a million volumes and a hundred databases is considered better than one with only half of those numbers. Nevertheless, what if the library of over a million volumes does not make its books, journals and other materials available in a timely and consistent manner? What if the library employees are unavailable when customers need help? What if customers frequently encounter indifferent attitude and unprofessional behavior of the library staff? What would the customers think of this library? Regardless of the size of its collection and the fantastic facility, the library would be considered to have done a very poor service. To the customers, the library would be nothing but “a white elephant”, valuable, expensive but ineffective and useless. 5 Library is a service profession. The service is access to books and information as well as advice and assistance the library staff provides to the users (Gupta and Ashok, 2002). “Our services are the product we sell” (Kalan, 2002). “We provide the highest level of service to all library users through appropriate and usefully organized resources; equitable service policies; equitable access; and accurate, unbiased, and courteous responses to all requests” (American Library Association Policy Manual). Libraries have a fundamental role to play in the development of strategies for lifelong learning. Libraries’ multifaceted informational, educational, social and cultural roles provide excellent learning opportunities for the diverse user population. An outstanding customer service makes libraries’ contribution to lifelong learning more effective. In the business sectors customers mean profits. Excellent service and happy customers mean bigger profits. Poor service can be measured in lost revenue. In libraries, however, happy customers may not translate into direct profits but they do mean a more highly regarded and valued library service (Pinder and Melling (1996). Good quality service can improve our professional image and prove our worth in support of lifelong learning and thus enhance our social status. For effective customer service plan, the library should focus at: - Well-defined service strategy Users needs must be well understood and be well addressed Policies and procedures must support the quality of interaction with the users The Environment must attract the users Employees should be empowered to solve users problems Training and Retraining of employees for improved level of services, Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow (IIML) The Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow is one of the six national level management institutes set up the Government of India. The institute’s mission is “to help improve the management of the corporate and the non-corporate sectors and also the public systems, through pursuit of excellence in management education, research, consultancy and training”. 6 Objectives In order to respond effectively to the societal needs, the Institute aims at: Influencing management practices of the corporate enterprises through this Postgraduates teaching programmes for the young, prospective managers and the working for the young, training of corporate executives, consultancy and research. The research programmes are oriented towards developing management systems that are most suitable in the Indian Context. Strengthening the management systems in the under managed non-corporate organizations, including the non-profit organizations and the public systems, and exploring the possibilities of applying knowledge from the corporate sector in order to improve management practices in the non-corporate sectors. Helping to enhance the managerial effectiveness of the educational and innovative systems with particular emphasis on the management of technology and devising mechanism to facilitate application of research findings to solve ground level problems in business and society. Activities In order to fulfill its objectives, the Institute undertakes a diverse range of academic and professional activities aimed at creation, dissemination and application of management knowledge to the various sectors of the economy and society. Post Graduate Programme in Management: for developing young men and women into leaders who can make a difference in domestic and global business and industries. Post graduate Programme in Agri-Business Management: the objective of the programme is to develop agri-business leaders, entrepreneurs with a vision, competence and appropriate attitude for managing agro-based enterprises with a strong international orientation. Fellow Programme in Management: for providing high quality education to scholars for pursuing careers as teachers, researchers, trainers and consultants in management. NOIDA center – Post Graduate Programme in Business Management for Working Managers: the programme is for working executives, entrepreneurs and professionals especially structured to meet learning aspirations of enthusiastic and bright, and will inculcate in them strong conceptual fundamentals and skills required to mange businesses of the future. Management Development Programmes: for helping to improve management systems in India by providing relevant training to executives in industry, government and the non-government sectors to take on leadership roles. Research: for strengthening the knowledge base relevant to practice of management for the corporate sectors. The institute also aims at making major contributions in management research for the non-corporate sector. 7 Consulting services: for solving problems in the various kinds of organizations spread across different sectors of the economy and upgrading their management practices. Publications: For disseminating new knowledge generated through various research projects and case studies and to strengthen the knowledge base in management. Gyanodaya: Library – The Learning Resource Center Keeping in view the vision and mission of the Institute, the library has been established "to promote knowledge generation and application through its effective dissemination". The library acts as the main learning resource centre of the Institute and cater services and facilities to meet the requirements of the Institute's teaching, training, research and consultancy programmers. The library of IIM Lucknow characterizes what the institute stands for - accessibility, vision and excellence. This spacious 30,000 square ft two storied library is a repository of knowledge both historical and current. Students can use this 24 hr facility to cement the knowledge they have gained by gaining an insight of its implementation. Some of the prime objectives of the library are: • • • To support the learning process of the PGP/FPM/MDP students through provision of knowledge/information. To meet knowledge/information needs of the faculty, to support their teaching activities. To meet knowledge/information needs of the faculty and research staff to support their research activities. 8 • To respond effectively, where possible, to the knowledge/information needs of the Institute's client systems. MISSION AND VISION OF IIM-LUCKNOW LIBRARY In keeping with the vision and mission of the Institute, the library has been established "to promote knowledge generation and application through its effective dissemination". The library, therefore, acts as the main learning resource centre of the Institute and provides services and facilities to meet the requirements of the Institute's teaching, training, research and consultancy programmers. STAKEHOLDERS OF THE LIBRARY The various range of customer of Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow are as under. These stakeholders get full learning resources support and services from the library. There are lots of variables in their demands. Stakeholders Resources Internal Customers Post Graduate Programme Students Books, Periodicals, EDatabases, Fellow Programme Students Books, Periodicals, EDatabases, Faculty Members Books, Periodicals, Online Journals, E-Databases, Case Studies, VCDs, DVDs, Corporate Reports, Working Papers, Occasional Papers Research Associates Books, Periodicals, EDatabases, Visiting Faculty Members Books, Periodicals, Online Journals, E-Databases, Case Studies, External Customers Individuals Books, Periodicals Members of the Books, Periodicals, Online Corporate/Industries Journals, E-Databases, Corporate Reports Members of the Government Books, Periodicals, Online Institutions Journals, E-Databases, Members of the NGOs Books, Periodicals, Online Journals, E-databases 9 CUSTOMER SERVICES AT IIML As mentioned earlier, in Gyanodaya: The Learning Resource Center of IIM-Lucknow, we have both internal and external customers. Any bonafide customer who is registered with the library, will be rendered utmost care and services. We believe in the following message saying” “Atithi Devo Bhava” (Meaning: “Visitors are like God”) Looking at the growing demand from the users and time to time to the changing curriculum and teaching methodology of the faculty members, not only we have automated our entire collection, which is available though OPAC and WEB-OPAC but also, we have developed new innovative e-based services for the customers. With the advent in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and also to cater value added information services to their wide range of users, a library portal was developed to provide the entire collection of resources on the user’s desktop. Please find below a glimpse of the library portal. The Library portal is accessible through intranet only. This portal can be accessed through intranet. The entire library is wi-fi enabled; therefore, any bonafide user can bring their lap top and can access the resources from any square of the library. The following resources and services can be accessed through this virtual gateway: Information Services OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue) Current Contents Current Additions Bibliography and Documentation Forthcoming events Newsclipping services Photo gallery E-Resources E-Journals Online Databases Video Library Virtual Library E-Books Digital Institutional Repository 10 OTHER MAJOR SERVICES OFFERED TO THE CUSTOMERS In no way, we have stopped providing the traditional services, because some of the customers always rely and depend on traditional information services. Please find below a list of traditional library services catered to the internal and external customers of IIML Library. 1. Free and Fee based Information Services We offer a package of wide range of services. (both free and fee based services). A member would be entitled to receive a free copy of each of the library's Current Awareness Bulletins. These include: Current Additions of books and reports; and (ii) Current Contents of periodicals. 2. Reprographic Services On request, photocopy/ies of the document/s available in the library may be provided subject to copyright restrictions. The fee for this service will be determined by the Institute from time to time, on the basis of variable and overhead costs. 3. Retrospective Searches On request, retrospective literature searches, on topics of interest, will be conducted by the library. The service would include all the sources held by the library in print, nonprint as well as the magnetic media and the charges will depend on comprehensiveness of the service required. 4. Customized Information Services On demand, the library can provide customized information services by collecting data from different sources based on the requirement of the clientele. This package information services is going to be priced. In addition library can also service wherein monthly lists of articles matching the interest profiles of the members, would be sent to keep them updated with the latest literature coming in the most recent issues of national and international periodicals. The service would cover more than 562 periodical titles and the charges will depend on the comprehensiveness of the service required. 5. Borrowings Borrowing facilities will be extended to a member against a refundable deposit provided that the member concerned gives an undertaking that the book/s will not be taken outside Lucknow and will be returned within 24 hours as and when asked to do so. A member would be entitled to borrow a maximum of four books at a time for a 11 retention period of 30 days. Over-retention charged per day upto a maximum of 90 days beyond which the membership will be cancelled and deposit forfeited. CUSTOMER SERVICE MODEL At IIM, Lucknow library after all the Library Advisory Committee meetings, visits to other institutions, informal discussions among other staff of the institutions, the conversations among the information services staff about how to deal with this or that particular user. We have put together the facts gathered about customer expectations and perceptions. We have developed our own concept from a concept of Michael leBoeuf's statement which will enable it to change users' perceptions and expectations about the information services unit. 1. Develop a user profile: Draw up a clear picture of who the information unit's customers are and what their needs are. This activity will vary from organization to organization, but basically the information services staff is looking at such things as demographics, personal characteristics, professional interests, and the like. Much of this will be discovered, of course, as the information services staff attempts to profile the user's information needs for journal routing, the selective dissemination of information, automatic announcements about new purchases, etc. At the same time, however, staff will record or at least take note of - personal quirks or requirements or any other information that can be used to make the information interaction flow more smoothly. [At IIM-Lucknow Library, we have developed a user profile database based on the requirements of the internal and external customers needs and requirements, the particular department, they are teaching etc. Over the years, the library personnel so trained that they are able to judge that as a customer enters the library, they are able to judge what information he will looking for.] 2. Look at the information services unit through the user's eyes: [The library professionals of the IIM-Lucknow tried to understand the service from the user’s point of view to judge their satisfaction levels and expectations levels too. Like what information the clients are looking for? Whether we have supplied correct information? The relevancy and timely delivery of the information is must.] 3. Beware of overpromising and building unrealistic expectations Just Spell out the Truth to the Customer. One of our failings, as information services professionals, is that we want so badly to please that we are frequently prone to offer results that we can't possibly deliver. Or, in our enthusiasm, we underestimate the amount of work involved in a commitment to a task. The searcher, for example, who promises a list of citations in a couple of hours, forgetting that with one of the utilities usually searched for this particular kind of information there are frequent downtimes, 12 will once again be disappointed and, in all likelihood, will disappoint the client, since there will probably be such a downtime this afternoon as well. In the information interview, the searcher, if he or she wants to change the perceptions of the user, would be advised to offer the search results 'as soon as possible,' in which case, if there is no downtime, the search process looks positively rapid and if there is a downtime, the user won't be disappointed in his on her expectations. [In a very strategic, and polite way we respond to our customers. We never over promise any customers demand] 4. Use problems as opportunities to demonstrate just how good the information services unit can be. According to leBoeuf, users judge the quality of service in two basic ways: how well you deliver what you promise and how well you handle exceptions and problems. From the user's point of view, whatever clientele needs, is an 'exception' or a 'problem' that needs to be solved and the truly effective customer services program rewards, more than anything else, a staff which is able to solve problems. If the user could find the information on his own, without having to ask anyone else, he certainly would do so. But for him, this information need is an exception to the routine work of his professional life, a problem to be solved, and the successful information services operation is the one that solves it for him. When he is left to fend for himself, when the information services unit in his organization cannot find what he needs, as far as he is concerned, the information services unit is of no use to him. [We identify the problems and take it as a challenge to solve it, in the process we improved the services too]. 5. Develop a unique relationship with your users and treat each one as someone special One of the reasons we work so hard, in the information services field, to establish an understanding of our users' perceptions and expectations is that we want to know how we can serve them better, what their particular needs are, and how we can address those needs. This attitude is, of course, the driving force behind the SDI programs, user profiles and the other, similar techniques we use for establishing a rapport with our users. In information services, one cannot know too much about one's customer and his or her information needs, and as we incorporate this knowledge into the customer services program we establish for our users, we discover those ways in which we can treat each of the users as 'special.' [This is a very important component in IIM Lucknow Library, we develop a long term relationship with our users too. Most of our internal customers and library service providers staying in the campus so personal attachment and sense of belongingness always exist] 13 6. Keep in touch and keep them informed One of the greatest problems, for many customers in the information services environment, is that they feel 'out of touch,' that they don't know what's going on. They therefore find themselves inhibited about using the information service, about approaching the staff for assistance because, quite frankly, they fear appearing ignorant about what services are available in the information services unit. They don't want to disrupt procedures that are already in place, but on the other hand, not knowing what procedures are in place, they generally avoid 'bothering' the information staff with their queries. The best antidote to this attitude (for that's all it is, and nothing more) is a proactive campaign on the part of the information services manager and staff to keep all users informed. Of course the usual vehicles are used regularly, things like special newsletters from the information services unit, articles and informative guides on the organization's house organ, new acquisitions lists, brochures about services available, etc. At the same time, however, and in keeping with the admonition above about making the users feel special, it is appropriate for the information services staff, as part of its profiling of users, to give them personal 'treatment: telephone them or send a memo (or a photocopy of a title page or an advertisement) if a new product or service has been acquired and might be of use to them in their work. [“Keep posted their requirements, at least their requirements”, this is the clarion call we always follow at IIM-Lucknow Library] 7. Large part of good service is showbiz As part of the work we do, information services professionals not only have to make the users feel 'special' in their interactions with the information services unit, we want to make them feel good as well. CONCLUSION Libraries have always been services in the sense that they connect customers to what they need. A good service adds value to library resources by enabling the customers to use those resources effectively. Libraries need to understand their customers, the learners, and their requirements and expectations. They need to know how people learn and how the provision of information service contributes to learning. A strategic focus on customer service can act as an effective tool in helping libraries to accomplish their mission of serving users or customers in an improved way. We at IIM, Lucknow Library are always thinking and developing to retain customers relationship. Customer retention is our main motto. If a customer leaves us, we think ten times and analyze, why he has left us? And that bring the further improvement and modifications in those lacuna areas. 14 REFERENCES Albrecht, K. and Zemke, R. (2002), Service America in the New Economy, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, pp. 61-62-115-116. American Library Association Policy Manual. Arthur, G. (1994), “Customer-service training in academic libraries”, Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 20 No. 4, pp. 220-1. Blume, E.R. (1988), “Customer service: giving companies the competitive edge”, Training Development Journal, Vol. 42 No. 9, pp. 24-7. Dunckel, Jacueline and Taylor, Brian. (1988). Keeping Customers Happy: Strategies for Success. Vancouver, BC: International Self Counsel Press Ltd Gupta, D.K. and Ashok, J. (2002), “Which way do you want to serve your customers?”, Information Outlook, Vol. 6, pp. 27-9. Harps, Leslie. (1992) “Usig Customer Service to Keep Subscribers.’ A Presentation to the Newsletter Publishers Association, Washington, DC. (unpublished) Kalan, A. (2002), “Are we sabotaging ourselves with our ‘professional’ image?”, American Libraries, Vol. 33 No. 5, p. 42. Kaliski, B.S. (2001), Encyclopedia of Business and Finance, Macmillan Reference, New York, NY, pp. 224-6. Pinder, C. and Melling, M. (1996), Providing Customer-Oriented Services in Academic Libraries, Library Association Publishing, London, pp. 126-127-3738. Melling, M. and Little, J. (2002), Building a Successful Customer-service Culture – a Guide for Library and Information Managers, Facet Publishing, London, pp. 74-5. Smith, S. (1998), “How to create a plan to deliver great customer service”, in Zemke, R. and Woods, J.A. (Eds), Best Practices in Customer Service, AMACOM, New York, NY, pp. 55-66. 15
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