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Effective Reference Encounters:

Achieving Service ExcellencePreconference 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 In FtF & Virtual Environments

Promoting Positive Encounters Stress & Problematic Behavior

Approachability & NV Communication Overcoming Barriers to Excellence

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Reference Environment:What’s Changed? More complex society, systems, sources, &

services. Factors adding to complexity:

High TechRapid ChangeTime ConstraintsBudget ConstraintsDiversity of Users

Why Bother??

Satisfied?Remembers

18 monthsTells 4-8 friends

Dissatisfied?Remembers 23.5

monthsTells 9-16

friendsTakes 7 things

going right to recover from 1 thing going wrong!

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Management Literature Comes to Consensus Front-line staff are vital link.

Must be empowered to address user needs: Knowledge Authority Adequate Resources Confidence Training

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

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

Service Excellence: 2 Views

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!

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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!

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Dual Dimensions Content

The “WHAT”

Information exchange

Relational

“HOW” message is to be taken

Relationship of participants

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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).

ALA/RUSA Guidelines (2004)

Components Approachability Interest Listening/Inquiring Searching Follow-up

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Approachability & Interest

Extremely important for service excellence

Mostly communicated nonverbally

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Activity

Approachability Quiz

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

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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

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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

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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!

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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

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TECHNOSTRESS

Stress brought on by dealing with technologyRapid changeSoftware problemsHardware meltdownTraining lagTechnological idolatryUpgrade fatigue

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Burnout – Another Type of Stress

Characteristics: diminished personal

accomplishment emotional exhaustion depersonalization

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Who is Most Susceptible to Burnout?People in helping professions who

have significant amounts of interpersonal contact.

Sound familiar?

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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)

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Activity Cranky Quotient

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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

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BREAK TIME

Please return on time, Thanks!

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Video Clips

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Small Group Activity

Break into groups of 3Remember 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.

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Take the LAST Approach for Difficult InteractionsListen

Apologize

Solve Problem

Thank Them!

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HALT!HungryAngryLateTired

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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

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

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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

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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?

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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.

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.

Small Group Activity

•Looking at transcripts

•Facilitators, Barriers

•What works?

•What doesn’t work so well?

•Comments?

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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

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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.

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What Library Users Expect…

You care Keep Promises “Fair Fix” Apology (if appropriate) Professional Response

Bottom Line for Service Excellence

Area of Ongoing Improvement, but…

Worth it!!

See list of additional readings.

Questions?

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/