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Designing a Customer Service Plan for Hard Times

Designing a Customer Service Plan for Hard Times

Loretta MichealsCity of Mountain View Public Library

Loretta MichealsCity of Mountain View Public Library

http://preview.tinyurl.com/nmz3be

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City of Mountain View

• 74,000 Residents• 50,000+ Card Holders• 1.6 Million Circulation• 4.25 FTE in Adult Services

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Recession? Depression?

United States

Unemployment Rate

9.5 % for June 2009

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California

Unemployment Rate

11.6 % for June 2009

Recession? Depression?

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Recession? Depression?

City of Mountain View

Unemployment Rate

8.8 % for June 2009

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Library Statistics for Mountain View

Fiscal Year 2008-2009

19% Increase in Circulation

22% Increase in Visitors

Economy goes down, our business goes up!

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Economy goes down, our budgets go down too!

10% Budget Cut=

5% Reduction in Materials

Adult Librarian Position Held

What about next year???

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•What More Can We Do?

•Less Staff

•No Money

•Isn’t Reference Dead Anyway?

Prove how valuable the Library is to the Community!

A Call from our Director

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Brainstorm Session at an Adult Services Meeting

What is in high demand?

What kinds of questions are we getting?

What are we doing now that we can do better?

What needs aren’t we filling?

LOGOResults of Session

High Demand

Information on resumes, job hunting, etc

DVDs, Books on CD

How-to Books on everything

Stress reduction, meditation, exercise

LOGOResults of Session

High Demand

Information on resumes, job hunting, etc

DVDs, Books on CD

How-to Books on everything

Stress reduction, meditation, exercise

QuestionsHow do I find a job online?

Can someone tutor me on how to use the computer?

How do I find an apartment or home?

There are how many holds on that???

LOGOResults of Session

High Demand

Information on resumes, job hunting, etc

DVDs, Books on CD

How-to Books on everything

Stress reduction, meditation, exercise

QuestionsHow do I find a job online?

Can someone tutor me on how to use the computer?

How do I find an apartment or home?

There are how many holds on that???

Doing NowHow-to Computer Classes

Fiction Reading Lists

Entertainment Type Programming

Routine Reference Work

LOGOResults of Session

High Demand

Information on resumes, job hunting, etc

DVDs, Books on CD

How-to Books on everything

Stress reduction, meditation, exercise

QuestionsHow do I find a job online?

Can someone tutor me on how to use the computer?

How do I find an apartment or home?

There are how many holds on that???

Doing NowHow-to Computer Classes

Fiction Reading Lists

Entertainment Type Programming

Routine Reference Work

Unfilled NeedsJob Hunting Classes

Medical & Insurance Info

Money & Finance Education

Housing, Legal, more!

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A Pleasant Surprise!

•We were doing better than we thought.

•We mostly needed to expand on familiar tasks we do

•We found an opportunity to use social networking tools

•Best of all- It was professional work!

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Branding

• The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines a brand as a "name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers.

Top 5 Branding Books Recommended by About.com

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1.Theme

2.Logo

3.Tagline

Our Brand Consists of a:

MVPL Brand

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Our goal was: Flexibility, Memorability, & FUN

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Planning the Campaign – All Aboard!

Staff- Involving staff at all levels, brainstorming related ideas, assigning tasks, provide a deadline.

Collection Development-

Programming-

Handouts-

Social Networking-

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Staff- Involving staff at all levels, brainstorming related ideas, assigning tasks, provide a deadline.

Collection Development- Recognizing key areas, adding funds, writing it into strategic plan and goals for the year.

Programming-

Handouts-

Social Networking-

Planning the Campaign – All Aboard!

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Planning the Campaign – All Aboard!

Staff- Involving staff at all levels, brainstorming related ideas, assigning tasks, provide a deadline.

Collection Development- Recognizing key areas, adding funds, writing it into strategic plan and goals for the year.

Programming- Investment Club, craft programs, movie nights, job hunting computer class, resume help.

Handouts-

Social Networking-

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Staff- Involving staff at all levels, brainstorming related ideas, assigning tasks, provide a deadline.

Collection Development- Recognizing key areas, adding funds, writing it into strategic plan and goals for the year.

Programming- Investment Club, craft programs, movie nights, job hunting computer class, resume help.

Handouts- Topics, design, location, web editions, timeliness, fast turnaround.

Social Networking-

Planning the Campaign – All Aboard!

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Planning the Campaign – All Aboard!

Staff- Involving staff at all levels, brainstorming related ideas, assigning tasks, provide a deadline.

Collection Development- Recognizing key areas, adding funds, writing it into strategic plan and goals for the year.

Programming- Investment Club, craft programs, movie nights, job hunting computer class, resume help.

Handouts- Topics, design, location, web editions, timeliness, fast turnaround.

Social Networking- Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and more.

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Sidetracks

• Basic Computer Competency• Expanding Social Networking• More Budget Cuts

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Basic Computer Competency

• Basic Time Management Training• Advanced Time Management Training• Basic Web email• Advanced Web email• MS Word & Templates• Using Drives- Floppy & USB

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Blogspot

TwitterYelp

Flickr

DeliciousFacebook

Social Media

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•Fewer Programs

•Fewer Computer Classes

•Resume Help on Hold

•One-on-one Computer Help on Hold

More Budget Cuts

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•Program Attendance

•Computer Class Attendance

•Handouts Used

•Followers, Fans, Friends

•Customer Feedback

Measuring Success

LOGOCustomer Feedback

"I wanted to share with you that my little sister (52 years old) has found a job in Mountain View thanks to the Library's Hard Times Train Program.

After losing her job, a home of 15 years foreclosed, battling alcoholism and homelessness for 9 months, she came to Mountain View to live with me. The next day I took her to the Library and pursued a library card so that she could begin her journey home through education and community resources. I had learned about the Hard Times Train program and found it innovative and unique.

She found the library to be a friendly, non-threatening environment in which to do research and therefore attended daily. Within 5 days she had a job interview with a local construction firm for an office assistant.

I want to thank you and the Library staff for helping my sister find her way home again. Now she can move out of my house! So, she'll be back to the Library taking the next Hard Times Train to the housing line.

Thanks."

LOGOResources Used

Web Sites:

• BetterInvesting Club- http://www.betterinvesting.org/• iLibrarian- http://oedb.org/blogs/ilibrarian/• LifeHacker- http://lifehacker.com/• MakeUseof.com- http://www.makeuseof.com/• Mashable- http://mashable.com/• Red Tape Chronicles- http://redtape.msnbc.com/• Simple Dollar- http://www.thesimpledollar.com/

LOGOExamples of Topics

Online Computer Practice

Personal Finance & Budgeting

Foreclosures: Getting Help & Avoiding Scams

Opening Bell: Investment Education

Best Apartment Search Tools

10 Useful Comparison Sites To Bookmark

10 Resources for Finding Free and Cheap Things to Do This Summer

Free Foreign Lessons Online

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Mountain View Public Library

585 Franklin Street

Mountain View, CA 94041

http://library.mountainview.gov/

The End