How to Say No by Saying YesImproving Customer Service Through Listening

By Kayci Barnett

CAL Para-librarian conference 2014

Ice Breakers

My Library Experience:

Bachelors in Anthropology and a Minor in film

I started working at a library because I figured if I went to grad school I would have experience working at a library

After several years of soul searching I discovered that I really loved working in the library

After I was hired as a circulation team leader, I decided to go for my MLS, and received it in May 2013.

Circulation Manager for Pueblo City County Library District since July 2013

Your Library Experience:

work on the front lines?

feel like customer service is a big part of your job?

feel pulled in several directions?

have to enforce policies that your customers don’t like?

plan on staying in libraries?

What is the most important skill all Para-Librarians could utilize no matter their position in the library?

Listening

Goals of this presentation:

understand the importance of listening

learn the techniques of attentive listening

improve customer service skills

The Importance of Attentive Listening

Why it’s worth the effort it takes to change.

The higher your position the more important your interpersonal skills become.

Listening is a transferable skill

Listening improves the quality of all your relationships.

Attentive listening improves your customer service.

Attentive listening reduces stress.

If listening has so many great benefits, why is it so hard?Roadblocks to listening

Noisy atmosphere

Prejudice

Our own agenda.

Multi tasking/Distractions

Speaking more prestigious.

Bad habits

 Think faster than people speak.

How we communicate Infographic by Kristin Piombino facts:

We listen to people at a rate of 125-250 words per minute, but think at 1,000-3,000 words per minute.

Less than 2 percent of people have had any formal education on how to listen.

Images go into your long term memory, whereas words live in your short term memory.

Steps to better listeningBy a reformed pathetic listener

Stop whatever you are doing

Prepare to listen by taking a deep breath

Give the speaker your full attention.

Listen carefully to what they are saying, and body language if possible.

When they’ve finished paraphrase to ensure you’ve heard them correctly.

Pin your interruptions.

Don’t give advice, unless paid or asked.

Advice 25¢

Practice

Steps to Attentive Listening

Listening and Customer ServiceHow to say no by saying yes.

Customers want 3 things:

The thing I came for

Respect

Empathy

Empathy

Paraphrasing what the customer said will give you a chance to say YES to at least one thing – their feelings.

Respect

Stopping what you are doing and giving them your full attention, makes the speaker feel respected.

The thing they came for…

Respond with I statements:

I’m going to…

I wish I could, but I can…

I’d be thrilled to…

Listening in tough conditions

Experience didn’t match their expectation

Steps to Attentive Listening

Listen for their message not their delivery

Is their anything else?

Create a tally board for customers that came in angry, but left happy.

Redirecting Ramblers

Role Playing – Customer Service

A colleague rings for help, and you come out to see a long line of customers.

A customer asks if you will type up their resume for them.

A customer owes late fees, and wants you to waive the charges.

Your ideas…

For Further Study

Great books to improve your listening and customer service

Nonviolent Communicationby Marshall Rosenberg, PhD

Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Lifeby Thich Nhat Hanh

Great Customer Connections by Richard Gallagher

The Zen of Listening by Rebecca Shafir, M.A. CCC

Thank you for listening!!!Questions or Comments?

The End