Please give us your suggestions. Please give us feedback. Please let us know how we can make your experience better, different, or easier. Everyone has come across some form of those words while you were in the role of customer.
So I pull up to the library return box in Southington CT. It was after hours. The books were due the next day and I didn’t want my hands chopped off for being late or have Mean Librarian Lady call to yell at me (bad childhood memory). From inside the typical car you are below the height of the dropbox opening. As I was about to stuff my books inside it was clear that something was on the slanted platform and in the way. It was a DVD.
Yep, the person before me obviously did not push hard enough to get the DVD through the slot. Now you know how that conversation would go when he or she told the library they dropped it in the box on such and such a date when that overdue notice came, they went to use their card again or worse…..Mean Librarian Lady called. I made sure that didn’t happen and pushed the DVD through.
This was the second time this has happened; where I have pulled up and someone’s returns had not made it into the box. So today when I was in the library I decided to share what has now happened twice and made a suggestion. ”Maybe you could put a note on the box telling people to be certain their returns went through the slot” I offered the two library workers.
The woman behind the counter made a comment that maybe people should just push harder. The gentlemen made a comment you think people would know better.
I stared at the two clearly-in-need-of-customer-service-training employees and responded again with “You might want to consider putting a note on the box telling people to be certain their returns went through the slot.” It was obvious neither one of them appeared interested. I walked away
Hey, I don’t care if you’re not going to use the ideas of a customer. But when someone gives you an idea, after you’ve opened the door for them to do so (with your signs, missions and posted promise statements), you and your employees owe it to that person to at least appear interested!
Remember, chances are your business is not unique and people have choices. It doesn’t cost you anything to smile and say thank you. Maybe even write it down and throw it in the garbage. Or worse yet, bring it to the attention of someone who might say…..wow, that might be a smart idea.
Disclaimer: Not all librarian ladies are mean. Actually most are knowledgeable and helpful. Hmmmm…maybe that is who I should have spoke to in the first place.
