Friday, November 20, 2009

Greeting people with a smile!!

It truly is amazing how greeting patrons at the reference desk with a smile can not only ease their fears of coming to the reference desk, but also shows how important customer service really is. A good example is this posting I read this morning from AALL's Reference list serv. One librarian wrote:

That morning, as I awaited my meeting, I watched the students as they entered the building to start their day. For security purposes, students had to wear badges and walk past a reception area. The weather was gray and windy, the hour early, it was Friday the 13th, and the stage was set for student moods to match. However, that wasn't the case, and the reason was the person sitting at that reception area. She smiled, greeted the students with genuine enthusiasm, and moods visibly lifted in the scant seconds that transaction took. It was inspiring to see, and, in a time when it's increasingly important to show the value of personnel, I can't imagine an electronic alternative to that human element.

A smile can make all the difference. An electronic service provider couldn't do that!

Food for thought for your Friday!!

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