The Safe Library - Service, Safety, & Security with Dr. Steve Albrecht

By Dr. Steve Albrecht

In this third part of our three-part discussion of the pioneering customer service work of my father, Dr. Karl Albrecht (www.KarlAlbrecht.com), let’s look at his collection of ideas about what he calls the Spirit of Service. 

The Spirit of Service is a set of 20 behaviors that can help all library employees focus on not just the “how-to” part of providing great customer service (as we discussed in my blog and podcast about Karl’s booklet, The Code of Quality Service), but the “why” part about serving our patrons. 

Serving others in the library environment is all about creating a moment in time where the employee and the patron connect, communicate, and deliver or receive advice, information, services, or solutions. The concepts presented here take some thought, since they are a combination of abstract ideas and concrete behaviors. We can operationalize them throughout the library, using training, reminders, stories, examples, and praise.

1. Service should mean something to all of us.
   
   Karl defines a service as “anything a person does that contributes something of value to someone else.” That certainly applies in the library.
   
   
2. Service is all about feelings.
   
   The service experience starts with a feeling - ours, as library employees - and ends with a feeling - our patrons’ perspective, about how they were served. Good feelings at the start of an employee-patron interaction usually leads to good feelings at the end.  
   
   
3. What is the “Spirit of Service?”
   
   Karl defines the Spirit of Service as “an attitude, based on certain values and beliefs about people, life, and work, that leads a person to willingly serve others and take pride in his or her work.” This means you care about your job, your co-workers, your bosses, and our patrons, so you do work that you are proud of.  
   
   
4. The people you serve need your best efforts.
   
   Great service providers are also great listeners. They don’t get distracted by side work or other conversations; they focus on the person they are helping. Service interactions require concentration, effort, and even stamina. Be ready to do your best, at the start of your workday and all the way through to the end of it. 
   
   
5. You have three service roles.
   
   You have your Worker role, where you do your job with a commitment to excellence, on behalf of your bosses and the patrons. You have your Team Member role, where you help your co-workers and colleagues when needed, sharing information, support, and effort. And one of your most important roles is to be a Brand Ambassador for your library. You’re always being watched and even judged by the patrons, as to how you do your job. When you wear a library name tag or a shirt that identifies you as a library staffer, the patron doesn’t care how long you have worked there or what your job title is (or if you’re tired and want to go home). They want and expect good service, so represent your library whenever you’re on the floor.   
   
   
6. Nobody is too important to serve others.
   
   Library leaders, directors, managers, supervisors, and the PIC (Person In Charge for that month, week, or shift) need to serve their co-workers and the people that work for them. Part of the role of a skilled leader is to remove obstacles that make it difficult for employees to do their work. Effective leaders know when to jump in and help their team members, especially in front of and on behalf of the patrons. 
   
   
7. To lead is to serve.
   
   Library leaders should realize the significance of their two-way relationship with their employees: they give orders and instructions and ask that work gets done, and they realize they have to take care of their employees. Understanding work-life balance is an important leadership skill. Good bosses serve their people as they ask them to serve the patrons.  
   
   
8. Everybody is important in the chain of service.
   
   Libraries may have full-time employees, part-time employees, interns, or volunteers. They are all important and they all can play an important part in providing good service to patrons. All library staffers - regardless of their job titles - bring their life history, job knowledge, educational experiences, and service skills to their work.    
   
   
9. Some of us serve unseen.
   
   If the nature of your job is that you don’t or rarely see the library patron on the floor, it’s easy to think you’re not in the service business. But even if you don’t serve the patrons, your job is to serve other parts of the library organization and serve those co-workers who do interact with patrons. Working behind the scenes and away from the public counters is just as valuable to the library as a frontline patron-contact position.    
   
   
10. Your co-workers are your customers, too.
    
    Your co-workers count on you to deliver information, projects, products, and results. Just as you have responsibilities to support your supervisors, you have an equal responsibility to serve your colleagues so they can do their jobs too. We’re all in the service business - with different customers, priorities, and deadlines - but with the same goals. 
    
    
11. Do you have the “Spirit of Service?”
    
    Are you coming to work with a positive attitude? Are you ready for your workday? Are you bringing as much energy and enthusiasm to the end of your workday as you do at the start of it?
    
    
12. The ancient Greeks called it “agape.” 
    
    This purest definition of this concept means, “a feeling of unconditional love and concern for others.” In our workplace, this idea is displayed by being unselfish, supportive, friendly, approachable, and kind, to both colleagues and patrons.
    
    
13. The ancient Hawaiians called it “aloha.”
    
    In Hawaii, aloha is a concept with many definitions. It is a spirit of oneness with the earth and ocean, with others, having feelings of love and friendship, shared through the energy of our breath (alo = deep within, ha = breath). At work, the aloha spirit is joyful, perceptive of the needs of others, and welcoming the uniqueness of every person we serve. 
    
    
14. Some people call it the “Golden Rule.”
    
    We all know the Golden Rule says, “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you” or “Treat people the way you want to be treated.” Because we all see our world differently, perhaps we can add to this by saying, “Treat people the way they wanted to be treated, not only how you would want to be treated.” This starts by being a good listener and asking respectful, clarifying questions.  
    
    
15. We all have to work together.
    
    You may have worked in some jobs where a few other employees spent more time complaining about the work than it would have taken to do the actual job. Work is work, which means it’s not always fun, challenging, easy, or different. Do your part to pitch in and help get the tough jobs out of the way. Working together can make the day go by faster.  
    
    
16. Caring about others starts with caring about yourself.
    
    A positive attitude starts with you. The good feelings that create great service begin with you. How you feel is often picked up on by your co-workers. You can communicate your feelings - good or bad, positive or negative - to our patrons as well. Monitor your use of eye contact, tone, body language, and general nourishing feelings throughout your workday. Make adjustments to feel better so you serve better.  
    
    
17. The people you serve may not always be lovable.
    
    The customer is not always right. Patrons can be difficult, entitled, rude, and even obnoxious. That doesn’t mean you have to be that way too.  Every person you meet has his or her own struggles, battles, and difficulties. Try not to take what they say or do personally. They’re usually mad at the situation or themselves, not at you, personally. Do the best you can to get them on their way, well-served by you.
    
    
18. You may not always be feeling your best.
    
    Sometimes being in a service job when you are not feeling very helpful, energetic, or enthusiastic will require you to rely on your good acting skills. You may have to roleplay positive feelings for the day, until you can go home and recharge. 
    
    
19. At the “Moment of Truth,” it’s up to you.
    
    Each time a patron comes in contact with any part of our library, Karl Albrecht says, it is a Moment of Truth. This includes over the counter, over the phone, in the stacks, or even online. After every interaction, our patrons make a score on the internal report cards we call carry around in our heads as to the level and quality of service they received. Successfully managing each of these important Moments of Truth is up to you.
    
    
20. We’re all in this work together.
    
    Take care of yourself, take care of your bosses, take care of your co-workers, so we can all take care of our patrons.  

Karl Albrecht's Spirit of Service Service offers 20 thoughtful, practical steps toward improving and sustaining your own brand of service excellence. 

We can customize copies of Dr. Karl Albrecht’s 20-page Spirit of Service booklet for your library, putting your logo on the cover and including a message from the Library Director inside. Contact Steve Hargadon at Library 2.0.