Sewing, oil changes, and fish?
Posted on March 29, 2009
Filed Under Managing Environments, Managing Ourselves
About a year ago I got a rather strange notion in my head that I wanted to learn how to sew. Not a totally comfortable fit, things like sewing and me. At a tender age I was asked to transfer out of domestic science and into business studies (with an instructor who taught us punch cards because most businesses will never computerize - I’ll save that story for another time). A few months ago a man weary of my sewing talk bought me a beginner’s sewing machine. While still packed in its box it made a great side table for holding all the “how-to-sew” books.
Finally, I decided it was time to thread bobbin and make curtains. Off to the material shop I went. You know, the place where they know material and sewing. They’re the experts, they have the goods, and they serve customers. I did get cloth, thread, and even a bit of direction. And I never want to return there. I wandered around the store having no idea how to get the material which is organized and stored in a rather strange way, and then I had to ask someone to cut it, and despite my owning up to novice status, the cloth cutter asked questions about thread, weight, and hem type that I could not answer, much to her disappointment. I was served with what I needed, but it was not pleasant and if I can find another place to get what I need, even if that place does not have experts, I will go there.
You know where I’m going with this don’t you. Well slow down, I want to tell you about another business I visited - Mr. Lube.
I know that the car is brown, stinks of wet dog, and runs on gas. I rarely drive and don’t like to deal with anything regarding the car. Under duress I took it to Mr. Lube. I am now a Mr. Lube convert. The business was clean, efficient, and friendly. I was offered a drink and a newspaper, I was given clear directions as to what I needed to do to have the car checked, and was charmingly helped to find the release button for the hood. I left with a well-serviced car, a cheerful start to the day, and empowered with the knowledge of how to “pop the hood”.
Yep, it’s all about user experience.
Stephen Bell from Designing Better Libraries commented, during a recent ACRL Conference presentation
that libraries need to concentrate on their Wow Factor (the fish-toss quality that makes users say, “Your service is awesome”) and their Difference Factor (the user experience that can prove more valuable than a Google or Wikipedia search). There is also a Fidelity Factor that keeps users coming back to the library, instead of merely being wowed once then crawling back to their online searches. Bell said that library high-fidelity involves the totality of UX (web access, reference, the OPAC, systems, and circulation) that, when presented in a convenient and meaningful way, retains the user’s loyalty.
I was thinking that the FISH! philosophy had been discussed to shreds, yet perhaps not. The fish tossing is not just about entertainment, creative workers meeting high expectations, or having fun at work - it’s about an organizational culture that recognizes that the attitude of the employees is critical to the success of the overall customer experience.
And it is that experience that the success of the organization is built on.
Are you due for an attitude check?
And for those of you who have not seen fish tossing, here it is. Kind of makes having a good attitude as a librarian look easy.
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