• Index of this issue

No. 71, July 2011

"We can't manage what we don't measure," a maxim in management theory, is also applicable to the provision of Reference Services in libraries. Unless we measure and monitor something, we would not know if it is getting better or worse, and we cannot improve if we do not measure to see what is getting better and what is not.

The system

From as early as 1st Dec 2009, the National Library of Singapore implemented a system to record and track and enquiries received by the National Library and also measure the turnaround of the responses to customers and their feedback. It is a web-based system based on cloud computing. Through this system, the Library is able to track every enquiry from receipt to closure, through all supported channels (walk-in, email, SMS, phone). Since 2010, it has also been implemented across all service points (Information and Reference services, Contact Centre, Technical Helpdesk). Known as the Enquiry Management System (EMS), it provides a seamless system that handles and manages enquiries from customers who have diverse needs, via all contact points within an organization with many service points.

The Features

Each EMS enquiry is linked to a feedback form, enabling our customers to provide feedback on the services provided. With all the stored correspondences between customers and staff, it enables staff to use it as a Customer Relations Management tool. EMS allows a librarian to broadcast to a network of specialists who can provide suggestions on how to better respond to a question. EMS also provides 'self-check' services so that each customer will receive a reply before each enquiry can be closed. Statistics such as turnaround time, source of enquires (onsite, down to specific counter or remote, through direct emails, website, telephone, SMS or fax), and other customized data can be gathered through this system. Individual librarians can also check their completed enquiries, or enquiries that are still outstanding. Dashboards and reports with various pre-defined metrics allow managers and staff to track their KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). Managers can drill into the various levels of details as they monitor their departments' performance, down to the individual cases handled by their staff.

The Benefits

As each customer's feedback to an enquiry is linked to the answer and any other correspondences between customer and staff, librarians can now respond to the customer's feedback faster if the latter is not satisfied with the reply provided. By broadcasting this enquiry with the previous replies to colleagues who can provide suggestions on how to better answer the question, librarians are able to pool their knowledge and resources to serve customers better.

The system also tracks all previous queries and feedback sent by this same customer along with his or her feedback. With this information, librarians can tailor their replies accordingly.

Conclusion

This system allows the National Library to track the number and types of reference enquiries received by staff, their turnaround time, and the compliments or feedback from the customers after receiving the librarians' replies. It has increased productivity by saving librarians' time in the collection of enquiry statistics, provision of automatic reminders on outstanding cases and being integrated with the librarian's email system.