FOLIO: Facilitatated Online Learning as an Interactive Opportunity

The FOLIO Customer Customer Care Course (FRONTIER)

Please note...

The Frontier course ended on May 20th 2005. However, this website retains highly useful information and resources that may be of interest to you.

Frontierwas the eigth of a series of 12 courses commissioned by the National electronic Library for Health (NeLH) as part of the FOLIO Programme.  

About FRONTIER... 

Welcome to the 'FRONTIER: The FOLIO Customer Care Course' web pages.  FRONTIER is an online interactive course on customer care that is being delivered by email and web pages as part of the National electronic Library for Health (NeLH) Librarian Development Programme. 

The FRONTIER course began on Monday 11 April 2005 and will end on Friday 20 May 2005.  To keep track of the course so far, see the FRONTIER archive.  To see an outline of upcoming course materials and exercises, see the FRONTIER course timetable.

FRONTIER Course Materials... 

Key materials:

• The portfolio template for the course.
• Instructions for submitting your portfolio.
• Assessment criteria for the portfolio: http://www.nelh.nhs.uk/folio/criteria.doc
• The FRONTIER course evaluation form can be accessed at: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/surveys.cgi?A=hp&LMGT1=E-FOLIO 

The story so far...

• Part 1 - Playing Multiple Roles
• Part 2 - Managing Customer Expectations
• Part 3 - Communication Skills
• Part 4 - Listening & Questioning Skills
• Part 5 - Understanding User Behaviours
• Part 6 - Dealing with Difficult Users & Situations
• Part 7 - When to pass the buck?
• Part 8 - Prioritising and Managing Time 

Course Aim... 

This course aims to provide library assistants and paraprofessionals with an overview of the issues concerning customer care, informing the delivery of a successful frontline library and information service.

Course Objectives...

 By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Manage customer expectations.
• Communicate effectively with customers.
• Recognise the different types of customer behaviour.
• Deal with difficult customers and situations.
• Assert themselves in the workplace.
• Know when to call in assistance from other staff.
• Prioritise and manage their time effectively.
• Engage with fellow participants in discussing issues connected with providing a customer service.

For more detailed information about the FRONTIER course, please read the introduction.

Customer Care Resources 

For more information about customer care and related issues, see the following resources:

Masterton, A. (1997) Getting results with time management. Library Association Publishing.

Owen, T. (1997) Success at the enquiry desk. Library Association Publishing.

Smith, K. (1994) Serving the difficult customer: A how-to-do-it manual for library staff. Neal-Schuman Publishers.

Totterdell, A. (2001) The library and information work primer. Library Association Publishing.