Dealing with Angry Patrons

Understanding Anger?

Anger Frustration Stress Inability to communicate These intense emotions/ and actions can

lead people to turn rational situations into irrational situations.

Understanding Anger

How do we as library professionals exacerbate a patron’s anger, frustration, stress, or inability to communicate?

1. Tone 2. Non-verbal language 3. Disrespect 4. Underestimating a persons anger

What is the goal of the library professional?

The goal of the library professional is to….. Diffuse the situation, Communicate effectively with a patron, Understand the patron’s issue or problem, Help the patron leave with what they really want not

simply what they asked for.

Did you Know?

Only 4% of people who are unhappy with a situation ever complain. This means that out of 100 unhappy people, 94 will never say anything.

Did You Know?

Every discontent customer tells an average of 11 others, each of whom tells 5 others. This means 67 people are hearing negative stories about the library each time we have a complaint.

Can You Tell?

Can you tell the difference between Anger Hostility –pattern of repeated negative

behavior, dislike, or envy. This is an emotional response.

Aggression – an action towards others. Intentionally harmful behavior.

Can You Tell?

The difference between….. A mentally disables person who is agitated,

and anger ? A paranoid schizophrenic, and anger?

Causes of Patron Anger

Patron Anger comes in many different forms and can be caused by many different things:

Long lines Inability to access materials Stress Frustration Hunger

Causes of Patron anger

It is important to remember that while we are not always the source of a patron’s anger, if we are then that angry encounter could easily have been avoided by practicing quality customer service.

Can We Prevent Patron Anger?

Patron anger can be prevented. How do you welcome patrons to the circulation desk?

Is your language positive, neutral, or critical? Are you following and or explaining Library policies and

procedures? How do you feel about patrons? Are your personal feelings

about a patron evident to that patron? Are the signs in the library clear? Are policies clearly posted and accessible?

Techniques to diffuse Anger

When a patron is angry, try some of these techniques to help patrons gain control of themselves so that they can leave the library satisfied.

Real Life Situations

A Very Busy Day

  You are working at the circulation desk in an academic Library,

your supervisor is at lunch, and the Reference Librarian is in a meeting. You have received three separate complaints from students who are leaving that there is a group of students in a room being very loud and eating food. Library policy says that students can use group study rooms but they must give up the room if they bother other patrons. Library policy also states that food is not allowed in the library.  

What do you do?

Real Life Situations II

Lost Book?   You are working at the circulation desk. You have a new circ

staff member who is being trained by your supervisor. The new staff member is helping a patron who is looking for a book. The computer says the book is on the shelf but it is not there. While doing a search the new staff member finds the book the hold shelf she promptly and proudly hands the book the patron and say she found it.

  What do you do?

Real Life Situations III

Stressed out Students

 

You are working at the Circulation Desk, and it is close to finals week. You notice that many of the students are testy and seem stressed out. It is 8:00pm at night and the library closes in 25 minutes. Three things are happening at the same time:

1. The copier jams, 2. You have a line of 8 people and three are waiting for a reserve item

that you cannot find. 3.The alarm goes off as someone leaves,   What do you do?

Real Life situations VI

Reference Desk Woes   You are covering the reference desk while the Librarian does story-

time. You have covered the reference desk before but usually during a very slow time of day. The patron who comes to the desk thinks that you are a librarian. He is upset about library policy that says that patrons cannot check out with fines in excess of $5.00. The patron feels that your refusal to override his fine is a sign of bad customer service.

  What do you do?

How to Diffuse a Negative Situation

Set the tone for the exchange. Breathe and count. Treat the patron with respect. Listen. Acknowledge and validate. Focus on the problem. Concede a minor point Avoid red flag words.

How to Diffuse a Negative Situation

Don’t argue. Disagree diplomatically. Don’t justify. Don’t use One-upmanship. Apologize. Use bridge statements. Define the problem.

How to Diffuse a Negative Situation

Use Salami Tactic. Take your time. Be assertive. Don’t make idle promises. Involve a colleague.

What About My Anger?

Breathe. Remember that although this anger is

directed at you, you are not really the reason a patron is angry. They are angry because they are having trouble using the library and they really need the service that they came in for.

You are a professional, act like one.