Northeast Ohio Regional Library System
Customer Service Conference: Perspectives, Possibilities, and Practices
Date/Time
4/3/2025
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM Eastern
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM Eastern
Event Registration
Competency
Customer Service, Communication
Event Description
We are excited to share this dynamic customer service conference designed specifically for frontline library staff. As the heart and face of every library, frontline employees play a vital role in creating welcoming, inclusive, and impactful experiences for patrons. This conference is your opportunity to network with your peers, explore new perspectives, discover new possibilities and come away with practical tools to better assist you, the library and your patrons.
Keynote: Don’t Eat the Red Frog! Handling Some of the Worst Customer Behaviors that Come Through Your Doors!
Some customers are like the Red Poison Dart Frog of Costa Rica. Their behaviors are toxic! How many times a day are you dealing with angry, difficult and even downright unreasonable customers? They truly can be poisonous, if you let them!
The good news is that you can choose to not let them ruin your day or poison your “service attitude” with their venom. And by using a few proven techniques and questions some of these Red Frog customers could actually leave feeling better!
The Don’t Eat the Red Frog session is interactive and fun-filled with information and experiences that you’ll be using to more effectively handle your angry and difficult customers.
Learning Objectives:
Presenter:
Andrew Sanderbeck has been developing and conducting training seminars for organizations for more than fifteen years. He has presented Web-based, On-line, and Face-to-Face sessions on Management and Leadership, Customer Service and Communication Skills in the U.S. and numerous countries around the world. He is the author of two books and over 50 webinars.
Breakout Session 1
Empathize to Innovate
Learn about empathy-driven innovation where you'll discover creative ways to identify your customers' needs, brainstorm solutions, and quickly prototype ideas. Through interactive exercises and collaborative activities, you'll gain practical skills that you can immediately apply to enhance your services and offerings. By the end of the session, you'll have a toolkit of strategies to better empathize with your customers and uncover exciting opportunities for innovation at your library.
Learning Objectives:
Holly Klingler is an innovation trainer and facilitator with over 15 years of experience training staff on creative thinking and problem solving. With a design sprint certification and certified in project management from Google, she empowers teams to rapidly transform problems into prototypes. Holly's practical strategies blend design thinking and sprints, helping libraries innovate quickly and successfully. Holly is also a certified nonverbal analyst with over fifteen years of experience in body language training. Her expertise covers a range of applications, from customer service to conflict management, helping attendees communicate more effectively in both professional and personal settings.
Scripts for Mastering Difficult Conversations
Have you ever dealt with a patron who is disgruntled or doesn’t like change or is just plain mean? We all have. Seeing a need, Huron Public Library managers created scripts to help staff prepare to interact with difficult patrons. Learn why we decided to do this project. Learn what words to use when dealing with unhappy patrons. Participate in scenarios to help see how these scripts can help you. Walk away with scripts to take back to your library.
Presenters:
Vicki Hillman did not have your average start in libraries. She obtained her BS in Athletic Training from Wilmington College in 2001. From there, she went on to have a 15-year career as a Paramedic. After having her 2 kids, she decided to leave the world of EMS and started working in libraries. She was hired at Huron Public Library as the Children’s Assistant and after several years, moved up to Head of Customer and Tech Services. She has enjoyed 10 years at Huron Public Library.
Rebekah Hire-Santoro is the Head of Marketing and Emerging Technology at Huron Public Library in Huron, Ohio. She graduated from Elmhurst University with a Bachelor of Arts in Intercultural Studies. Before beginning her library career in Ohio, she worked at an arts non-profit in Colorado for five years where she honed her marketing and communications skills. She then began her true passion in working for libraries in 2023. Part-time,'
Breakout Session 2
The Quiet Approach to Serving Customers: Helping Introverts Excel in Customer Service
Customer service is not an easy job for anyone. It’s hard work to just stay on top of the ever-changing needs of our patrons and communities, and it takes real skill to talk with people, determine their needs and fulfill their requests.
It can be especially challenging for those who are more introverted to work with customers while handling difficult questions, listening to complaints and sometimes dealing with people that can be angry or confused.
This interactive and informative session will give attendees the tools that they need to be more successful and in-control of their customer interactions. We will focus on the strengths of the “Quiet Approach” including active listening and thinking before speaking, while sharpening the skills needed to handle all customer situations with less anxiety and stress.
Learning Objectives:
The Phenomenon of Library Anxiety
Trying new things can be hard for anyone, but for those who are anxious, it can seem almost impossible. Learn about the research done on library anxiety. Learn how to identify patrons who are anxious using the library. Ideas will be shared on how to help them become more comfortable with the library each time they visit.
Presenter:
Jennifer Buch has worked in libraries for 18 years but has been visiting them since she was born. Her love of books and reading started with being read to by her parents and grandparents and being able to read to the audience at her kindergarten graduation in her pink gingham dress. Rarely is she without a book to read. Libraries are about more than books, and helping patrons connect to what they need has become one of her greatest joys. Before becoming a librarian, she was a teacher of middle school age humans.
Breakout Session 3
A Firm Grasp: Utilizing Body Language to Increase Safety and Decrease Conflict
Discover the critical role of nonverbal communication in conflict management and personal safety. Participants will learn to recognize comfort and discomfort tells, establish baselines, and identify indicators of conflict and safety. Learn practical strategies for demonstrating approachability and authority, and enhance active awareness in maintaining safety in social situations.
Learning Objectives:
Packing our Briefcase with Superpowers for the Library!
We often forget to UNLOCK our Superpowers in our briefcase. When we utilize these Superpowers such as passion, flexibility, patience, self-care and optimism in our everyday work life, we gain a whole new perspective. Situations that once appeared IMPOSSIBLE now appear POSSIBLE. Practical and engaging activities will be done to practice using these Superpowers in everyday work scenarios. Participants will acquire concrete strategies for unlocking their Superpowers at work the next day!
Learning Objectives:
Marilee Fini, M.A. CCC/SLP is a certified and licensed Speech Pathologist in Cleveland, OH running her own private practice, MLF Speech Therapy where she sees children and adults. She is also a professional speaker and has been presenting for over 24 years. In addition, she is an adjunct professor at Lakeland Community College where she teaches Public Speaking. Currently, she speaks for corporations, in healthcare and for other organizations on effective communication, Public Speaking and motivational topics. As a kid who stuttered, she couldn’t imagine being a speaker or a Speech Pathologist! In her presentations, she shares a message of discovering an “overcomer mindset” and being able to do things you never thought were possible!
Keynote: Don’t Eat the Red Frog! Handling Some of the Worst Customer Behaviors that Come Through Your Doors!
Some customers are like the Red Poison Dart Frog of Costa Rica. Their behaviors are toxic! How many times a day are you dealing with angry, difficult and even downright unreasonable customers? They truly can be poisonous, if you let them!
The good news is that you can choose to not let them ruin your day or poison your “service attitude” with their venom. And by using a few proven techniques and questions some of these Red Frog customers could actually leave feeling better!
The Don’t Eat the Red Frog session is interactive and fun-filled with information and experiences that you’ll be using to more effectively handle your angry and difficult customers.
Learning Objectives:
- 3 techniques for not “eating the poison of your red frog customers” and not taking things personally
- 3 Super Powers that you can use to stay balanced in difficult customer situations
- Overcoming your biggest red frog, that just might be you
Presenter: Andrew Sanderbeck has been developing and conducting training seminars for organizations for more than fifteen years. He has presented Web-based, On-line, and Face-to-Face sessions on Management and Leadership, Customer Service and Communication Skills in the U.S. and numerous countries around the world. He is the author of two books and over 50 webinars.
Breakout Session 1
Empathize to Innovate
Learn about empathy-driven innovation where you'll discover creative ways to identify your customers' needs, brainstorm solutions, and quickly prototype ideas. Through interactive exercises and collaborative activities, you'll gain practical skills that you can immediately apply to enhance your services and offerings. By the end of the session, you'll have a toolkit of strategies to better empathize with your customers and uncover exciting opportunities for innovation at your library.
Learning Objectives:
- Discover how to apply design thinking and design sprints to innovate quickly and effectively.
- Learn practical strategies to identify customer needs and springboard creative ideas.
- Apply rapid innovation tactics using an empathy-to-prototype process.
Holly Klingler is an innovation trainer and facilitator with over 15 years of experience training staff on creative thinking and problem solving. With a design sprint certification and certified in project management from Google, she empowers teams to rapidly transform problems into prototypes. Holly's practical strategies blend design thinking and sprints, helping libraries innovate quickly and successfully. Holly is also a certified nonverbal analyst with over fifteen years of experience in body language training. Her expertise covers a range of applications, from customer service to conflict management, helping attendees communicate more effectively in both professional and personal settings.Scripts for Mastering Difficult Conversations
Have you ever dealt with a patron who is disgruntled or doesn’t like change or is just plain mean? We all have. Seeing a need, Huron Public Library managers created scripts to help staff prepare to interact with difficult patrons. Learn why we decided to do this project. Learn what words to use when dealing with unhappy patrons. Participate in scenarios to help see how these scripts can help you. Walk away with scripts to take back to your library.
Presenters:
Vicki Hillman did not have your average start in libraries. She obtained her BS in Athletic Training from Wilmington College in 2001. From there, she went on to have a 15-year career as a Paramedic. After having her 2 kids, she decided to leave the world of EMS and started working in libraries. She was hired at Huron Public Library as the Children’s Assistant and after several years, moved up to Head of Customer and Tech Services. She has enjoyed 10 years at Huron Public Library.Rebekah Hire-Santoro is the Head of Marketing and Emerging Technology at Huron Public Library in Huron, Ohio. She graduated from Elmhurst University with a Bachelor of Arts in Intercultural Studies. Before beginning her library career in Ohio, she worked at an arts non-profit in Colorado for five years where she honed her marketing and communications skills. She then began her true passion in working for libraries in 2023. Part-time,'Breakout Session 2
The Quiet Approach to Serving Customers: Helping Introverts Excel in Customer Service
Customer service is not an easy job for anyone. It’s hard work to just stay on top of the ever-changing needs of our patrons and communities, and it takes real skill to talk with people, determine their needs and fulfill their requests.
It can be especially challenging for those who are more introverted to work with customers while handling difficult questions, listening to complaints and sometimes dealing with people that can be angry or confused.
This interactive and informative session will give attendees the tools that they need to be more successful and in-control of their customer interactions. We will focus on the strengths of the “Quiet Approach” including active listening and thinking before speaking, while sharpening the skills needed to handle all customer situations with less anxiety and stress.
Learning Objectives:
- Explore methods of serving customers and building customer relationships with less stress and apprehension
- Discover different ways of interacting with the customer that doesn’t feel forced or mandated
- Have specific phrases to use with customers to set boundaries and stop unwanted behaviors
The Phenomenon of Library Anxiety
Trying new things can be hard for anyone, but for those who are anxious, it can seem almost impossible. Learn about the research done on library anxiety. Learn how to identify patrons who are anxious using the library. Ideas will be shared on how to help them become more comfortable with the library each time they visit.
Presenter:
Jennifer Buch has worked in libraries for 18 years but has been visiting them since she was born. Her love of books and reading started with being read to by her parents and grandparents and being able to read to the audience at her kindergarten graduation in her pink gingham dress. Rarely is she without a book to read. Libraries are about more than books, and helping patrons connect to what they need has become one of her greatest joys. Before becoming a librarian, she was a teacher of middle school age humans. Breakout Session 3
A Firm Grasp: Utilizing Body Language to Increase Safety and Decrease Conflict
Discover the critical role of nonverbal communication in conflict management and personal safety. Participants will learn to recognize comfort and discomfort tells, establish baselines, and identify indicators of conflict and safety. Learn practical strategies for demonstrating approachability and authority, and enhance active awareness in maintaining safety in social situations.
Learning Objectives:
- Recognize and interpret key nonverbal cues related to safety and conflict in social environments.
- Apply effective body language techniques to de-escalate potential conflicts.
- Utilize nonverbal communication strategies to enhance personal safety and positive interactions.
Packing our Briefcase with Superpowers for the Library!
We often forget to UNLOCK our Superpowers in our briefcase. When we utilize these Superpowers such as passion, flexibility, patience, self-care and optimism in our everyday work life, we gain a whole new perspective. Situations that once appeared IMPOSSIBLE now appear POSSIBLE. Practical and engaging activities will be done to practice using these Superpowers in everyday work scenarios. Participants will acquire concrete strategies for unlocking their Superpowers at work the next day!
Learning Objectives:
- List various Superpowers needed for dealing with today’s challenges in the library
- Acquire concrete strategies for implementing these Superpowers to increase employee satisfaction and productivity
- Apply these Superpowers to manage difficult situations in the library
Marilee Fini, M.A. CCC/SLP is a certified and licensed Speech Pathologist in Cleveland, OH running her own private practice, MLF Speech Therapy where she sees children and adults. She is also a professional speaker and has been presenting for over 24 years. In addition, she is an adjunct professor at Lakeland Community College where she teaches Public Speaking. Currently, she speaks for corporations, in healthcare and for other organizations on effective communication, Public Speaking and motivational topics. As a kid who stuttered, she couldn’t imagine being a speaker or a Speech Pathologist! In her presentations, she shares a message of discovering an “overcomer mindset” and being able to do things you never thought were possible!
Location
Contact Person
Details
Who should attend: Anyone interested in all aspects of Customer Service
Competency: Communication, Customer Service, & Patron Awaareness
Non-Member Cost: $160
NEO-RLS Bronze Member Cost: $120
NEO-RLS Silver Member Cost: $80
NEO-RLS Gold Member Cost: FREE
NEO-RLS Individual Member Cost: $80
There is an additional $40 surcharge for facility use and amenities.
We encourage you to register a minimum of three (3) days in advance for this event in order to ensure that we can accommodate your full participation in terms of seating, hand-outs, food, etc.
It’s never too late to save your library money. NEO-RLS Memberships are pro-rated! Call us today to join.
Competency: Communication, Customer Service, & Patron Awaareness
Non-Member Cost: $160
NEO-RLS Bronze Member Cost: $120
NEO-RLS Silver Member Cost: $80
NEO-RLS Gold Member Cost: FREE
NEO-RLS Individual Member Cost: $80
There is an additional $40 surcharge for facility use and amenities.
We encourage you to register a minimum of three (3) days in advance for this event in order to ensure that we can accommodate your full participation in terms of seating, hand-outs, food, etc.
It’s never too late to save your library money. NEO-RLS Memberships are pro-rated! Call us today to join.
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