Developing a culture of trust may not be such a difficult thing to do. LL Bean would not have such a long standing policy if all their customers abused it. I agree with you, Meredith on the idea that good policies and good experiences in libraries can translate into lifelong opinions about libraries. We might learn a thing or two from companies like Nordstrom and LL Bean…take the good and leave the bad behind.

You “really wonder…if these companies understand what they’re losing when they” pick nits with customers rather than aim for unconditional satisfaction. Of course, they do know. It’s built into the operation. Nevertheless, I bet if you write a letter, you’ll get both an apology and satisfaction. Otherwise, your loyalty stands for nothing, inasmuch as they have no efficient way to measure it. You must tell them, and by “them” I don’t mean the front line service operator over the 800 number.

There is no assurance that well served public library customers “will vote in the affirmative on bond issues that positively impact the library and will perhaps even join their local library’s Friends organization.” In fact, these are unlikely outcomes. Most well served patrons do not join the Friends, and bond issues are notoriously hard to win, even in communities where libraries do the very best they can with little financial support. This is no argument for providing bad customer service, nor against good, of course. It simply points out matters of fact, and reminds us to focus on excelling at the work of librarianship. That excellence will manifest itself, among other ways, in confident, empathetic, good-spirited staffs who enjoy working with library patrons, even those whose demands challenge the library’s policies.