Developing a customer-focus approach to marketing of library and information service
Abstract
Philosophically, users are the central entity in all types of libraries. The
characteristics of the user body make up an essential and indeed central element
in the development of library services. In ways that are now familiar from service
industry contexts, we need to incorporate elements of client-or
customer-centeredness in our approaches to serve users. Users also expect
recognition, attention, and appreciation for their individual needs and have desire
for self-expression. In such environment, the library system triumphs, which has
more customer-focus approach in serving and meeting these needs and the
library becomes market driven in the real sense. The customer-focus
organisations accept that marketing issue is philosophical and also a strategic
one. They are concentrating on developing customer orientation. Their focus is
on distinctive competencies, value delivery, customer-defined quality, relationship
management, and a customer-focused organisational culture. In the present
paper an attempt has been made to clarify, what customer-focus approach is all
about?; how quality, customer service and marketing are closely related to each
other in customer-focus approach?; and how customer-focused culture can be
developed in library and information centres?
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