Like all libraries, EPL’s aspiration is to provide exceptional customer experience across all touchpoints. Despite the use of satisfaction surveys and comment forms, the actual experiences, emotions and mental processes of customers, from the moment they visit a location or search for a webpage to the time they leave, were unclear. By engaging with customers and staff and documenting points of joy and frustration, we can reduce friction and create exceptional customer experiences.

A Customer Journey Map is a visual representation of the customer touchpoints; a Service Blueprint highlights the library departments, practices and policies that influence a touchpoint. By using both, we examined the customer’s journey within the context of the staff who deliver the services. As a result we were able to engage with customers and staff to establish painful touchpoints, troubleshoot challenging customer interactions with the right people and develop recommendations to improve experiences.

EPL is committed to ensuring our customers have an excellent experience. We’re implementing the recommended changes, such as improving library search in Google maps and changing the customer printing process. Branch specific maps have been created to envision service from the eyes of our customers. Maps are used in EPL’s employee orientation to instill our commitment to transforming transactions into positive experiences and are a significant part of EPL’s upcoming Business Plan.