[Web4lib] Libraries: Standing at the Wrong Platform, Waiting for the Wrong Train?

[Amos Lakos]

Ross - I like your irony.

Beyond the issues dealing with ILL, this article raises a number of 
important
concerns - chief among them - library survivability. For many reasons, the 
profession
does not seem to be ready to grapple with this issue.

Beyond the obvious known companies (Amazon & Google) we need to learn from 
others - such as Fedex, UPS, and today I was really impressed by Zappos.com 
- who sell shoes
on the web. ( I know the difference.....)

I am in the process of exchanging a pair of shoes I just bought. It took 
them less than 24 hours from the time I initiated the return/exchange to 
send me the following e-mail message - beside the content - see the job 
description -

"Hi Amos,
Thank you for choosing Zappos.com for your shopping needs!
Good news, your exchange order 46311902 has been placed and on its' way to 
you.  You should receive your new order in 4-5 business days. If you 
haven't received your new order in 4-5 business days, please feel free to 
contact us.

We are constantly striving to improve our service. If there is anything 
more we can do for you or if we could improve your experience, please do 
not hesitate to let us know. We are always here for you - 24 hours a day, 7 
days a week, 365 days a year. We like to think of ourselves as a service 
company that just happens to sell shoes. 1-800-ZAPPOS-1
(1-800-927-7671) OR 702-943-7677.

Thank you and have a great day,
Michelle
Customer Loyalty Representative
Zappos.com"

Amos

--On Monday, October 24, 2005 11:23 AM -0400 Ross Singer 
<ross.singer at library.gatech.edu> wrote:

> Pons, Lisa (ponslm) wrote:
>
>> Exactly! From my point of view, I would have been better off if they
>> didnt have it! After all, all I "really" care about is how easy it is
>> to get the information and materials i need. I dont care where it came
>> from. Why not send an email saying "this item available at Library X,
>> or for 5.95 we will scan and email it to you". To me, that would be
>> service!
>
> But you would miss the "learning moment" of "how to use microforms".
>
> Somewhere, a librarian sheds a tear.
>
> -Ross.
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Amos Lakos
Librarian, Rosenfeld Management Library
UCLA - Anderson School of Management
110 Westwood Plaza, Box 951460
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1460
Phone: (310) 794-4381
Fax: (310) 825-4835
E-mail: aalakos at library.ucla.edu
Web: http://personal.anderson.ucla.edu/amos.lakos/index.html