In many small institutions,
the staff and volunteers who are installing exhibits, working with collections,
etc. also function as the front-line staff. Individuals trained for specific
jobs within an institution are catapulted into visitor service and should feel
prepared to help visitors. Small museum staff and volunteers learn to
multitask; their focus can rarely be on just one thing happening at their
sites. Projects are in progress and a visitor needs help in the museum shop.
The doorbell or the telephone rings in the middle of a tour and there is not
always a second person on site to handle the interruption. The seemingly
constant interruptions can lead to frustration and annoyance especially when
the staff and volunteers already feel as if they are spread too thin.
In
spite of any frustration at being interrupted, the staff and volunteers should
make the visitor feel welcome and important. Staff and volunteer perceptions of
visitors will shape the way visitors are treated. Encourage staff and volunteers
to think of the visitors not as interruptions but as opportunities to share
information with others. Also, encourage them to openly communicate with each
other about their experiences with visitors and to talk about what is going
well and what may need to be improved. Improving visitor service is an ongoing
process and involves dialogue and discussion among staff and volunteers.
Visitor service training
should take place with all museum staff and volunteers regardless of time in
the institution, staff or volunteer tasks, or physical location within the
museum. It is essential for even back-of-house personnel to be able to interact
meaningfully with any visitor they might encounter, not just on site but via
e-mail or telephone. Visitors want to be treated with respect and care; they
want to feel acknowledged even if they are just asking for the location of the
museum shop or directions to the next site they are visiting. Providing all
staff and volunteers with good visitor service training will help to ensure a
good experience for everyone including the staff and volunteers.
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