User Satisfaction and Librarians' Reference Behavior in Chat Reference

A large study of librarians' behaviors during online chat reference was recently conducted and the resutls written up in RUSQ: "The Effects of Librarians’ Behavioral Performance on User Satisfaction in Chat Reference Services" by Nahyun Kwon and Vicki L. Gregory.  422 chat transcripts were analyzed, the researchers looking for evidence of the librarians actually practicing the RUSA Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Services Providers.   The results found that:

Five of these behaviors – receptive and cordial listening, searching information sources with or for the patrons, providing information sources, asking patrons whether the question was answered completely, and asking patrons to return when they need further assistance – were revealed as strong predictors of user satisfaction.

The report is interesting, and duplicates what other report shave show in the past as well: good reference librarian behavior is just as important online as it is in person.  What we do with users, whether they're standing in front of us scowling impatiently or miles away at a computer screen, all comes back to customer service no matter who or where they are.

If you haven't looked at the RUSA Guidelines linked to above, I suggest that you do so and that your organization's reference team takes a look at them as a formal training exercise.  Even though they were last revised in 2004, they do still include guidelines specific to both in-person and remote reference.