Libraries expand to offer face-to-face services

Libraries expand to offer face-to-face services

Liverpool City Council is aiming to enhance residents’ access to face-to-face services by implementing a new approach that allows inquiries to be addressed in libraries. This initiative is part of the council’s ‘Customer Experience Improvement Plan’, which focuses on meeting the demands of residents who have expressed the need for more integrated, responsive, and user-friendly services.

Residents can now seek assistance from staff in reporting issues, requesting services, making payments to the council, uploading documents, or scheduling appointments to meet with a specialist officer. The pilot of this service at Parklands and Garston libraries has been successful since last autumn and has now been extended to Norris Green and Allerton. The ultimate goal is to extend this service to all council-operated libraries by March 2026.

To streamline operations and enhance customer service, the council is introducing a new case management platform that will seamlessly integrate systems. This platform will enable efficient tracking, managing, and resolving of customer requests. Additionally, it will offer enhanced self-service capabilities, leverage AI and automation to reduce routine tasks, and free up staff time to better support residents. The aim is to provide residents with easier access to support in their preferred manner, whether online, over the phone, or in person, with real-time updates and seamless access to information.

Cllr Ruth Bennett, Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources, and Transformation, emphasized the importance of listening to residents’ feedback and making changes to enable face-to-face interactions with council staff in more convenient locations and times. This step ensures that libraries remain vital community hubs delivering exceptional customer service. The council’s efforts to enhance digital services are complementing these changes, making it more convenient than ever for residents to seek assistance in a manner that suits their preferences

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