>>I would be interested to know how many of you consider your visitors
'customers' and whether you think the perceived ability to deliver 'quality
customer service' should take priority over qualifications and experience in a
museum environment?

HEATHER MAY<<

The word "customer" can sound somewhat sterile to those of  associated with
museums.  However, I think that it provides a good umbrella word to get museum
staff to realize that they are indeed providing a product/service to a variety
of constituents that include visitors, the media, the board, volunteers, the
community, teachers, each other, etc.

I don't think the ability to provide quality customer service should take
"priority over  qualifications and experience in a museum environment," but that
it should be on an equal par.  No matter how wonderful the collections, or how
valid the research, or how well planned the special events, if the various
"customers" are not satisfied, or better yet, had their expectations exceeded,
then they may not return, or learn what we had hoped, or become a member, or the
myriad of other levels of involvment that we hope for from the people that come
in contact with our institutions.  To my mind, an added focus on customer
satisfaction is a way for museums to blend the fundamental activities of
museums--collecting, interpreting, educating, preserving--with a new focus on
how all of these activities are perceived, received, and responded to, by
visitors, et al.

Susan M. Ward
Director, Heritage Communications
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