Elsevier Library Connect Newsletter: Arjan Huisman with Elsevier’s Customer Service Focus Project reports from Amsterdam

Volume 6 • Number 2
April 2008
ISSN: 1549-3725
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Theme: Serving Millennials

welcome

Introduction by Jay Katzen LISR article on tweens earns award

features

Commons, chat and collaboration: How we’re connecting with Millennials at Murdoch University Library The future of the undergraduate library: Asking questions with too many answers and too many opportunities Millennial disconnects with publishers and libraries Undergrads’ research habits, motivators and attitudes: What studies tell us

place & space

How we're moving to a primarily digital library How we’re redesigning academic libraries to keep them as the center of campus How we're transforming our library spaces and mindset

center of attention

Librarians Speak Up:
How is your library innovating to support Millennials? 5 Questions with Jai Haravu

community connections

The ScienceDirect High School Program:
Participants report excellent results 2007 Elsevier Foundation awards support initiatives worldwide Looking to help researchers stay connected? Try TopCited and 2collab

behind the scenes

Talking with a Turkish university librarian about lending eBook readers Rights Spot: Why does Elsevier request transfer of copyright?

on the road

10 weeks @ the University of Pittsburgh Libraries: Realizing the differences…

staying connected

Customer Service Focus: How does Elsevier answer queries about Scopus and ScienceDirect? Ask UCD: Does serving Millennials affect the design ,and usability of products or services? Information and Organization publishes award-winning paper Electronic Theses & Dissertation Awards launch Jay talks about the value of eBooks Wow! TrainingDesk keeps getting more exciting Upcoming Events 2008 Library Connect Editorial Team

Arjan Huisman with Elsevier’s Customer Service Focus Project reports from Amsterdam

Arjan Huisman

Q: How does Elsevier answer queries about Scopus and ScienceDirect?

A: Over a year ago, we introduced Live Chat, our online chat functionality, for Scopus. We’re currently rolling this out for ScienceDirect customers too.

With Live Chat, users can access online technical support via a chat environment (like MSN messenger). Live Chat takes our customer response time from hours to seconds and has helped put Elsevier at the forefront of customer service innovation. Live Chat allows two-way dialog and helps our users get their answers in minutes — just as is possible by phone. Making it even better, Live Chat is available around the globe, 5 days a week, 24 hours a day.

Live Chat allows two-way dialog and helps our users get their answers in minutes — just as is possible by phone.

Each day, our eHelpdesk staff conduct many Live Chat sessions. Overall, reactions from customers are positive. Usually, a Live Chat session lasts a couple of minutes and resolves the question raised. If an answer can’t be given instantly, our eHelpdesk representative returns later to the customer. Live Chat sessions cover diverse issues and sometimes tickle the funny bone.

Curtis Vize, a New York eHelpdesk representative, had the following memorable conversation with a customer. It went like this:

Curtis: You are now chatting with Curtis.
User: I remember once I read something about computers who answer questions. I think I’m talking with one. What do you say?

Curtis: Where did you read this?
User: It’s not important. It was an article about computers and the developments in narrative intelligence. The point is my feeling I think this talk is artificial ...

Curtis: What is artificial about it? I may be limited in that I can't research for you, but I will certainly attempt to help you make use of the features on the site.
User: I am ashamed about that but I should say NO. After all, I should say that [it] was fine to talk to you. You are a nice computer, and of course a modern one which is more flexible in speech. I appreciate your creator.

Curtis: My parents would be proud.

Our eHelpdesk reps really are human, very capable and ready to help you. Please try Live Chat, by clicking on the button on Scopus or, if the button’s already available for your institute, ScienceDirect.

www.scopus.com
www.sciencedirect.com