Porvoo City Library

Customers
Insight
Understanding Customers Value

Project May, 2015

Contents
Research problems, aims
Research result- statistics
Interview quotes
Customers personas & suggestion
Staffs diaries & suggestions
Interview questions
Conclusion

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Why research?
This research was done by students of
Haaga Helia UAS and the researchs main
problem is getting the insight of Porvoo
residents. Research aims is to provide ideas
to help library in redesigning their services
especially in 5-year vision
This was mainly a qualitative research
project and 4 main tools were used, which
are benchmarking, interview, safari and staff
diaries.

How was the process?

Benchmarking
Interview
Safari
Staffs diaries

The benchmarking process brought

appealing information and comparison
between different libraries both online and
offline (Seinajoki, Tampere, Joensuu,
Helsinki, Espoo, Lappeenranta Library).

Why research?
The information was used to design the
interview. In addition, a safari video and
data collected from the libraries staffs are
believed to distribute a full picture of Povoo
main library and suggest
new
development ideas.

Research result
Totally:
120
100
80
60
40
20
0

Figure 1

171

people
109

36
2

17

Number of people interviewed

Interviews were done in

several places, both inside and
outside the library. There were
interviews done inside Porvoo
main
library,
Kevtkumpu
library and Gammelbacka
library.
Many people in the center of
Povoo were asked for opinions
also.

Research result
Mostly: young generation
Regarding the interviewees
age group, 5 groups of people
between 0-18, 19-30, 31-35,
55-over and families are
concerned.

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62

31

Most of them are young

generation, from 2 groups 018 and 19-30. Even though,
many interesting opinions
were taken by older group.

60
0-18

19-30

31-55

55- over

Family

Figure 2: Age group of people interviewed

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QUOTES
from the interviews

From the interview, a

number
of
attractive
quotes are received. Many
quotes reveal different
reasons why people stop
coming to the library or
why they have not come
at all.

QUOTES
from the interviews

From the interview, a

number
of
attractive
quotes are received. Many
quotes reveal different
reasons why people stop
coming to the library or
why they have not come
at all.

The library is quiet which makes it easier

for me to concentrate since I live with my
family.
I am not interested in books anymore. I
want to hang out with my friends and
play video games.
I feel embarrassed asking for the toilet
keys all the time.

They should change the positions of the

books or cover them to prevent the kids
from reaching/destroying them.
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I do not know what to read next after I finish

a series of books, it is better if the online library
can suggest similar books that I borrowed and
library already has them
Girl 19-30

QUOTES
from the interviews

Long time ago, about 30 years ago, I came

to the ibrary so often, just to listen to music
Man 31- 55
Very good, great service, Kevatkumpu library
is small but they have first-class service. I can
order everything if they cannot find here
Woman 31-55
Kevatkumpu library

Other quotes also suggest

solutions and ideas for the
library or even indicate
customers satisfaction.
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From the interview, 4 personas of customers are

disclosed. People in each type of personas value
different things, which is because they live different
life, have different thoughts, ideas and activities from
each other.
By interpreting deeply 4 personas, ideas on new
services can be generated based on customers
various values and characteristics.

PERSONAS
Creating values!

Silence seeker
Socializer
Babysitter
Borrower

1. Silent Seekers
Who?
Students, family member
With academic goals

Thoughts,
feelings
Silent, please,
No disturbance

Environments:
Bright, calm,
Peaceful, light

Values:
privacy, silence, peace
personal space

Silent seeker, who can be student, a

family member, a person with
academic goals and they look for
silent. Bright, calm, peaceful and
light environment that help them
to focus on their task is what they
like.
This group values privacy, silence,
peace and personal space. Looking
at their feeling and thoughts, there
is no other than the sentence:
Silent, please, they do not want to
be disturbed.
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2. Socializer
Who?
Senior citizen, teenager, working
class, seek to activities or relax

Thoughts,
feelings
How not to
disturb
people?

Environments:
Modern, colorful,
space, hobbies

Values:
Free time, communication,
Being in a crowd,
Meeting people, discussion

Socializer can be a senior citizen,

teenager, people in working class
seeking to activities or relax. They
love modern, colorful environment
that has space for events and
various interesting activities for their
hobbies.
They value discussion, being in a
crowd,
free-time
hobbies,
communication, meeting new
people but deeply they wonder:
How not to disturb people?
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3. Babysitter
Who?
Parents, teachers, nanny
Who educate kids
Thoughts, feelings
More stuffs for
children
How to make sure
kids dont cause
damage?

Values:
Kids comfort

Environments:
Safe, open spaces,
Educative
Socialization for kids

Baby sitter is also an important

group. They come to library
regularly and they can be parents,
teachers, nanny or whoever
educate kids. They love safe, open,
educative environment or spaces
helping their kids to socialize.
Their value only focus on the kids
comfort but they wonder How to
make sure children will not cause
damage and want more stuffs for
children.
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4. Borrowers
Who?
Students, teenager,
working class

Thoughts,
feelings
I wish there
will be more
materials

Environments:
Cozy, simple access
to online system
Values:
time

Borrower, normally they are people

coming just to take materials and
go. They do not spend time at the
library and borrowers can be
students, teenager or people in
working class who are very busy
This group values time and loves
cozy environment. They enjoy
simple access to online system as
well. I thought there will be more
materials is their feelings and
thoughts
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SOLUTIONS
Bringing values for 4 groups in 1 places Porvoo library

Different separate areas

Clearer service instruction
(E-book available,
services within the library
such as printing cost)
More materials
More appealing events

Accordingly, based on each

groups value, there are many
solutions,
for
example,
separating silent seeker with
socializer by having a silent
reading or focusing rooms.
The library can generate
various
areas
that
are
designed
or
decorated
differently, a modern area, an
area for group discussion, an
area decorated peacefully, an
areas for people who want to
relax alone and another
separate playing areas for kids,
where there should be more
toys and new stuffs for the
children.

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The point is getting into the customers! Once customers insights

containing their life, characteristics, values and love are understood,
library can design better services serving for different values. Below are
several example or suggested ideas
Some people even do not know
the library has the E-books, people
do not know that printing machine
cost money and they are tired of
borrowing the toilet keys.
Many problems can be solved by
better
contacting
with
the
customers, how about sending
newsletter to their email informing
about new e-book or books, clearer
sign about cost for printing and
especially provide values for each
kind of group.

For socializer, they love activities, they

want to go to library for meeting
people, talking with their friends and
relax. They need places to sit
comfortably and talk without disturbing
others. They do not like dark and boring
design but exciting, creative place and
color.
Moreover, holding cool, attractive events
like music (inviting bands to play at the
library), watching movies event is great
ideas as well. Activities can be relevant
to sewing, chatting but mostly people
love music and movies events.

This group also want real

instrumentals to play, interact with,
more video games, music of all
kinds (especially rock, hard music)
However, the main point is that
people come to the library to relax
and have a discussing places with
their friends as well, having that
places for them is essential.
Babysitter, for instance, they would
love reading stories events for their
child.

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There are several comments

about the quality of the books,
many books and furniture are
old, which should be changed or
updated. Suggestion for more
horror, detective books and
movies, inviting Finnish band to
sing, bigger cafeteria with a
bookshelf at the cafeteria are also
recorded,
This means that cafeteria has a
bookshelf with all different kinds
of books, people can take 1, write
the name on that book, next time
when they go and drink coffee,
they can just pick up that exact
book
there.
People
really
comment that the library is very
hot in the summer.

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Working

DIARIES
From the interview, a
number
of
attractive
quotes are received. Many
quotes reveal different
reasons why people stop
coming to the library or
why they have not come
atData
all. collected from the
staffs diaries also divulged
useful suggestion

There could be more activitiess for the

children.
I wasnt able to find a book that a
customer was looking for even though it
should have been there according to the
database.
I would like to see happy and
professional customer service and
customer service should also be by the
shelves.

I helped a customer to make birthday

invitation cards with Microsoft word and
she was really happy.
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Actually, staffs
diaries contribute
valuable ideas
for Porvoo
library.

They have many common

things with the customers
interview:
Kids running around
More e-books,
Provide wide range of books in large amounts,

Make the price-list visible to customers

.e.g. near computers.
Books should be checked frequently to
see if they are on the right shelves to
match the database.
Computers need maintenance specially
those on the bus library.
Offered services need to be clear and
well planned, both in Finnish and
English.
Enough work time for taking care of
collection/selection work and other
workloads
Phones and cars to take care of library
related issues instead of using their own
personal items.

More languages
More training to provide better customer service
Comfortable and relaxing place

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Questions ?
used in the interview

Why are you here today?

How often do you visit the
library?
Which services do you
use?
Opening hour?
Which services you want
to have?
Why did you stop
visiting?
What can make you visit
library more?
Choosing pictures of
library you like, why?
Choosing your hobbies?

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BRIEFLY,
The project fulfilled its aims at first and provided customers insight by 4
personas. By studying the customers and the personas, we really hope that
Porvoo library can get new and useful ideas to redesign services and have a
great 5 year vision in the future.

Knowing your customers and bring them what they value overexpectedly is
always the key to succeed.
Keep innovating!

Customer insight Project by students of Haaga-Helia

May 2015
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