Staff time is our most valuable resource. We want our staff to spend as much time as possible with customers. Technology and the Internet of Things can help increase the amount of time staff spend in front of customers, while ensuring we are able to measure, evaluate and report our value to stakeholders. Markham Public Library achieves this in partnership with LiveGauge, an experimental marketing firm. MPL and LiveGauge deploy real-time, sensor technology that communicates instantaneous user experience, without adding to existing staff responsibilities.
Benefits Accrued to Date:
– Understanding of customer tech needs and uses
– Advocate for different types of technological offerings
– How customers use different spaces (Magazine area, kids area, computer lab, program room)
– Library space optimization for future buildings.
Outcomes:
– Discover the Internet of Things and the opportunities that abound for public library measurement.
– Learn about the contemporary market research techniques, data visualization, data collection tools, theory and techniques for assessing customer insight
– Hear about plans for the future, including expanding the pilot, customer usage assessment, comparability and building a data solution
