There’s more than one way to skin a cat.*
There’s also more than one way to look at any particular challenge or opportunity. By turning the tables and looking at the work we do from the point of view of the customer, we might elevate our service. We might hire and train people differently. We might do a lot of things with a fresh perspective. That’s because what’s important to us may not be the same thing that is important to our customers.
Let’s remember that our customers are not only the big, external, familiar corporate names that we hear frequently. Nor are they only small-medium-business customers or even only individuals that have an account with our organization. Internal customer service is the service we provide fellow employees and other departments within our own organization, as well as our suppliers and anyone else with whom we work to get our jobs done.
So much of this “internal customer service” is too often seen as interruptions that take us away from our “real” jobs — yet it is vital to our company’s success. If you see a gap between your “real” job and the needs of others in our organization, maybe we need to rethink what our real job is. In helping others in our company, you help us succeed.
Superior internal customer service improves morale, productivity, employee retention, external customer service, and, ultimately, profitability.
I think these five tips from Donna Earl are right on the money when it comes to our internal customers:
1. Always know your customers’ expectations, and be a part of their expectation setting. A wise man once told me that “expectations are resentments under construction.” If they have false or unrealistic expectations, explain your workflow, priorities, processes, and timelines in providing top-quality service for them.
2. To help your customers utilize your services better, explain how they can be ‘good customers.’ Be explicit about what you need from them in order to meet their needs. Define timelines and quality levels. Let them know what they can expect from you. As an internal provider, tactfully tell the customers how they fit into your workload, and listen to their delivery needs. Negotiate delivery dates and quality levels.
3. Always keep customers informed on project progress. Nobody likes to be blindsided by delays or last-minute requests for additional information.
4. Get out of your ‘silo’. Take a break with co-workers from another part of your organization. Talk to them during lunch about what’s happening in their department. We all work so hard that we can become myopic, lack perspective, and be ignorant about how other functions operate.
5. Open your vision to the big picture. When talking to co-workers from other departments, develop an understanding of how the whole organization works. How does your contribution fit into the big picture? What do other departments need from you to meet their goals? Think outside your function and department, and think holistically.
When we elevate our internal customer relationships, life is better for everyone.
What do you think? Are internal customers really customers?
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*No cats were actually skinned before, during, or after writing this post.
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This post was previously published on ILLUMINATION.
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