Understanding Customer Service
Understanding Customer Service: Internal and External Customer Service
Internal Customer Service
Internal customer service is equally important as external customer service.
Internal customer service means treating your colleagues as if they were your paying customers.
Internal customer service means delivering competent, quality work in a courteous and helpful manner.
Internal customer service is the same as external customer service; it just applies to the people within the company rather than outside it.
Good internal customer service is important because: people are happy to work for their organization, people produce top-quality work on time, people grow professionally and people enjoy their jobs more.
To consistently exceed customer expectations, everyone in the organization needs to be focused on the customer. This includes:
a. Service providers, who have direct interaction with the customer.
b. Service support personnel, who provide important internal services so that the service providers can meet their needs.
c. Management/leaders, who provide vital support for the service initiative.
Consistently exceeding customer expectations relies upon a complex, company-wide approach, rather than trying to establish or improve a customer service department.
External Customer Service
External customer service often mirrors internal customer service.
To do this, ask yourself: “Who is responsible for helping the customer?” o Select a specific customer service transaction that has taken place with your company.
a. Begin with the outcome and then trace the transaction back through the company to identify: the service providers, those required to support the service and the role of managers in interactions with customers.
b. Think about the extent to which each department is focused on meeting customer needs. What internal barriers exist that might prevent service providers from exceeding customer expectations?
Internal Customer Service
Internal customer service is equally important as external customer service.
Internal customer service means treating your colleagues as if they were your paying customers.
Internal customer service means delivering competent, quality work in a courteous and helpful manner.
Internal customer service is the same as external customer service; it just applies to the people within the company rather than outside it.
Good internal customer service is important because: people are happy to work for their organization, people produce top-quality work on time, people grow professionally and people enjoy their jobs more.
To consistently exceed customer expectations, everyone in the organization needs to be focused on the customer. This includes:
a. Service providers, who have direct interaction with the customer.
b. Service support personnel, who provide important internal services so that the service providers can meet their needs.
c. Management/leaders, who provide vital support for the service initiative.
Consistently exceeding customer expectations relies upon a complex, company-wide approach, rather than trying to establish or improve a customer service department.
External Customer Service
External customer service often mirrors internal customer service.
To do this, ask yourself: “Who is responsible for helping the customer?” o Select a specific customer service transaction that has taken place with your company.
a. Begin with the outcome and then trace the transaction back through the company to identify: the service providers, those required to support the service and the role of managers in interactions with customers.
b. Think about the extent to which each department is focused on meeting customer needs. What internal barriers exist that might prevent service providers from exceeding customer expectations?