How Is Your Internal Customer Service?

May 7, 2010

A few months ago, a friend of mine told me that he got to watch a presentation given by Myra Golden, Customer Loyalty Expert. My friend’s group was already excelling at customer service. Their scores were consistently high and they were the shining star of their company.

It would seem that Myra had nothing to talk about. But he told me about an interesting question she asked, something along the lines of: “How is your internal customer service?” How is your customer service among yourselves?

I never really thought of it like that before. We all know the importance of relationships inside a firm or organization. But to call it customer service? You mean that we’re customers to each other even though we work together?

Maybe not exactly, but that’s a great way of looking at it. The fact is, that if you and I are in the same organization — the same team, if you will — we will have to collaborate at some point. I will need something from you, and you will need something from me. The last thing we need is to dread interactions and transactions with each other. We should do as much as possible to make our professional relationships work. When we do this, everyone wins. We get things done, we’re more efficient, and we look like rock stars. We’re happy, our employees are happy, and our external customers are happy because they get the best service in the easiest manner.

But if we spend all our time, failing to cooperate and pointing fingers at others, everyone loses. Especially our customers.