So much of what we read and learn about customer service is about external customer service.  A quick Google search of “external customer service” returned “about 7,500,000” hits.  When searching “internal customer service” the number of hits dramatically decreased to “about 471,000”.  This is pretty telling in my opinion.  Does your company have the knowledge it needs to provide excellent service to its internal customers?

Who are our Internal Customers?  

  • Co-workers
  • Other departments within our company
  • Other locations of our company
  • Any person or business that helps your company provide a product or service to an external customer

What can I do to provide excellent service to our Internal Customers?

TIP 1 – Treat them as you would an external customer.  Your Internal Customers deserve to be treated with respect and they should be a priority in your day.

TIP 2 – Communicate expectations.  Be clear when you are communicating.  Set boundaries.  Be direct, specific, and friendly.  Determine deadlines.  If your Internal Customer does not do the same, ask questions to understand their boundaries and deadlines.

TIP 3 – Keep them in the loop.  Continue communicating with your Internal Customers when other priorities change, questions arise, plans differ etc.  Giving progress updates strengthens trust and confidence.

 Before you close this blog, take a moment to determine which of the 3 tips you will work on today.