Whether your Customer is external or internal, it “should” all be about the customer.
Do you remember that phrase, “If you don’t take care of your Customer, someone else will?” Do you believe it? I do.
Yet, I am still amazed at the number of establishments and businesses, that for whatever reason, do not embrace that philosophy. I am a regular Hertz Customer, largely because I always believed in their superior Customer Service – until recently. During a recent family vacation, In Orlando, we were about to pile into our rented van for a trip to see Mickey, and the battery in the key fob – the only access to the vehicle, died. Hertz’ solution to MY problem was less than satisfactory, at the time. Now, in my mind, Hertz has fallen in par with all the other rental companies.
The problem is probably more prevalent with service organizations within a company, where people don’t think of their fellow employees or internal departments as “Customers”. That attitude eventually catches up to them, in terms of corporate performance, departmental performance, individual performance, and continuation of a culture problem. Everyone loses.
Yes, I am a proponent of the Customer – notice that I capitalize Customer, all the time, to re-inforce that belief.