Plan to meet internal & external customer requirements:

1.1 Investigate, identify, assess, and include the needs of customers in planning processes
1.2 Ensure plans achieve the quality, time and cost specifications agreed with customers

Investigate, identify, assess, and include the needs of customers in planning processes:-

One of the keys to success for marketers is to try to find ways in which to differentiate from their competitors in a global market. Using value added initiatives to drive customer retention can mean the difference between increasing or decreasing their share of the market.

Using customer driven organisations is one way in which to obtain and retain your competitiveness. This means that the organisation must develop its mission, vision and all of its goals to ensure that they meet and exceed customer expectations.

Customer driven organisations are driven by customer service and the measures of customer service that are projected in all organisational policy and procedures including employee job descriptions, goals at all levels (operational, tactical and strategic), and in both the organisation’s mission and vision statements. It is also essential that all of the organisation’s stakeholders are aware of what your organisation’s intentions are.

It is essential that you not only identify what the customer needs to purchase now, but also what the customer will need in the future. If service excellence is what your organisation is aspiring to or has achieved then the excellence that the organisation strives for or has attained will only be derived from your ability to research the organisations systems, services and products continuously so that you can be proactive in meeting the ever changing needs of your customer.

A key factor in your research is your ability to identify the need for change and change before demand changes, rather than being reactive and waiting for the change being forced on you. Your responsiveness to the market will impact on your ability to obtain a larger share of the market. If you change your systems, products and services before the customer is aware of them, then the chance of them remembering you increases because you may have the product and/or service as they need them.

Who are your customers?
Before you can research your customers, it is imperative that you know who your customer is. In most cases, your customers are the stakeholders of the organisation. There are two main types of customers. If you do not keep up to date with who the customer is, you will not be able to correctly research the market and identify the changing needs of the customer so that you can change your systems, products and/or services to meet the customer’s needs.

The two types of customer are:
Internal customers:-
An internal customer is the person who works for the organisation. They can be a part of your department or work in a completely different section, in another country.

An internal customer “is anyone you count upon to complete a task or a function to provide you with information so that you can get your job done…and anyone who counts on you to complete a task or function or to provide them with information so that they can get their job done.” (Rosenberger, 1998)

Examples of internal customers may include:
 Co-workers, peers and fellow frontline managers
 Supervisors
 Board members

External customers:
Anyone who does not work for the organisation is considered to be an external customer.

Examples of external customers may include:
 Clients, purchasers of services
 Members of the general public who make contact with the organisation, such as prospective purchasers of services
 Potential funding bodies
 Suppliers of goods and services and contractors providing goods and services
Internal and external customers should expect the same standards. Internal customers need to be provided with a culture that supports their needs, providing them with clear policies and procedures that align with a Customer Service Charter. To ensure that an open communication environment towards customer service excellence is maintained throughout the whole organisation, weaken any tendency for territorial walls by:
 Creating an environment to ensure that information is shared: Staff newsletters, meetings and clear goals will assist staff from building walls to protect themselves as all staff should be aiming and working together to meet the same goal.
 Practicing pro-active information sharing: As an extension of information sharing above, offer information to team members. Give them the information they require to perform their jobs.
 Create, or contribute to, an environment in which information is shared freely and walls are not built: Teach your staff to realise that the sharing of information is to make their job easy. Reward employees who freely share information and do not build walls.

Rewards could include giving staff pats on the back, letters of congratulation, lunches, and bonuses as acknowledgement for their open information sharing behaviour.

Scott Miller:
More Tips for Internal customer Service-

Never lose sight of the customer. They should always come first. It is important to make sure that you are aware of the customers’ different needs. In turn, you can ensure that your team has the ability to develop their product knowledge and maintain the policies and procedures of the organisation.

Customer’s requirements:-
Your customer’s requirements will vary so it is important to ensure that all of the information that you provide them with is:

 Accurate: If you do not know the answer, do not lie, the customer will know. If you have face to face interaction with the customer, ask another team member to assist you. If you are responding to a telephone enquiry, ask the customer if you can ring them back, if not ask another member of your team for assistance.

 Responsive: Customers will either make a complaint or even a suggestion. Do not take it as a criticism. They have a right to an opinion. Consider their feedback and see it as a way to improve. Customers will complain for many reasons. For example; they may not be happy with a product that you have sold them.

 Specific and clear: When providing either advice or giving general information; make sure that you answer the question. Be clear and concise. You may even obtain special requests. Consult with members of your team if you need to clarify information.

Once you are clear on the needs of the customer, it is important to also consider the type of customer that will be purchasing products from you. Remember a customer comes into your business because you can provide them with a product or service that they require. By providing them with quality service, you ensure that they remember you. This will increase the chance that your organisation will have a competitive advantage because of return business.

To maintain a competitive advantage, it is important to be proactive. As a manager, it is important to practice what you preach. Do not say that you support a customer driven approach if you are not going to follow it up with actions that demonstrate your support.