What is excellent internal customer service?
When a co-worker walks into your office with a request, how do you typically react? Do you treat that person as well as you’d treat a new client you’re trying to land?
You should.
See, shareworthy service shouldn’t be reserved just for the people outside your company – it’s for your internal customers, too. The best staffing companies realize this and strive to deliver exceptional service with every “customer” interaction – whether that customer is inside or outside the company.
To deliver great internal customer service, you should first define what it means in your company. While the parameters vary from business to business, here are a few common elements:
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On-time delivery.
Tasks are reliably completed within established time frames.
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Consistent follow-up.
The internal customer is regularly kept up-to-date on a project’s status; employees can count on one another to follow-through on commitments without micromanagement.
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Clear, respectful communication.
In all forms (spoken word, email, voice mail, IM, memos, etc.) of communication, employees at all levels are polite and professional with one another – even when challenges arise.
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A service mindset.
Employees take pride in helping colleagues get their jobs done. They provide service that helps co-workers look good in the eyes of superiors, co-workers or external clients.
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Accomplishing goals.
Shareworthy internal customer service creates an operating environment that encourages achievement. Not surprisingly, a staffing company with great internal customer service is more likely to meet the goals they set.
In a nutshell, employees who provide good internal customer service follow the “golden rule” – they treat fellow staff members the way they’d like to be treated. But excellent internal customer service isn’t merely polite or politically correct. It’s actually great for business:
- it increases employee satisfaction and company morale;
- it lowers employee acquisition costs;
- it increases employee productivity and performance;
- it sets the bar for how well your external customers are treated.
Follow this link to learn some practical tips for delivering better internal customer service.