Introduction

To provide excellent service, we must first establish whom we really serve. Once we have established who these people are, then only can we identify ways and means to serve them better.

We all probably use the word “customer” quite a few times every day. When we use it, we mostly imagine a picture of someone who has come to complain about a service or product. It is true that our customers are people from outside who make use of our products and services; however, we should never forget that we also have internal customers. All our colleagues, everyone we meet every day, are our customers.

We all, therefore, have customers, regardless of our department or job level.

Check your list and establish how many of these people are outsiders or “customers” in the normal sense of the word and how many are fellow employees. You may have excluded any fellow employees; because we often overlook the facts that not only do we provide a service to people outside of the business, but also to people inside the business. Because we serve outsiders and insiders, all these people should be regarded as our customers!

In every business, two types of customers are served: External customers and internal customers. External customers are those individuals or groups that acquire products or services they need from our business by making a financial sacrifice.

Internal customers are those individuals or groups that depend on fellow employees to provide them with those products or services they need to enable them to serve external customers.