Internal Customers: How to Better Serve Them?

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"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." - Mahatma Gandhi

I began my career by engaging with external customers over the phone.

It always started with introducing myself, stating my location, and the purpose of the call, all of which were recorded for quality assurance. 

It would often go something like : 

"Hi, my name is Toni-Marie and I am calling from Mars, I would like to speak to Mr. Salad Fingers" 

I said that phrase so often that I would automatically say it, even when placing an order at Mario's:

"Hi, my name is Toni-Marie and I would like to order a Chicken Picante Sandwich" 

As part of the Technology Department, I now serve internal customers, and although these individuals work at the same place, I still believe that there needs to be a sense of urgency and respect when dealing with them. 

Their perception of the Technology Department can impact the overall performance of the company.

 If they do not trust us to complete tasks in a timely manner, they may seek external help or avoid making any improvements to their processes.

With that said, here are some tactics you can implement to better serve internal customers:


Show Empathy

Use phrases like "I understand how that could be frustrating" or "I can see why this is important to you". 

Observe Trends

Who requests the most, and why do they make these requests?

Be Proactive 

Anticipate potential issues or challenges that internal customers may face and create solutions.

Stick to Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

 Adhere to these agreements consistently to build trust and reliability.


Get Feedback 

You may think you are doing well, but allow internal clients to give you feedback on your performance.


Resources 

LinkedIn Course on Internal Customer Service

Book Recommendation : Unreasonable Hospitality

Customer Service Video : Simon Sinek



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