What Is an Internal Customer?

Introduction

Internal customer

Right!

Introduction

Internal customers are individuals and units within the company who receive services from other individuals or units. (Example: A regional salesperson is an internal customer of a researcher who prepares a market research report.)

Chinese name

Internal customer

Explanation

Individuals receiving other personal services within the company

E.g

Regional sales staff

Features

Internal customers are mutual

The so-called internal customer refers to the employees within the organization, and it can also be a unit or organization, and its internal personnel, processes, and products are internal customers. The characteristics of internal customer service are normative, orderly, mutual, and conscious. Internal customers are divided into three categories according to their different relationships. ^[1]

It is customary to understand the production department as the customer of the purchasing department, the production and sales departments are the customers of the personnel administration department, and the superior is the customer of the lower level. This understanding has a certain one-sidedness. Internal customers are mutual, each other's own customers, and each other's own suppliers. As far as the client at the level is concerned, the superior gives the work task to the subordinate. The subordinate should complete the work to the satisfaction of the superior. At this time, the superior is the customer of the subordinate and the superior is the supplier of the subordinate. But at the same time, in order to ensure the completion of the tasks assigned by the superior, the superior must provide the necessary guarantee conditions for the subordinate. At this time, the subordinate is the customer of the superior and the subordinate is the supplier of the superior. The same is true for functional customers and process customers. Because the two parties are in different functions or processes, their customer positions may be interchanged.

Due to the mutuality of internal customer relationships, the mutuality of services is formed. In their respective positions, employees have clearly defined when to be a customer and when to be a supplier, so they can provide and obtain services correctly. Services are provided to ensure the completion of the work of internal customers, and the obligations of internal suppliers should be fulfilled. Requesting services is a right enjoyed by internal customers. If employees only understand that I am an internal customer of XX, and what services should XX provide to me, then the communication and work flow within our organization will not be possible.