8 Essential Elements of Internal Customer Service
Are you preparing to launch an internal campaign or customer service initiative? Look no further! In this article, we will explore the fundamental principles of internal customer service and provide you with insights that can help catapult your initiative to success. So, let’s dive in!
Understanding the Similarities and Differences
Internal and external customer service may share the same goal of creating and maintaining comfort, positive feelings, and results. However, there are notable differences in how these services are delivered.
1. Jargon and Shared Language
Every industry and company has its own set of terminologies, which can be difficult for outsiders to understand. With internal clients, such as colleagues from different departments, you can freely use jargon and language shortcuts without fear of alienating them. This shared language fosters better communication and understanding.
2. Level of Formality
With internal customers, you can adopt a more informal tone compared to interacting with external clients. Skipping formalities can enhance collaboration and create a more relaxed working environment between colleagues.
3. Transparency with Company Information
While you must protect your company’s private matters when working with external clients, sharing relevant information is crucial when serving internal clients. Internal clients often require access to company data to complete their work effectively.
4. The Amount of Abuse You Should Be Willing to Endure
Dealing with rude external customers can be challenging, but since they contribute to your company’s success, you may have to tough it out. However, with internal customers, if their behavior crosses the line, it is essential to address the issue promptly and follow your company’s behavioral guidelines.
Essential Elements of Internal Customer Service
1. The Three Stages of Service Interaction
Every service interaction consists of three stages: the warm welcome, the delivery of the service or product, and the affectionate farewell. Paying attention to all three stages is essential, as human memory often emphasizes beginnings and endings.
2. Mental Reframing
Start seeing tasks from internal customers as valuable requests rather than mere obligations. Changing your perspective can increase your efficiency and enthusiasm, as you recognize the importance of serving your colleagues.
3. Recognition for Internal Customers
Internal customers, just like external ones, want recognition. Acknowledge and value your colleagues’ contributions, making them feel seen and appreciated beyond mere task completion.
4. Addressing Spoken and Unspoken Needs
When communicating with internal customers, listen not only to what is said but also to the subtle cues that reveal their emotional and practical desires. Address both spoken and unspoken needs to create a more fulfilling service experience.
5. Emphasizing Lateral Service
Go beyond your comfort zone and help your colleagues during staff shortages. This fosters a more resilient company culture and strengthens the bonds between departments.
6. Respecting Others
Respect should be a fundamental value in any internal customer service culture. Bullying or disrespectful behavior must be addressed promptly, as it can harm teamwork and employee morale.
7. Cultivating Consideration
Kindness should underpin all interactions in the workplace. It is essential to approach colleagues with empathy, compassion, and a genuine desire to help.
8. Harnessing the Power of Language
Use language that promotes respect, collaboration, and positivity. Avoid derogatory or devaluing phrases and instead use words that foster teamwork. Simple phrases like “please” and “thank you” can have a silent, yet powerful, impact on how colleagues perceive your communication.
Choosing the Right Format for Internal Customer Service Training
For effective internal customer service training, consider different formats. E-learning offers the advantage of asynchronous learning and durability. Employees can access training materials at their own pace, making it accessible for both current and future employees.
Live training, whether in person or via remote video, allows for real-time interaction and immediate feedback. Combining live training with physical materials like handouts can enhance the effectiveness and reinforce key points.
In Conclusion
Internal customer service plays a vital role in creating a positive and collaborative work environment. By incorporating the essential elements mentioned above and choosing the right training format, you can cultivate a culture of internal customer service excellence. Remember, effective internal customer service not only benefits your colleagues but also impacts your company’s overall success.
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The opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Are you preparing to launch an internal campaign? Customer service initiative? Well, you came to the right place. I am happy to provide you with information that can catapult your initiative to success if you choose to do it yourself.
Before we delve into the details, let’s take a breath and understand the similarities and differences between internal and external customer service. Although its essence should be the same, its superficial manifestations differ.
Both types of customer service, at their core, have the same goal: to create and maintain comfort, positive feelings, and, of course, results. However, there are some notable places where the way the service is delivered should diverge.
Related: 8 initiatives to turn your customers into loyal advocates
Here are some differences between internal customer service and external customer service (when done right):
- Jargon and shared language: Every industry, as well as almost every company, has its own set of terminologies, a kind of coded language that outsiders (at least if they are not also in your industry) can find it difficult to decipher. With your internal clients (your colleagues from different departments or your own) you can use this jargon and language shortcuts freely, confident in their understanding and without fear of alienating them with phrases, terms and abbreviations that may be foreign to them.
- Level of formality: With internal customers (colleagues), you are free to adopt an informal tone, skipping the formalities would use with someone who is outside your company. In fact, essential formalities for external clients can feel unnecessary (or even seem a little silly) when interacting with colleagues.
- Transparency with company information: This one is obvious. You must protect your company’s private matters when working with external clients. With an internal client, such data may be essential, or at least useful, to complete your work.
- The amount of abuse you should be willing to endure: Well, this is an important topic and not a very pleasant one to think about.. When working with an external client, if they are rude, they may be a rude person all the time, or they may be “just” letting off steam once and will be themselves again the next time you meet them. Either way, since external customers pay for our company’s success, you may have to tough it out. With an internal customer, if they misbehave, you may want to call them or even alert a superior, especially if you have clear internal (company) behavioral guidelines. Of course, in some business cultures, this can be a suicidal move in your career, so you should still proceed with caution.
Related: 5 Shocking Customer Service Mistakes You Make Every Day (And How to Fix Them Right Now)
Armed with this understanding, let’s delve into the fundamental principles of internal customer service. Here are eight essential elements to incorporate into your internal customer service training and, if all goes well, your internal customer service culture.
- Each service interaction develops in three stages: the warm welcome, the delivery of the service or product and the affectionate farewell. Too often we ignore stages one and three and focus all our efforts on the middle one, what we consider the real work. But banter at the beginning and end of any customer service interaction is key, considering how human memory emphasizes beginnings and endings in the way you later review an event.
- Mental reframing can be a game-changer. Start seeing tasks in your inbox like valuable customer requests rather than just “those people in the other department.” — You will observe an increase in your own efficiency and enthusiasm.
- Just like external customers, internal customers want recognition. They want their colleagues to see them, not just think about someone filling up their inbox.
- Address both spoken and unspoken needs and wants of your coworkers.. When communicating with you, listen for nuances that can give you clues about your emotional (and practical) desires, even if you’ve never expressed them verbally.
- Emphasize the principle of lateral service: Get out of your comfort zone to help your colleagues during staff shortages. This fosters a more resilient company culture.
- Respect must be a fact. Bullying, regardless of its origin, must be nipped in the bud. (Whether this is realistic depends on your company culture, level within your company, and other internal factors.)
- Consideration (kindness, actually) should be at the core of everything we do.
- The language is powerful. Stay away from phrases that disparage or devalue your colleagues (“Like I told you before”, “You’re not my only priority, you know?”, etc.) And remember, “please” and “thank you” have a positive, albeit silent, effect. Use them generously.
Related: 4 investments that brands should make to improve their customer service
What format should be used for internal customer service training?
When it comes to in-house customer service training, there are a few formats to consider. One option is customer service. e-learning-based training, which offers the advantage of being asynchronous (can be used at any time and at any pace) and durable (has value both in the future and in the present). With eLearning, employees can access training material at their own pace, regardless of their shift or schedule, and it can be used by future employees and as a central part of their future onboarding process.
Live customer service training is another effective route to take, whether in person or via remote video. This allows for real-time interaction and immediate feedback. To improve the effectiveness of live training, it may be beneficial to supplement it with physical materials, such as handouts or reference materials. These aids can help reinforce essential points and ensure everyone is on the same page – literally!
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