Strategic Planning to Implementation, Guided by Data

Internal Customer Satisfaction Assessments
Internal Partnering Assessments

When departments, groups or teams work together interdependently, they exchange products, ideas, designs and even staff. In these joint efforts, they have a choice: they can either fight for advantage on their own turf, or they can focus on innovation, effectiveness and customer fulfillment as partners within the organization.

When departments, groups and teams work together sequentially, they complete a product or service and deliver the project to an internal customer -- another department, group or team which will take the project to the next level.

Both internal partnering and customer satisfaction assessments allow groups to assess each other on how their relationship is, or is not, functional and effective. This allows managers to build on synergies, and handle problems before they escalate into crises. Enquiring minds what to know.

Increasingly, organizational effectiveness and customer loyalty hinge on the ability of different groups and teams to work well together. Effectively cooperating just within your group is no longer enough. Why? Often productivity and customer fulfillment require sacrifices, what researchers call "organizational citizenship." This happens when groups are willing to give up time, energy and resources to accomplish important tasks, even if they belong to another group. They go the extra mile to communicate with each other, resolve differences, streamline processes, and back each other up when problems happen.

When groups become partners, and treat each other as internal customers, the external customers notice. They notice that, in this organization, all of the groups have accurate information about how their product or service is doing -- there is no confusion, no misrepresentation, and few needless phone transfers. They notice a trust and respect between teams that is often shared with them as well. They notice greater commitment and accountability. The list goes on, and this alone can move customers from mere satisfaction into loyalty and repeat business.