GMTA CASE STUDIES: 1

Topic: Internal Customer Service

Welcome to GMTA: GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE’S CASE STUDIES series where we bring you case studies on topics that will support you or your team’s continuing learning and development. The topics we cover include customer service, project management, process management, getting started as an entrepreneur, managing your new business, annual business planning and review.

Listen and Watch to this case study HERE on YouTube

Or, read the scenario below.

For this case study, we are covering internal customer service:

• Internal customer service is the customer service we deliver to our colleagues or supervisors or the people we manage.

• Compared to external customer service which is delivered to the customer or client paying for or receiving our product or service.

Background:

• Kyle one of the corporate quality and compliance senior managers has been designated to implement new quality and compliance procedures in the Colorado regional office.

• Part of Kyle's duties is to go to Colorado and provide guidance to the local team.

• And these procedures are supposed to make things easier for the local team.

• Jessica is a Vice President in the company and the head of the Colorado regional office and part of her role includes ensuring her regional offices are in compliance with corporate guidelines.

• Jessica works primarily out of the Colorado office so she is on site often.

• The quality and compliance department in Colorado (the local team) has only two staff: Jeff is the quality and compliance manager for the Colorado. Linda is an associate in the quality and compliance department for the Colorado office and reports to Jeff.

Interactions and how they worked together:

• Jessica has a meeting with Kyle and Jeff to set expectations about her availability.

• Jessica notifies Kyle that the Colorado office is in their busy season so this project is on top of Jeff and Linda's already busy schedule. So Jeff will likely not have time to show Kyle around or get situated in the office so Jessica has assigned Ben from HR to welcome Kyle and get him situated and help him with any administrative questions or IT questions about the office, security access, places for lunch, etc.

• Jessica also notifies Kyle and Jeff that she, Jessica, will be in London UK delivering a sales pitch to a potential new major client. So she will not be in the office and will have limited availability so they will need to give her at least 24 hours notice for a meeting or information requests or if they need approvals from her.

• Kyle comes to Colorado and explains the new procedures  to Jeff and Linda and gives them the timeline and milestones that the new system and procedures should be established by and what items they are responsible for and what items he is responsible for.

• While the project is underway, Kyle tends to drop in to Jeff or Linda's office during the week and several times a day unannounced and ask for information he needs.

• To get the project done on top of their busy workload, Jeff and Linda would work late or come in early to work to meet the milestones.

• Ultimately, the project gets done on time.

So, let’s break down this customer service situation.

• CHARACTERS: Let’s begin with who are the people in this scenario

  • Kyle is a quality and compliance senior manager at the corporate level of the business.

  • Part of Kyle's duties is to go to Colorado and help the local team implement new quality and compliance procedures that are supposed to make things easier for the local team.

  •  Jessica is a Vice President in the company and the head of the Colorado regional office and part of her role includes ensuring her regional offices are in compliance with corporate guidelines.

  •  The quality and compliance department in Colorado (the local team) has only two staff:

    • Jeff is the quality and compliance manager for the Colorado office.

    • Linda is an associate in the quality and compliance department for the Colorado office and reports to Jeff.

  •  Ben is in the HR department in the Colorado office and has been assigned to welcome Kyle and help him with any administrative questions or IT questions about the office, security access, places for lunch, etc.

• WHO ARE THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS SITUATION

  •  We have the Corporate leadership team: this is the top leadership of the entire company that is invested in the wellbeing of the entire business. In order for the business to operate, the business must have effective and efficient quality and compliance processes and procedures across the entire organization.

  •  Then we have the Corporate quality and compliance team: this is the team responsible for bringing to fruition leadership’s goal that the business has effective and efficient quality and compliance processes and procedures so that the company can ultimately deliver the products and services to their clients and customers and also function to have employees.

  •  Kyle is a member of and a representative of the corporate quality and compliance team.

  •  Then we have the Colorado office: which is a part of the business that is responsible for their area and specialities. The Colorado office is invested in making sure that their office is compliant so they can operate and take care of their employees and customers and clients.

  •  Jessica is both part of the corporate leadership team and the head of the Colorado office.

  •  We also have the Colorado quality and compliance team: who is invested in the Colorado office being compliant so that their office can deliver the products and services to their clients and customers in accordance with legal and business standards and their employees can earn an income for their livelihood.

  •  And as mentioned, we have Colorado office employees and staff: who depend on the office meeting its quality and compliance requirements so that the office can be in business and they can earn a livelihood.

  •  And ultimately, there are the customers and clients of the Colorado office: who have an expectation that the products and services they receive are in alignment with legal and business standards.

  •  And we do not want to overlook the Colorado HR office: which is invested in the wellbeing of the employees in the colorado office and any company employees visiting in the office so that they can do their jobs effectively.

• WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM OR ISSUE

  •  Let’s begin with narrowing down who are the customers in this situation so we can focus on the core matter.

  •  Jessica, Jeff and Linda are the customers of Kyle and corporate quality and compliance department because the new processes and procedures are supposed to make things easier for the Colorado office.

  • At the same time, the corporate office and Kyle are the customers of Jessica, Jeff and Linda because the new processes and procedures is a directive from the corporate office that they need to implement.

  • And while Kyle is onsite, he is a customer of Jessica who is ultimately in charge of the Colorado office and its employees and any visiting employees.

  • So, the business objective here is that: New processes and procedures need to be implemented in Colorado. And, Kyle is in charge of leading the implementation and working closely with Jeff and Linda.

• WHAT WERE INSTANCES OF GOOD INTERNAL CUSTOMER SERVICE?

  • Jessica having a meeting where she set expectations of her availability so everyone involved in the project knew what to expect so they could incorporate this into their plans in advance.

  • Jessica also making Kyle aware that they are in their busy season so he should be mindful that Jeff and Linda have a heavy workload already.

  • Jessica knowing the limitations of her team and making a resource available to help Kyle get situated.

  • Jeff and Linda working extra hours to meet the deadline.

• WHAT WERE INSTANCES OF POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WHAT TANGIBLY COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER?

  • Kyle aware that Jeff and Linda were busy was not mindful or respectful of their time when he drops by unannounced to get information he needs. What could have been better? Since Kyle knows that they are busy, a good thing would be to request a daily quick check in with Jeff and Linda on progress so the team could collaborate better and have a set time to share information or ask for help.

  • Kyle was aware that Jeff and Linda had a full work schedule and did not consider or pursue possible solutions or alternatives. Kyle could have requested from corporate or Jessica an extra resource to minimize burnout for Jeff and Linda.

  • What else do you think could have been better?

SUMMARY AND KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Customer service is not just for the end customer or client that pays for the product or service or is the recipient of the product or service.

• Customer service is implicated in every aspect of our lives and our day to day at work.

• This scenario took a look at internal customer service that is the customer service we deliver to our colleagues, supervisors and people we manage.

In our Customer Service and Excellence training and certification, we provide you with a thoughtfully designed and detailed course that covers customer service in a practical way and develop for your own unique personality and approach.

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