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What do you consider a 'customer'?

Ellie

| 0 Posts

2 Jan, 2024 23:27

Hi all,

I am just about to submit but have 1 question left on my Assessment - Give an example of when you sought to understand and meet a customer's needs

I am stuck as to whether a customer is internal stakeholders or external customer. throughout the rest of the materials it specifically references stakeholder so I maybe overthinking it but it is the last question! 

Any help how you interpret would be great!

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  • Steve Bridger

    | 0 Posts

    Community Manager

    3 Jan, 2024 13:05

    I'm sure you can make the case it is either or both, Ellie.
  • Clare Marie

    | 0 Posts

    3 Jan, 2024 15:17

    Hi Ellie, welcome to the community. For me - customers are the individuals I interact with during my working hours, there is no difference whether internal or external although their needs may be slightly different and it might be worth highlighting that in your answer along with examples. Good luck with your assignment! :-)
  • Keith

    | 0 Posts

    3 Jan, 2024 15:52

    Personally I really don't like the concept of internal customers for a number of reasons (not least because it takes focus away from the "real" customer and makes some functions more important than others) but that's just a personal hang up of mine

    However I tend to agree with Clare that they are probably looking at internal customers and the assignment will definitely be easier to write that way
  • Steven

    | 0 Posts

    3 Jan, 2024 17:24

    Oh, you could make this as complicated as you wish. Customers could be internal individuals, groups or legal entities, could also be purchasers, end users etc. There is probably an easy 5,000 words just defining what a customer is.

    Or, just give an example of dealing with an internal person and finish the assignment without unnecessary stress.
  • Steven

    | 0 Posts

    3 Jan, 2024 17:33

    In reply to Keith:

    I think there an interesting discussion to be had whether all functions are equal or not.

    Previous experience indicates it is an amazingly controversial subject.
  • Clare Marie

    | 0 Posts

    4 Jan, 2024 09:56

    In reply to Keith:

    Agree with you Keith, while I'm not entirely comfortable with the concept either I'm unsure what other term can be used, colleagues perhaps? So, for now, I'll fall in line with my employer's approach to treating everyone as a customer, until at least someone has a brainwave and proposes a different approach ...
  • Steve Bridger

    | 0 Posts

    Community Manager

    4 Jan, 2024 10:03

    In reply to Clare Marie:

    I'm with you (and )... and I think  is right (in her OP) to use the terms "internal stakeholders" and "external customers". 

    Ditto the above when using "clients".

  • David Perry

    | 0 Posts

    4 Jan, 2024 10:13

    In reply to Steven :

    I could have done with you when I did my DPM many years ago. The questions were mostly harder to work out what they meant than the answers were...