Internal services: classification and quality management

Abstract

The ultimate goal of total quality programmes is customer satisfaction. In order to reach that goal, TQM applies the customer orientation maxim internally, assuming that it can be applied without problems to internal services, too. Analyses the justification for this assumption. Argues that the concept of internal customer orientation only makes sense for workflow and audit/advice services, while evaluation/audit relationships do not comprise any kind of customer‐supplier relationship. It is shown that internal customer orientation does not arise automatically but results from management decisions which bring about an appropriate setting. Deals with the characteristics of workflow and non‐standardized support/ advice services and the consequences of these for the employment of customer‐oriented quality instruments. Points out that the strict realization of internal customer orientation can cause problems which prevent organizations from improving the quality of their products and services which are marketed externally.

Measuring Internal Market Orientation

“…It is simply a tool to align employees with the external marketing strategy of the organization. Therefore, there is a danger that by focusing on the expectations of employees, without a similar and complementary focus on the needs of customers, organizations may simply inflate overheads without attracting market benefits (Stauss 1995). Consequently, it is imperative to maintain a close alignment between internal and external market orientations.…”

Striving for quality: The key role of internal and external customers

“…One common problem faced by organizations is the tendency of departments and individuals to develop a production-based understanding of their performance and to put more emphasis on their own goals than on the needs of the agents which consume their products or services (Strauss, 1995).…”

The relationship between internal and external service quality

“…Internal and external service quality 275 goods or services from them, so they may need to respond to both internal and external customers (Stauss, 1995). In this view, an organization consists of a chain of individuals and functional units, linked together with the objective of satisfying the needs of their external customers (Finn et al, 1996;Marshall et al, 1998;Mills and Ungson, 2001).…”