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CUSTOMER-FOCUSED
ENVIRONMENT
ORGANIZATIONS MUST EXTEND THEIR DEFINITION OF CUSTOMERS.
I
JIM L. SMITH
learned a long time ago that quality standards,
issues and performance are goals people can rally
around, unlike other goals like cost reduction or productivity improvement. Quality opens people up to
change because the change is for a good reason. It connects them with the customer and taps the motive of
pride in their work
This should not be a surprise to most of our readers
but to create a true quality environment an organization must first focus on the customer. The purpose of
all work and all improvement effort is to better serve
the customer.
This should be recognized by everyone as fundamental to survival, but unfortunately some managers
do not always do well with this concept, straightforward as it might seem. It is important, therefore, that
managers ensure that there is a common definition of
the basic words and phrases used in communicating
what they hope to accomplish and why.
Quality means satisfying customers’ needs and
expectations. It is this focus that is, in fact, the purpose
of all work. However, it seems not everyone has the
same understanding of the word quality, which results
in mixed messages.
If the focus of a quality environment is to satisfy
the needs and expectations of the customer, then the
basic premise of all other organizational needs will be
addressed: profitability, producing quality products
and services, improving productivity, out-performing
the competition, managing change, and ensuring
employee involvement.
Another critical definition is required. Just as some
people are apt to translate quality too narrowly, so
too may we consider customers in the same restrictive
sense. One of the single most powerful revelations in
my quality education has been that customers are not
only external but internal as well.
When our thoughts are extended to other departments and fellow employees as customers, significant
positive changes occur in the way work is done or, in
quality terms, in the way we deliver our outputs, products or services.
It is important to emphasize that satisfying the
needs of the external customers must be paramount.
As we strive to better meet the needs of internal customers, we must guard against diminishing external
customer satisfaction. The challenge is to see our
efforts as a total system designed to satisfy our traditional customers.
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The pursuit, the focus, is toward but one end, which
is to meet or exceed customer expectations. It is this
oneness of purpose that links all activities toward a
single end that makes the total quality environment.
The focus on internal customers and satisfying their
needs toward improving external customer satisfaction
has the potential to transform the organization from
one of departmental boundaries and barriers into one
of complementing rather than competing activities.
In this new environment information ceases to be
hoarded as a power cache and is shared not only within
the department but with others as well. Collaboration
is common, competition is not; partnerships are
sought, teamwork prevails; and continual improvement
of the system is the goal.
The customer focus when supported by this singlesystem attitude requires a new generation of management that is long past due for some organizations. The
traditional hierarchical organization restricts not only
management but all within it.
The organization that is capable of multi-department, cross-functional teamwork on a daily basis is
one where processes are seen as related parts of the
total quality system. People working in such an environment better understand not only the organization’s
mission, but their own role toward its accomplishment.
Consequently, people are better able to fulfill their
tasks and to improve on them.
Essentially, what is being described is the culture
of an organization. More than any other responsibility of management, the culture it creates, supports, or
maintains is critical to the ability of the organization
to provide the desired products and services.
Too often, however, management gives little thought
to the cultural tasks required to create and maintain
the environment. Typically, when management’s attention is on aspects of the work environment, it is in
response to conditions occurring because of management negligence. The recognition of internal customers, however, helps management address how best to
satisfy the needs of direct reports, work associates, and
other departments.
A true quality environment is driven by a focus on
the customer. This purpose provides our organization
direction as well as purpose.
Jim L. Smith has more than 45 years of industry experience in
operations, engineering, research & development and quality
management. You can reach Jim at [email protected].
www.qualitymag.com
7/19/19 1:14 PM
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