Tom Peters on Internal Customers --- Blog Entry Revisited
Tom agrees that internal harmony is CRUCIAL to the success of your business, and the retention of your talent. Here's what he had to say on the subject:
Winning Formula: Put the INTERNAL Customer First!
A GE Energy salesperson reinforced this idea for me. Suppose you are making a complex "systems"/"solutions" sale. To pull it off (get it thoroughly implemented—the basis for repeat business) you need help—LOTS OF—from a host of folks inside GE—wherever. These folks are congenitally overworked—and have a queue of salespersons needing help. Your Goal #1: Get an UNFAIR SHARE (this is the way the GE guy put it) of these insiders' time and energy and attention. The time of the sale is way, way too late. These are Internal Relationships you should have been forming and minding long, long ago.
The "simple" point: By developing a scintillating (extensive, deep) internal network you probably increase your external success dramatically.
(I call all this—inside or out—ROIR. Return On Investment in Relationships.)
Hint/Duh II: It takes a lot of time!
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