Who is the customer?

Early January and the snow had fallen. Naturally the UK was in chaos and the TV news reader was pleading for us all to take it easy and be careful on the roads.

I said to my 15 year old son, Euan, to tell the bus driver to be careful on the roads, with a joking smile.

“Not likely Dad, he’d throw you off. No, there are rules to obey when using the bus. You have to have the right change otherwise you’ll annoy the driver, and you have to get to your seat really quickly, otherwise he’ll get angry and when it’s your stop, you have to ring the bell well beforehand. You have to keep him on your side”

What a load of rubbish, I thought. I was fuming.

Have we forgotten who the customer is?

Does your team need reminding, I doubt it, but maybe you have people in your team who have never believed they are there to serve a customer, to give care. And I’m referring to internal customers i.e. people within in the company who are customers of them, as well as external customers.

I think if we’re all crystal clear as to who is the customer, then you can begin your customer service training.

I just wish someone would tell the driver of the number 71 bus out of Gloucester, who is the customer.