What is the Concept of customers - External / Internal in TQM? - Mechstudytips

Concept of customers - External / Internal 

(1) Process approach:

 In TQM culture, it is important to view the whole activities leading to external customer satisfaction as a value chain or supply chain.  In this model, the previous process is the supplier and the next process is the customer - the internal customers.  The external customers, as we know, are at the end of the value chain who use our products and services. 

(2) The Concept: 

In TQM, the cherished principle is: 'Next process is our Customer' 

It must be everybody's effort to satisfy the customers - both internal and external.  While defining the PQCDMS, we need to keep the internal customers in mind.  Customers' expectations determine the various roles and responsibilities

As a demanding customer, we also need to keep in mind the fact that we are also suppliers - suppliers of information to our suppliers, who are providing physical products and services to us.  We should provide timely and accurate information to such suppliers.  Only then, they will be able to provide products of the best quality and on time. 

Therefore we need to have the humility of a supplier at all times!

(3) Capturing Voice of the customers:

By referring to your organization chart, define the functional domain and identify your customers, both internal and external.  While identifying the customers, all the stakeholders who provide us with investments, services, and other benefits are to be considered as customers only.  

For example, the society providing us with land, air, and water, is expecting us to be environmentally responsible.  Let us not differentiate between customers and stakeholders.  They are all customers, expecting us to satisfy them all the time.  Thus, the top management also must be considered as a customer and their expectations are to be fulfilled as such.Format by brainstorming with concerned people or by conducting a survey of all the customers.  At the end of the format, the mission statement for the department is evolved based on the high priority expectations.  The Mission statement will clarify the reason for our existence.

(4) Conclusion:

1) Way to define roles and responsibilities: 

All the customer expectations with scores 4 and 5 are to be taken into consideration for defining the mission statement which forms the basis for deriving the roles and responsibilities of the functional Heads.  The expectations with scores 3 and less are taken up as Individual objectives of subordinates 

2) The next step:

 Now we can proceed to the concept of target setting as we have understood our customers and the way of categorizing their needs.