External customers

External customers are the people that you usually think of when you use the expression 'customers'.

They are the visitors that visit the attractions, the guests that stay in hotels, the diners that eat in restaurants.

They are called 'external customers' because they come from outside the business you work for. They bring in all the revenue that keeps such companies afloat.

People who work in the industry spend most of their time trying to ensure that this type of customer has an enjoyable experience.

The ultimate goal is to ensure that the external customer is so happy that they return to your business again, and tell others just how good it is.

There are many Different types of customer to cater for. To find out more about them, visit the next section.

However, the employees of any organisation are a key factor in facilitating its success and should be treated well and with respect.

By following a few simple rules you can help create a positive and productive working environment where staff morale is high.

Internal customer care should enable you to work as a team. A successful team will be more efficient.

To help to make sure that a company works together as a whole, information should be shared between departments, with regular communication between employees.

Below is a list of some of the different people needed to deliver a meal at a hotel restaurant.

• managers

• suppliers

• chefs

• marketing or Press Officers

• waiters

• cleaners

• receptionists

• general kitchen assistants

• first aid and fire safety officers

Look at all these roles and list what would happen if each one of these jobs were not filled. For example, if there was no marketing or press officer people might not be aware that the hotel has a restaurant.

Each of the roles in a team is equally important and communication between team members is vital. If the waiter does not tell the chef what meal a customer would like, the customer will not get any food.

What would happen if the waiter had an argument with the chef?

How would this impact upon how quickly the customer got their food, and how would this affect the atmosphere of the restaurant?