TABLE OF CONTENTS A customer map is a very simple idea. Given a process, person, or area, it uses a picture to illustrate who the customer is and what goods or services are given to that customer. The process management methodology focuses on a process. The purpose of the customer map is to document the team's understanding of the customer-process relationship.
A Customer Map shows:
Who the customers of a process are.
The relationship between the process being worked on and its customers, in terms of outputs.
The Customer Map should always be created before customer research is done. In the process management methodology, the customer map is most often used:
In Step 2, "Research Customer Needs and Expectations," to document the customer relationships.
Who is the end recipient (or customer) of the product, service, or information that is being brought under control or improved? These customers may be internal (processes, people, departments, or groups) or external (individuals and organizations to whom we deliver products and services and from whom we receive payment in return).
Be careful doing this task. Often in service processes, the physical flow of information, decisions, and action requests gives the impression that the recipient of this information is the customer. This may be an incorrect conclusion. If a customer is incorrectly identified, much effort will be wasted in subsequent steps.
Internal customers are usually other processes often in other functional...
