Trailhead Thoughts
“The internal customer experience determines the external customer experience.”
- Shep Hyken
Trail Map - Learn. Think. Act. ™
How To Design an Internal Customer Experience That Drives Success
Oftentimes we fall into the trap of thinking about customer experience only in terms of the people who buy from us and we forget about the people inside our own walls. Internal customers - your teammates, colleagues, and departments, need the same clarity, support, and intentional design to thrive.
When you treat internal experience with the same focus as external, you likely will unlock better engagement, retention, and performance.
📚Learn
Internal customers are the people inside your organization - team members, colleagues, or other departments. Just like external customers, they need a great experience to succeed.
A successful internal customer experience goes beyond hiring. It includes:
Building a Talent Pool - Not just waiting until a role opens.
Thoughtful Onboarding - Helping new hires integrate smoothly.
Ongoing Development - Supporting career growth and adaptability.
Clear Career Paths - Even if the plan develops over time.
By breaking these phases into smaller steps (e.g., 30, 60, 90-day plans), we create clarity and momentum for success.
🤔Think
How does your organization currently support internal customers?
What does “good” look like for internal customer experience?
Where do breakdowns happen in onboarding, development, or retention?
💪 Act
Define what success looks like for internal customers.
Identify small improvements for onboarding and career development.
Talk to team members and leaders - where do they see gaps?
Focus on designing an intentional experience, not just reacting to problems.
A great internal experience reduces risk, improves engagement, and builds a stronger team. Start designing for success today!
Beyond the Trailhead
Designing for Internal Customer Success
When we talk about “customers” the default is to think about the ones outside of the building. We tend to forget that our team members, colleagues, and departments determine whether or not those external customers stick around. If your people don’t feel supported, engaged, and clear on their path, it doesn’t matter how good your external experience is.
Strong internal experiences don’t happen by accident. They have to be designed. Just like a trail system in a national park, every touchpoint (hiring, onboarding, development, career pathing) either helps people find their way or leaves them wandering.
Why Internal Experience Matters
Engagement & Retention - People stay where they feel seen, supported, and able to grow.
Reduced Risk - Clarity in roles and expectations means fewer blind spots and less wasted energy.
Culture by Design - If you don’t design for it, culture happens by default and it usually ends up messy.
Actionable Ways to Improve the Internal Experience
Build a Talent Pool, Not a Scramble
Instead of waiting until a role opens, keep your radar on. Build relationships with potential hires early. That way when the time comes, you already know who to call.
Quick Action: Create a simple spreadsheet of people who might be a good fit someday. Add notes and keep in touch with them.
Onboarding That Feels Like a Welcome
Your first 30 - 90 days sets the tone. Does onboarding feel like a scavenger hunt or a clear map?
Quick Action: Break onboarding into 30, 60, 90-day milestones. Define what “success” looks like at each checkpoint. Pair new hires with a peer guide, not just a manager.
Ongoing Development Isn’t Optional
If your people aren’t learning and growing, they’re leaving. Mentally at first and then physically. Development doesn’t have to mean promotions. But it should mean skills, stretch projects, and feedback.
Quick Action: Add one “learning checkpoint.” Consider asking, What’s one thing you’ve learned this week? Celebrate it and share it.
Career Paths Don’t Need to Be Perfect, But They Do Need To Be Visible
You don’t need a polished ladder with every single rung defined. But people do want to see and know that there is somewhere to go.
Quick Action: Share examples of how others in the organization have grown. Invite conversations about career aspirations. Even “let’s explore this together” is better than absolute silence.
Reflection Questions:
How would your team describe their internal experience today - a confusing trail or a well-marked map?
Where do breakdowns happen most often: hiring, onboarding, development, or retention?
What’s one small change you could implement this month to create momentum?
The best leaders don’t just design for external customers, they intentionally design for their teams. Start with one phase - onboarding, development, or career paths. Remember to be intentional. Small changes in internal experience ripple outward into culture, performance, and growth. Your team will feel it and so will your external customers.
Voices from the Trail
Hitting the Trail
We’re lacing up and heading out. Here’s where Catalyst will be in the coming weeks. Join us on the path and be part of the conversation.
Planning your next SKO, RKO, or GKO? Mike’s currently booking speaking slots and if you are looking for someone who can actually connect with your team (not just talk at them), he’s your guy. From communication and leadership to ICP clarity and more, Mike brings real-world insight. Your people will walk away with practical, actionable takeaways they can start using immediately.
Book Mike for Your Next Event or shoot us an email ([email protected]), we’d love to hear about what you are planning and how we can help.
That’s it for this week.
Good ideas spread like stories around a campfire. Forward this to a friend or colleague who’s looking for fresh ways to grow their leadership, revenue, or execution skills.
Keep putting one intentional step in front of the other - the view gets better and better as you climb.
The Find My Catalyst Team