"Why can't we all just get along?" I remember watching a movie years ago titled "Posse" with Mario Van Peeples. During the final gun fight scene Nipsy Russell poked his head up from his hiding place and said, "Why can't we all just get along?"
It was one of the stupidest movies I ever saw. I think I turned it off at that point.
Yet I can't help being reminded that a condition exists in many businesses where service and sales people don't get along. Service people often complain that sales is selling products or services that the company doesn't offer or makes the service people jobs more difficult. Sales people complain that the service people are always upsetting the customers.
When I witness a condition like this it simply suggests that leadership hasn't painted and articulated a picture or vision of a unified goal and direction.
Each department, sales and fulfillment or service obviously have their own goals. The goals of the company should be the goals of these departments. By the way, throw administration and finance into the mix who are bent on accuracy, detail and organization and you have a real gun fight.
In most companies the goals that seem to impact every department are:
Maximize revenue
Maximize profit
Maximize customer satisfaction
When the departments stop focusing on their agendas and look to the goals of the company that is the first step in creating an environment where everyone can get along.