Six Sigma Green Belt Certification Practice Exam

In the context of manufacturing notebooks, who is considered an external customer?

1. The retailer that sells the notebooks

2. A high school student

3. A line worker's family

4. A line worker

The correct answer is: A high school student

The designation of an external customer in a business context typically refers to individuals or entities that purchase or use a company's products but are not directly a part of the company or its internal processes. In the case of manufacturing notebooks, a high school student, as an external customer, represents the end user who buys or utilizes the product directly. A retailer, while not internal to the manufacturing process, is more of an intermediary in the distribution chain rather than the end customer. They purchase the notebooks to sell them to consumers, which places them in a different category. The line worker and their family are both considered internal to the manufacturing process, as they work within the organization that produces the notebooks, making them a part of the internal stakeholder group rather than external customers. Identifying external customers accurately is crucial for any business strategy, as their needs and feedback can heavily influence product development and marketing strategies.