The Debate
I was speaking with a friend of mine about what we do and kept referring to our ‘Clients’ as ‘Customers’. She politely corrected me, and advised that I reread my Webster’s Dictionary. So, after pulling out the 1,664 page Collegiate Edition from my bookshelf, I decided to just look it up online.
Here’s what it says for each:
CUSTOMER
Main Entry: cus·tom·er
Pronunciation: \ˈkəs-tə-mər\
Function: noun
1: one that purchases a commodity or service
2: an individual usually having some specified distinctive trait
CLIENT
Main Entry: cli·ent
Pronunciation: \ˈklī-ənt\
Function: noun
1: one that is under the protection of another : dependent
2a: a person who engages the professional advice or services of another
2b: customer
2c: a person served by or utilizing the services of a social agency
2d: a computer in a network that uses the services (as access to files or shared peripherals) provided by a server
The Definition of ‘Client’ Uses the Word ‘Customer’.
“Look at Client definition 2b. It says ‘customer’, so what’s the difference,” I stated matter-of-factly.
She went on to explain to me that, the term ‘customer’ merely refers to someone who buys something from you, whereas, the term ‘client’ implies a larger relationship. In her experience, this minor change had gone a long way in reinforcing that ‘larger’ relationship. It truly made each client feel that she cared more about them than just taking their money. It instilled a kind of mutual respect for a professional relationship has that goes beyond just services or products.
A Compelling Argument
I told her that I would try it. The next day I began to use ‘client’ instead of ‘customer’ in all of my conversations. Not only did the person to whom I was speaking respond differently (of course in a positive way), but I noticed that I felt better talking with them.
Amazing how one word can change the tone of a conversation… and, potentially, the relationship as a whole.
Try it out to see if you get the same change that I’ve seen.
A Network Support Company that Treats you Like a Client
If you need a network support company to treat you like a client, please contact us:
Telephone: 561-491-5750
Email: sales@DedicatedIT.com
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Did you take it to the next step, use it to market yourself, acquire better positioning. After all, if the people who buy from you are clients not customers, then you, too, are in a superior position, aren’t you?
A client is a long term relationship and implies more money at stake, and clients are almost always for services. Customers can be goods or services and also for expensive items, but not for long term relationships. Car salesmen have customers. Also B2B relationships are often clients. In Mad Men they have clients, people pay them money so they can make more money.
According to this definition and the definition I just saw on other sites, the Mobile phone Networks and ISPs should have Client service instead of Customer Service..??
Take another look at the part of the definition of client that is highlighted:
2a: a person who engages the professional advice or services of another
To offer professional advice or professional services you need to be a professional. So what makes a person a professional? Part of one definition I like contains the following:
“The professional owes a higher duty to a client, often a privilege of confidentiality, as well as a duty not to abandon the client just because he or she may not be able to pay or remunerate the professional”
Still absolutely sure you’d rather have clients than paying customers? Or have you room for another client that would like your professional advice for free?