Do you have customers or clients?
Discussion
Always wondered about this one. I've sort of felt that calling a 'customer' a 'client' was a bit pretentious, but maybe that's just my working class roots.
I run a bathroom refurbishment company employing 3 teams of 2 and have often wondered whether I have clients or customers. I recognise that perhaps in the legal business for example 'client' sounds right, but then, as another example, should hairdressers have clients or customers?
So when is a 'client' a 'customer' or a 'customer' a 'client'?
I run a bathroom refurbishment company employing 3 teams of 2 and have often wondered whether I have clients or customers. I recognise that perhaps in the legal business for example 'client' sounds right, but then, as another example, should hairdressers have clients or customers?
So when is a 'client' a 'customer' or a 'customer' a 'client'?
Simpo Two said:
I think in many cases 'client' is pretentious.
I think the train compaines now call their passengers 'clients'; quite stupid and unecessary. It is the flip side of dumbing-down - 'bigging-up'.
I think that's just it with me; I feel I'd be 'bigging up' calling my customers clients, but perhaps I shouldn't feel that at all.I think the train compaines now call their passengers 'clients'; quite stupid and unecessary. It is the flip side of dumbing-down - 'bigging-up'.
As I said, I think it's all to do with relationships. By and large, once a "customer" has bought the goods (or even a one off service) the relationship between the buyer and seller is probably ended - until the next time they might need to acquire another product or service.
In many ways, I think it is one of the reasons why the banks "went wrong" in that they stopped considering that the people they dealt with were clients that they needed to nurture, look after and (in some cases) even protect. They became "mere" customers, who were to be sold to, even exploited, wherever possible.
In many ways, I think it is one of the reasons why the banks "went wrong" in that they stopped considering that the people they dealt with were clients that they needed to nurture, look after and (in some cases) even protect. They became "mere" customers, who were to be sold to, even exploited, wherever possible.
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