Essential Guidelines for Client Interaction: Identifying Your Client Base
In a world where customer service is paramount, it's essential to broaden our perspective of who exactly a customer is. The traditional view of a customer as a person who makes a purchase is no longer accurate.
Great organizations consider everyone to be a potential customer. This includes individuals, non-profits, workgroups, departments, or even entire organizations. A customer is anyone you serve, not just those who buy your products or services.
A customer can receive various forms of service, not just goods. They may receive information, skills, or even a simple pat on the back. In some cases, they may not make a purchase at all but still serve the public.
The person or group providing a service to a customer is defined as the supplier. It's possible for a single process chain to have both a supplier and a customer within it. In a given transaction, there can be multiple suppliers for one customer.
In business, a customer traditionally engages in a transactional relationship involving the purchase of products or services. This can be one-time or recurring, and they may be individuals, businesses, or other entities. However, in non-business contexts, the concept of a customer can extend to internal stakeholders who act as customers when they consume services or support within an organization.
The term 'customer' is distinct from related terms like 'client' and 'consumer'. A client typically refers to someone who hires services, while a consumer specifically refers to the end users of a product.
Therefore, a comprehensive definition of a customer includes: 1. Anyone who purchases or consumes goods or services, whether in one-time or ongoing transactions. 2. External customers buying from a business. 3. Internal customers within organizations who rely on each other’s services or products. 4. A distinction from clients (service hires) and consumers (end users of the product).
In many cases, a supplier can serve you best if you assist them, essentially treating them like a customer. This approach can lead to improved relationships and better service delivery.
So, next time you're providing a service, remember that you're not just serving a customer, you're serving everyone. After all, internally, be a great department - have everyone you work with or for, know that you deliver great service.
- In the realm of education-and-self-development, every learner can be considered a customer, as they are being served with knowledge and skills.
- For a finance business, a potential customer could be anyone seeking financial advice, services, or products, whether they are individuals, businesses, or non-profits.
