{"id":9096,"date":"2025-07-30T16:32:45","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T15:32:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markwilson.co.uk\/blog\/?p=9096"},"modified":"2025-07-30T16:32:47","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T15:32:47","slug":"clients-or-customers-why-words-matter-in-business-relationships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markwilson.co.uk\/blog\/2025\/07\/clients-or-customers-why-words-matter-in-business-relationships.htm","title":{"rendered":"Clients or customers? Why words matter in business relationships"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

\u201cWe are a professional services company \u2014 professional services companies have clients<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

That was the view of one of my former CEOs, Alun Rogers. And for years, I\u2019ve followed suit. Coming from a consulting background, I\u2019ve always used client<\/em> as the default. It suggests a professional, ongoing relationship. It hints at trust, expertise, partnership \u2014 even a touch of formality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But lately, there\u2019s been a shift. In my current role, the language is changing. After a period of trying to standardise on client<\/em>, we\u2019re now seeing customer<\/em> creeping back in \u2014 and it looks like customer<\/em> might win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s in a word?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At first glance, it might seem like semantics. But words shape perception. And in a world of digital transformation, evolving business models, and hybrid service offerings, choosing between client<\/em> and customer<\/em> says something about who we are \u2014 and how we see those we serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Client<\/em> carries with it a certain professional distance. Lawyers have clients. Consultants have clients. Agencies have clients. There\u2019s an implication of long-term engagement and a service that\u2019s often tailored or advisory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Customer<\/em>, on the other hand, feels more transactional \u2014 but also more accessible. It\u2019s friendlier. More familiar. Retailers have customers. SaaS platforms have customers. Even the coffee shop down the road has customers (and maybe a loyalty card to keep them coming back).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are we transactional or relational?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In truth, many of us operate in the blurred space between the two. We want to build trusted, long-term relationships \u2014 but we also offer repeatable, scalable services. The classic consultancy model is shifting. Clients are becoming subscribers. Services are being productised. The lines are blurring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So maybe this isn\u2019t just a linguistic debate. Maybe it reflects something deeper \u2014 how we define what we do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clients have customers too<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Another reason client<\/em> has felt natural to me is that, in many cases, our clients have customers of their own. We work with them to help improve the service they offer to their<\/em> customers. It\u2019s a reminder that, in B2B engagements, we\u2019re often one step removed from the end user \u2014 but still invested in their success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friendlier language in a customer-centric world<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

That said, there\u2019s a strong case for friendlier language. As organisations focus more on customer experience and ease of communication, customer<\/em> might simply land better. It feels more inclusive, more human. And if we\u2019re aiming to be more approachable, then customer<\/em> might be the right fit \u2014 even in a professional services setting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just don\u2019t expect me to stop saying client<\/em> overnight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Featured image: created by ChatGPT<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cWe are a professional services company \u2014 professional services companies have clients.\u201d That was the view of one of my former CEOs, Alun Rogers. And for years, I\u2019ve followed suit. Coming from a consulting background, I\u2019ve always used client as the default. It suggests a professional, ongoing relationship. It hints at trust, expertise, partnership \u2014 … Continue reading Clients or customers? Why words matter in business relationships<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9098,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[768,38],"tags":[861,796,851,860],"class_list":["post-9096","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-inane-waffle","tag-brand-voice","tag-consulting","tag-customer-experience-cx","tag-professional-services"],"yoast_head":"\nClients or customers? Why words matter in business relationships - markwilson.it<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In the world of professional services, is it better to talk about clients or customers? 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