1.4. Customer or client

Lawyers, accountants, advertising agencies and private banks have clients. Commercial banks, restaurants and retail outlets have customers. What’s in a label? Well, quite a lot it turns out.

Turn to any dictionary and a ‘customer’ is typically defined as a person who buys goods [or commodities] or services. The definition is simple and describes a simple transactional relationship. The use of the word ‘commodities’ in some definitions further hints at the non-committal status of the relationship between vendor and purchaser.

The word ‘client’ on the other hand is defined in its simplest form as a person using the services of a professional person or organisation and in fuller versions as a person that depends on the protection ...

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