What?s in a Name?

Different people call their Customers by different names. If they don't have Customers, they have Clients, purchasers, licensees, users, patients, members, franchisees, or buyers. Each of these words carries meaning to those who say them. And those meanings say something about the health and long term success of the enterprise.

What do I mean?

Take a minute to do this right now. Write down the word or phrase that you use for your "Customer". Then write down all of the connections or associations you make to that word. Write down everything that comes to your mind. After completing your list, take a look at the resulting list of words and phrases. This list speaks volumes about how you feel about and think about those people who give you money for your products and services. Would you be pleased and proud to have those people read your list?

Replicate this exercise with others on your team or in your organization. Compare other people's lists of words and phrases with your own. Then have a discussion about what you find. What do you learn from this exercise?

My Experience

While I didn't do the exercise, I came to a conclusion earlier this year. In the past, I used a couple of different words interchangeably. I talked about Customer and Clients, sometimes in the same sentence. I started to notice confusion on the faces of people on my team. Eventually we had a conversation where I learned that for others the words Client and Customer meant two different things. I learned that, in the minds of others, a Customer might buy a product one time, but a Client implied a long term relationship.

While these meanings weren't my meanings, I quickly applied them for myself. Why? Because I want every person or firm who buys from us to be a Client for life, not a one time purchaser ? and just as importantly, I want everyone on my team to be thinking that way too.

Just this week, I read a quote from Harris Ginsberg, IBM's director of global executive and organizational capability who said, "A customer is transactional. A client is somebody with whom you have a longstanding relationship and a personal investment."

Apparently others agree with my team's definitions.

Your Conversation

The names and labels matter, but not as much as the common definitions. If you are in a medical practice it is fine to use the word patients, as long as everyone on the team has a clear understanding of what that means and how important patients are within your practice.

Once you've had a conversation in your organization about the language you use and definitions you share, as a leader you need to solidify and communicate the right definitions and meanings for your organization so that everyone is truly on the same page.

Here are some specific steps you can take once you have opened this conversation:

1. Talk to people about how important the Customer (Client, etc.) is to your business. (How important are they? Make sure that every person understands that the people that purchase your products or services that write their paychecks ? they are that important!)

2. Discuss how you want these VIPs to experience your organization.

3. Talk about work processes that may be keeping you from providing that kind of experience and service.

4. If your Customers are typically one time buyers, think about what you can do strategically to change that.

5. Review everyone's daily routines. If your goal is to develop long term relationships, then make sure your daily actions are in step with this goal, and that your language supports these goals.

The words we choose are the words we use and they play a powerful role in our beliefs and actions. I encourage you to think about your Customer language. If there is a disconnect within your organization, this exercise can begin to close those gaps and improve your results. If everyone does agree on terminology and meaning, these questions will re-invigorate your efforts to make your Clients/Customers/Purchasers yours forever.

p.s. I've capitalized the word Customer throughout this page to let you know how important Customers are. Capitalizing the word is just one way we can remind ourselves of the great importance Customers have for our businesses. After all, without them, we wouldn't be in business.

Kevin is Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group (http://KevinEikenberry.com), a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. Kevin publishes Unleash Your Potential, a free weekly ezine designed to provide ideas, tools, techniques and inspiration to enhance your professional skills. Go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/current.a sp to read the current issue and subscribe.

---

Dont Forget your Existing Clients

Quest for new clients shouldn't ignore those who pay the... Read More

Writing The Book On Great Customer Service

Q: One of the big chain bookstores recently opened up... Read More

Post Office, Incredible Lady Postmaster

There are two Post Offices that I routinely visit. One... Read More

What Type Of Software Is This?

The other day while at the book store, I came... Read More

Courting Customers - From First Date to Marriage

Landing a new client is like courting a potential spouse.... Read More

CRM - Its Relevance

In today's demanding economy, the first line of any business... Read More

To Complain and Win! - My Personal Recipe

Prime directive: Make sure your claim is reasonable! Otherwise, forget... Read More

Five Ways To Wow Your Client

Running a business is about providing goods and services to... Read More

One Critical Question to Ask Yourself Every Day

What happened to the old saying, the customer is always... Read More

Making the Connection: Customer Relationships That Build Your Business

Have you ever wondered why you often find a coupon... Read More

Modern Call Center Solutions - Keeping in Touch is the Key

Call center solutions solve a range of age-old problems. As... Read More

How to Walk the Floor and Talk to Customers

This may seem a strange topic to introduce. Yet, it... Read More

Make Sure You Get The Customer Perspective

Businesses that fail, often forget to seek out the customer... Read More

Transforming Disgruntled Customers into Your Biggest Advocates

"I am writing to complain about the widget I bought... Read More

Customer No Service - How to Lose a Loyal Customer!

So today was the day where I almost stopped going... Read More

Increase Sum in Your Check Account with Follow-Ups

We'll be examining what makes follow up to prospects/customers so... Read More

Whats For Lunch?

As an entrepreneur, I'm always intrigued by small businesses, home-based... Read More

Are You A Coward? I Was

Over the last month, I have come to hate emails... Read More

Be the Customer: See Yourself as Your Customers Do

What do your customers experience when they interact with your... Read More

Your Career Plan--Think Like A CEO

You've been going 6-to-late; exhausted by running the supersonic treadmill... Read More

Customer Service Is More Than Just Being Nice To People

Many organizations tackle to the issue of customer service by... Read More

What Do They Want Anyway?

You want customers. I want customers. We all want customers.... Read More

All of the World of Business Is a Stage

One of the basics of acting taught to me in... Read More

Over Delivering Provides Big Results

Over promising is a problem only when you under deliver.... Read More

The death of customer servie

The other day a reporter call to interview me on... Read More

Provide Exceptional Value - Grow Your Business

The primary objective of a business is to get and... Read More

Basic Levels of Consumer Integrity that Presently Permeates Society

Reality is not always pretty. But here is a tad... Read More

Customer Service Tips for Mail Order Businesses

Can we be too good to our customers?... Read More

Customer Service Consultants

When all else fails in your company to meet the... Read More

Call Center Services - An Ever Increasing Demand

Are your company's call center services all that they could... Read More

At Your Service: The Ten Commandments of Great Customer Service!

Customer service is an integral part of our job and... Read More

Retail Store U-Scan Machines: Self-Serve or Voluntary Part Time Job?

Do many of us realize that we are working an... Read More

How To Boost Your Bottom Line With Two Little Words

I hate to sound like one of those cheesy get-rich-quick... Read More