What is the difference between a customer and a client?

[King Belieal]

Are customers and client the same thing? If they are different, what are the characteristics that define a customer and the one that defines a client? For your business, do you have customers or clients?

 

[Fidelia]

A client is a patron for a professional service and it is always like a long term contract arrangement. A customer on the other hand patronizes a product and there is no likelihood of sustained patronage.

 

[Stardom22]

As far as l am concerned, the customers is the person that buy products or goods on the business whereas the client is the person that would like to receive some services on the business.

 

[AruneBend]

Well client I think is when they want some services for example lawyer meanwhile customer is when they want to buy something for example food

 

[Kross]

As far as l am concerned, the customers is the person that buy products or goods on the business whereas the client is the person that would like to receive some services on the business.

From this analogy, what is a person that visits a Salon to have his or her hair styled? A customer or a client?

 

[Augusta]

A customer is a person that buys both goods and services but a client is mostly used for those that want professional services

 

[eLdavis]

They are the same but used differently for example, a customer refers to someone who buys something from you, while a client is someone who buys professional services from you.

 

[Augusta]

Those who buys tangible things from another are called customers but those that buy intangible things like services are called clients

 

[King Belieal]

A client is served from the wealth if knowledge that you have. A customer is served with a product or service that he can actually point at.

 

[Springtime]

I think the main difference is a customer purchases goods from a company, while a client receives a specific service from a service provider.

 

[itsmejob]

They are the same in some sense. In a call center set up, an onshore company (from the US) outsourced to the Philippines or India in a BPO company. The owner is called the "client" and the bpo company is the service partner. The people calling in for service or assistance are the "customers".

 

[Suba]

Customers refer more to buyers of goods in your shop, while clients prefer to hire professional services such as lawyers, accountants, business consultants, etc. For customers and shop owners, there is only a short-term relationship, namely only when purchasing goods, while the relationship between clients and professionals will be longer, usually as long as the agreement or case has been completed.