28 | fall 2019 cmba-achc.ca CMB MAGAZINE
bestpractice
amusement parks typically consider their
patrons as customers. Patrons' needs are
met by the fixed-form goods and services
priced to sell.
Where products or services need a
lot of personalization and customization,
patrons are oen thought of as clients.
Closer professional relationships are built
with clients over time. Businesses such as law
offices, graphic design firms, talent agencies,
accounting firms, health-care providers and
mortgage brokerages offer ongoing advice and
specialized solutions to clients.
So a definition could be "customers buy
S
trictly defined, a customer is
someone who buys goods or
services from a store or business.
e word "client" can also mean
"customer" according to most dictionaries.
But it has a separate definition when someone
is receiving professional services. In business,
the two terms are oen applied differently
based on the types of relationships built.
Customers could be one-time or repeat
patrons, but generally lack loyalty to the
company providing the products or services.
Businesses such as retail stores, restaurants,
service stations, supermarkets, banks and
Get to know
when one becomes
the other, and what
your responsibilities
to them are
BY MALCOLM ECCLES
CLIENT VS.
CUSTOMER
