ably. 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 CustomeDifferent 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

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 Custome

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 Custome

tion. 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 Custome

ably. 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 specif