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1. Who is ‘The Customer’?
Many people get hung up on the word „customer‟. This is the challenge with the concept
of „customer service‟ because many people think that they don't have 'customers'. And
maybe they don‟t. Maybe they have clients, colleagues, administrators, staff,
stakeholders, lawyers, doctors, labourers, community members, students, guests and
any other label that you can think about. The issue is not the label; the issue is the ethic
behind how you treat people.
Another way of looking at it is to say that 'the customer' is anyone who receives the
output of your work. Anyone.
This is why we prefer the term, “service excellence” over “customer service”.
Unfortunately many people think that they don't have 'customers' (because they use a
different term) so they conclude that service has nothing to do with them. But it has
everything to do with them. Everyone is your customer. Everyone.
Copyright Gary Ryan 2011
Research Participant
You know that I can’t stand the word ‘customer’. The people I serve are staff, not
customers. I find out what they want and I do my best to exceed their expectations
every time. So I wish people would stop saying that I have to be ‘customer’ oriented. I’m
staff oriented and that is what is important!
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