What is the difference in meaning between the words "client" and "customer"?

Answer 1

A client is somebody you or your company provide a service for, a customer comes to buy something.

Answer 2

Hello Raz21. A happy Christmas to you.
A client is a customer because he does buy something. Usually a service but the term client is really used when the customer is buying from a professional organisation. For example. An Architect, an accountant a consulting engineer a structural engineer a doctor all have customers called clients. The term customer is again usually reserved for people that purchase from non professional people.

Answer 3

The difference has nothing to do with poshness or snobbishness or money or power. You wouldn't speak of legal aid or social services "customers", you would speak of "clients".

Although dictionary definitions list these words as synonyms, they also indicate subtle differences. The word "customer" implies a person who occasionally purchases products or services usually from some sort of shop or store. The word "client" implies that the person has an ongoing relationship with a provider of advice or services. While a customer *purchases* the product or service, a client *pays a fee*.

Answer 4

client is a customer or receiver of services.

Client may also refer to:

Client (computing), a piece of software that accesses services from another piece of software (a server), often remotely over a computer network
Client (band), an electroclash band
Client (Ancient Rome), in Ancient Rome, was usually a freed slave or member of the Plebian class who was attached to a patron benefactor

A customer is someone who makes use of or receives the products or services of an individual or organization. The word historically derives from "custom," meaning "habit"; a customer was someone who frequented a particular shop, who made it a habit to purchase goods of the sort the shop sold there rather than elsewhere, and with whom the shopkeeper had to maintain a relationship to keep his or her "custom," meaning expected purchases in the future. The shopkeeper remembered the sizes and preferences of his or her customers, for example. The word did not refer to those who purchased things at a fair or bazaar, or from a street vendor.

Answer 5

They are practically the same however customer is normally applied to anyone who is buying goods and services whereas client would more normally used for someone seeking professional advice or service from someone.

So, for example, a Solicitor has a Client but a Supermarket has a customer.

Those receiving help from the Benefits agency or mental health careworkers are also often described as Clients.

In many situations they can be used interchangeably, but if it's a professional service such as lawyer, architect, consultant etc it would be client.

Interestingly you can refer to the "clientele" of a pub, but individual punters would be customers... go figure.

Answer 6

A client you work for,like a lawyer as clients.
If you go into a shop and buy something,they are a customer.

Answer 7

The term clients is a term used in a professional manner. However customer is a term that is used when there is no personal connection. Customer is most often used in a restaurant or grocery store.

Answer 8

A client is more professional (lawyer, accountant), a customer is more retail

Answer 9

I think a client is someone to whom you provide a service whereas a customer is someone who buys your products.

Answer 10

Etiquette