[LINK] Centrelink 'Australia's e-government project'

[r.polanskis at uws.edu.au]

On Mon, 22 Nov 2004, Eric Scheid wrote:

> On 22/11/04 9:05 AM, "Pilcher, Fred" <Fred.Pilcher at act.gov.au> wrote:
>
> > If a "customer" is someone who buys goods and or services from you, exactly
> > what is Centrelink selling, and what are its "customers" buying?
>
> my dictionary shows a secondary meaning:
>
> cus·tom·er n
> 1.    a person or company who buys goods or services
> 2.    a person who interacts with others in a characteristic way (informal)
>
> maybe they mean it like that?
>
> although ... that usage is usually preceded with an adjective, such as in
> "he was a slippery customer"

I haven't got it yet, but I assume that the word will also appear
in Don Watson's "Little Book of Weasel Words" - can anyone clarify?

At <some_university> we are also expected to refer to staff & students
as "customers" but I find the whole thing quite onerous....

I believe in this "user pays" society, the idea is to get the user
used to being referred to as a "customer" as they will then be happy
to pay for some service or another, unlike being just a "client" where that
would mean a slightly more equal relationship, with perhaps no pecuniary
interests.

Just like being relaxed and comfortable, I guess....


rachel

-- 
Rachel Polanskis		Systems Admin, University of Western Sydney
V1-37, Kingswood Campus		(+61 2) 47 360 291 <r.polanskis at uws.edu.au>
   "No one in my electorate goes to uni" - Jackie Kelly, member for Lindsay
                    "Who do you trust?" - John W Howard