[LINK] A wildly off-topic and doubtless already-done conversation about words (was Re: Smartcard mooted for federal welfare payments)

[Stilgherrian]

On 21/04/2009, at 11:32 AM, Martin Barry wrote:
> I hate the tendency to use the word "client" in this context.
>
> I'm not sure where the quote comes from but it went something like:
>
> "We have 'customers'. Only solicitors and prostitutes have 'clients'."

Interestingly, I've always preferred to use "client" rather than  
"customer" for the people I extract money from.

For me, "customer" implies a one-off transaction of buying a thing,  
whereas "client" seems to imply more of an on-going relationship.  
Also, "customer" seems a but low-rent shopkeeper in style, and  
"client" seems the more professional word.

[shrugs]

I suspect it doesn't really matter, except that it's probably better  
to be consistent about it, to give at last the impression of attention  
to detail.

Stil



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