Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the simplest definition of a customer?
What is the simplest definition of a customer?
What is the main difference between a customer and a consumer?
What is the main difference between a customer and a consumer?
What term is used in the context of business-to-business transactions/interactions (B2B)?
What term is used in the context of business-to-business transactions/interactions (B2B)?
Who is referred to as a client in a service organization?
Who is referred to as a client in a service organization?
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What is an external customer?
What is an external customer?
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What is important for a successful business to do?
What is important for a successful business to do?
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Why is market research important for a business?
Why is market research important for a business?
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What should businesses direct their marketing efforts towards?
What should businesses direct their marketing efforts towards?
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Who are internal customers?
Who are internal customers?
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Why are internal customers important to an organization?
Why are internal customers important to an organization?
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What is a customer relationship?
What is a customer relationship?
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How is a customer relationship measured?
How is a customer relationship measured?
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Why is customer loyalty important to an organization?
Why is customer loyalty important to an organization?
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What is the result of an organization not having loyal customers?
What is the result of an organization not having loyal customers?
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What is an example of an internal customer?
What is an example of an internal customer?
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What is the purpose of building a customer relationship?
What is the purpose of building a customer relationship?
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Study Notes
Defining the Customer
- A customer is someone who purchases a good or service, for themselves or for somebody else.
- Customers can make one or more purchases.
- Some customers are loyal to certain brands/stores, while others choose to shop around.
- A successful business is one that knows its customer to meet and anticipate their needs.
- Market research is crucial to understand a business' potential customer base and their needs and expectations.
Customer vs Consumer vs Client
- A customer is the purchaser of a good/service.
- A consumer is the user of a good/service, often targeted by marketing efforts.
- A client is used in the context of business-to-business transactions/interactions (B2B) and in service organizations providing legal, healthcare, consulting, etc. services.
- Note: Customers who buy services are not commonly referred to as consumers.
Internal Customer
- An external customer is a customer who pays for a service and can switch to another service provider if unhappy.
- An internal customer is internal to an organization, doesn't usually pay for the service, and doesn't have a choice of changing their service provider.
- Internal customers are employees who provide services to each other and are internal customers and internal service providers.
- Examples of internal customers include individuals who receive services from colleagues, franchisees, or business partners.
- Internal customers are important because their dissatisfaction can be passed on to external customers, resulting in negative outcomes for the business.
The Customer Relationship
- A customer relationship is the ongoing relationship formed between the customer and organization over time.
- This relationship is built through customer engagement via marketing, sales, technical help, customer service, and after-sales service.
- A customer relationship is measured by the customer's satisfaction throughout the purchase cycle and after receipt of goods/services.
- Key elements of a successful organization include having loyal customers who repeatedly bring business to the organization.
- Customer loyalty is crucial, as it results in repeat business, rather than one-off purchases.
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Description
Learn about the definition of a customer, building customer satisfaction, and exceeding customer expectations in this introductory module.