Discover the key difference between Customers and Clients in B2B and B2C selling. Learn how adopting a client-centric approach can improve retention and loyalty.
Are You Managing Customers or Clients? Rethinking Sales Relationships
In the world of Sales—especially when viewed through the lens of GASP: Generally Accepted Sales Principles—terms like Customers and Clients are often used interchangeably. But they shouldn’t be.
Customer vs Client: What’s the Real Difference?
Customer:
A Customer is someone who makes a purchase. The relationship is purely transactional—usually ending at the point of sale. It’s about completing a deal, and little else.
Client:
A Client, on the other hand, is someone who is under your protection and care. As a Seller, you are responsible not just for providing a solution, but for guiding them continuously—anticipating their evolving needs and helping them reach their desired outcomes.
This isn’t just a semantic difference. It’s a shift in mindset—from closing deals to building trusted partnerships.
Why This Distinction Matters
In a Client-centric model, you’re not just closing a sale—you’re opening a relationship. Their success becomes your mission.
Even in product-based businesses, adopting a “Client” lens unlocks new opportunities for value creation, loyalty, and customer lifetime value. It fosters internal alignment between Sales, Marketing, and Service functions, all focused on meeting the Client’s ongoing and future needs.
What GASP Recommends
At GASP Sales Academy, we champion a model of Process-Driven Selling that delivers Sustainable Sales Growth through well-defined Sales Discipline. And a critical part of that process is how you define and serve your customer base.
When you start treating your Customers like Clients, everything changes—from the quality of engagement to the outcomes you deliver.
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