Customers, NOT users
Doug Dennison
Founder at GrowthKit, the step-by-step growth system for B2B founders ??
This is a short post. It’s more of a rant really.
I don't the way platforms refer to paying customers as users. To me, the term 'user' is negative. No one likes being used.
If you decide to sign up to a particular service or product, you have a symbiotic relationship that benefits both parties, where you are paying or not. It's more of a partnership.
I prefer the word customers, it's a softer and more friendly description.
Over a decade ago, Square's CEO Jack Dorsey wrote to his employees asking them to stop using the term 'users' and instead use the term 'customers (ref: https://www.forbes.com/sites/katelee/2012/10/18/user-vs-customer-does-it-matter).
I guess it's a matter of preference.
At MailNinja, I've also steered away from the term 'client'. To me, the word client sounds cold and unrapportful.
Again, personal preference.
Marketing and communications strategist and ‘doer’. Driving brand growth and engagement. Most importantly…father, husband, footballer, musician, feminist, environmentalist, educator and writer of boring profiles.
2 年I prefer the use of the word customers; but sometimes different words are required to distinguish between different types. For example, at Iress "clients" are firms who purchase their software and the ones they communicate with, "users" are the people within the firm who use the software but may not be decision makers, "customers" are the people who the clients sell to by using the software. Using the three different words for the three different audiences helps avoid confusion internally at least.
Head of WellBeing & External Relationships
2 年Totally agree
?? Coach,??Trainer and cool ?? dude, not necessarily in that order! Personal and team coaching, Mental health training courses and tailored workshops. Helping you to get the results you deserve ?? ??.
2 年Great read Doug ??