7 Important Customer-Related Definitions You Should Know

If your organization has customers, then it’s important for you and your team to know and understand the most commonly used and important customer-related definitions used today. If you’re a marketing professional, chances are you’re familiar with these terms. But, if you’re not, and you manage marketing without a great deal of background in it, or you simply have an interest, this is for you!

These definitions are the ones I included in my book because I thought they best described the terms without any mumbo-jumbo, marketing-speak.

Here are 7 Important Customer-Related Definitions You Should Know:

1. Customer Engagement:

Represents “the ongoing interactions between company and customer, offered by the company, chosen by the customer.” (Paul Greenberg, HubSpot Blogs, 2014)

2. Customer Experience:

Represents “the sum-totality of how customers engage with your company and brand, not just in a snapshot in time, but throughout the entire arc of being a customer.” (Adam Richardson, “Understanding Customer Experience,” Harvard Business Review, Oct. 28, 2010)

3. Customer Journey:

“The complete sum of experiences that customers go through when interacting with your company and brand. Instead of looking at just a part of a transaction or experience, the customer journey documents the full experience of being a customer.” (Audra Sorman, SurveyMonkey Blog, 2014)

4. Customer Loyalty:

“The level of faithfulness shown by a customer in continuing to purchase a particular product or brand.” (Monash University, Business and Economics)

5. Customer Orientation:

“The belief that customers and their perspectives are of the highest value and consequence in an organization.” (Customer Service Psychology)

6. Customer Relationship Management (CRM):

“A system for tracking customer behavior for the purpose of developing marketing and relationship-building processes that bond the consumer to the brand.” (BrandChannel)

7. Customer Touchpoints:

“Represent every place, experience, and person with which/whom customers interact with your business.” (Elaine Fogel) That’s me.

Do you have other definitions you prefer?