"Customer" is a Proper Noun

Let's agree right at the top that words have meaning — they communicate ideas and concepts. They can inspire, motivate and stimulate. They frame meaning and context. 

Let's also agree that in today's economically shattered world, Customers matter. Without them (and many businesses today are learning exactly what that means!), we have nothing but walls and inventory. Today, the Customer is king; the Customer rules!

If we agree to these two stipulations, then it makes sense that we communicate the prime importance and critical value of our Customers in all forms of our communication, including our writing.

Recognize a proper noun when you see one. 

Nouns name people, places, and things. Every noun can further be classified as common or proper.

A proper noun is a noun that is the name of a specific individual, place, or object. A proper noun has two distinctive features: 1) it names a specific item, and 2) it begins with a capital letter no matter where it occurs in a sentence.

To me, "Customer" is a proper noun. There's nothing "common" about them! I think it is important, therefore, that the word Customer be capitalized every time it is written. 

When we acknowledge the primacy of our Customers by taking the simple step of capitalizing the name, we signal that this is something important — it's something to be respected and honored. 

Is this just a silly personal pet peeve? Perhaps. Or maybe there is a deeper importance to the question. It is subtle, no doubt, but that does not diminish the significance of this small but large gesture.

I think it can be especially important when we communicate our honor and respect for Customers to our Employees (BTW, Employee is in the same category as Customer — it's a proper noun, too!), they "get it" and will subtly pass that honor and respect along to the most important audience we will ever face: our Customers.

This is why you will see, in all my writings, the word Customer is capitalized as a proper noun. It's a sign of respect in recognition of the irreplaceable value and importance of the real "owners" of the organization.

So let's start a movement! Customer is a proper noun!

//RR