Re: [GAGEN] Customers
by Mitchell CO., GAGenWeb Project
At 02:53 AM 4/23/01 -0400, you wrote:
>But regarding the customers blurb - my customer is anyone I provide a
>service for be it paying or not paying.
Hi Tim,
Wow! You had a stressful weekend. It's refreshing to know that caring
neighbors still exist. It seems that these days neighborhoods where people
actually know the family living next door are becoming few and far between.
My condolences for the loss of your friend as well. And you're right ...
even when it's expected, it's still hard.
>But regarding the customers blurb - my customer is anyone I provide a
>service for be it paying or not paying.
I'm afraid I have to agree with some of the others that 'customers' isn't
really the best choice of words for describing our fellow researchers in
our genealogical community. By dictionary definition, the term implies that
a service or commodity is provided for purchase by a buyer or shopper.
It is interesting that we all view our roles and participation in the
GenWeb project from different perspectives. I have never thought of my
fellow genealogists who visit and contribute to the Mitchell Co web site as
'customers' anymore than I considered them customers when I exchanged
genealogy information with them prior to my involvement in the GenWeb
project. I used to wait for the postman to see what goodies he would bring,
and still do, but now I also look forward to seeing what goodies come in
e-mail have been shared on a web site. We're all still sharing information
as has long been a customary practice in the genealogical community, we've
just found a new way to do it. Those who do not transcribe and donate files
contribute and share in other ways by participating on the query forums and
mailing lists, and by doing look-ups. Considering that GenWeb wouldn't
exist as we know it without our fellow researchers who participate, we are
all the mutual beneficiaries of this co-op arrangement of pooled resources,
talents and sharing.
I find the term 'customers' an odd way to describe my fellow genealogists.
It reminds me too much of my years in retail! I prefer to think of them as
fellow members of a community having a shared interest, my friends, and
some of them, my cousins.
Karyn
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Karyn Crosson Burke
Mitchell County, GAGenWeb Project Coordinator
URL: http://www.rootsweb.com/~gamitche/
E-MAIL: gamitche(a)cage.nu
AOL Instant Messenger [AIM]: gamitche