kunden

Kunden is the plural noun in German used to refer to customers or clients of a business or organization. The corresponding singular forms are Kunde (masculine or neutral) and Kundin (feminine). In typical usage, Kunden covers groups that include men and women, while Kundinnen denotes female customers only. The exact interpretation depends on the context.

In business contexts, customers are central to value creation and revenue. The term appears in compound terms such as Kundenbeziehung (customer relationship), Kundenzufriedenheit (customer satisfaction), Kundenservice (customer service), and in discussions about customer relationship management (Kundenbeziehungsmanagement).

Related terms and nuances: Klient is a more formal or professional synonym used in legal, consulting, or financial settings; Käufer refers to a buyer, often an individual purchaser; Verbraucher emphasizes the end consumer. The word Kunde highlights the seller–buyer relationship, while other terms may focus more on procurement, usage, or consumption.

Usage note: In gender-inclusive writing, German often addresses both genders together by using forms like Kundinnen und Kunden or gender-neutral alternatives to acknowledge all customers.

Commonly related concepts include der Kundenstamm (customer base), die Kundensegmentierung (customer segmentation), and die Kundenbindung (customer loyalty). These terms are frequently used in marketing, sales, and service contexts to describe strategies for attracting, understanding, and retaining customers.