kèhù fúwù: 客户服务 - Customer Service

• Keywords: customer service in Chinese, kèhù fúwù meaning, Chinese for customer support, 客户服务 translation, contact us in Chinese, 客服, after-sales service, Chinese business vocabulary
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese term 客户服务 (kèhù fúwù), which means “customer service” or “client services.” This page breaks down the characters, explores its crucial role in modern Chinese business culture, and provides over 10 practical example sentences. Understand the difference between the department (客户服务) and the representative (客服), and see how this concept is vital for everything from online shopping on Taobao to formal business interactions.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): kèhù fúwù
• Part of Speech: Noun Phrase
• HSK Level: HSK 4/5 (客户 is HSK 4, 服务 is HSK 3)
• Concise Definition: The assistance, advice, and support provided by a company to its customers or clients.
• In a Nutshell: 客户服务 (kèhù fúwù) is the direct Chinese equivalent of the English term “customer service.” It refers to the entire system a company has in place to handle customer inquiries, problems, and feedback. Whether you're calling a support hotline, using a live chat on a website, or visiting an in-store help desk, you are interacting with the company's 客户服务.

• 客 (kè): This character means “guest,” “visitor,” or “customer.” Think of a person visiting a home or a shop.
• 户 (hù): This character originally depicted a single-panel door and means “household” or “family.” In a business context, it implies an established account or a client entity.
• 服 (fú): This character means “to serve” or “service.” It depicts a person kneeling, showing deference and willingness to help.
• 务 (wù): This character means “affair,” “business,” or “task.” It relates to the duties and activities one must perform.

When combined, 客户 (kèhù) literally means “guest household,” a term that has evolved to mean “client” or “customer,” often implying a more formal or ongoing relationship. 服务 (fúwù) means “service,” literally the “tasks of serving.” Together, 客户服务 (kèhù fúwù) perfectly translates to “service for customers/clients.”

The concept of 客户服务 is a powerful indicator of China's rapid economic and social transformation. In the pre-reform era, under a state-planned economy, the customer's experience was rarely a priority. Service was often perfunctory at best. Today, in China's hyper-competitive market, 客户服务 has become a critical battleground for businesses. The Western concept of “the customer is always right” (顾客就是上帝, gùkè jiùshì shàngdì - “the customer is God”) has been widely adopted, at least in principle. A key difference from traditional Western customer service is the deep integration with technology, particularly mobile tech. While the West has call centers and email support, customer service in China heavily relies on real-time chat through platforms like WeChat (微信, Wēixìn) and built-in chat functions on e-commerce giants like Taobao and JD.com. Customers expect near-instant responses via chat. This has created a culture of immediacy in service interactions that can feel more intense than in many Western countries. The quality of a company's 客户服务 is a frequent topic of online reviews and can make or break a brand's reputation.

客户服务 is a formal and neutral term used in almost every commercial context.

• On Websites: You will find 客户服务 or its abbreviation 客服 (kèfú) in the header or footer of almost any Chinese company website, leading to their support page.
• In Stores: A larger department store might have a 客户服务中心 (kèhù fúwù zhōngxīn), or a customer service center.
• In Conversation: People use it when describing their interaction with a company. For example, “I need to call their customer service” (我需要打他们的客户服务电话).
• Business-to-Business (B2B): In a B2B context, 客户服务 refers to client management and support, and is considered a cornerstone of maintaining a good business relationship (关系, guānxi).

• Example 1:
  • 我们公司的客户服务团队非常专业。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī de kèhù fúwù tuánduì fēicháng zhuānyè.
  • English: Our company's customer service team is very professional.
  • Analysis: This is a common sentence a company might use in its marketing materials to praise its own services.
• Example 2:
  • 如果您有任何问题，请随时联系我们的客户服务部门。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nín yǒu rènhé wèntí, qǐng suíshí liánxì wǒmen de kèhù fúwù bùmén.
  • English: If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our customer service department at any time.
  • Analysis: A very common and polite phrase found on websites, in emails, and on product packaging. Note the formal “您 (nín)”.
• Example 3:
  • 我对他们的客户服务态度非常不满意。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ duì tāmen de kèhù fúwù tàidù fēicháng bù mǎnyì.
  • English: I am very dissatisfied with their customer service attitude.
  • Analysis: This shows how a customer would express a negative experience. `态度 (tàidù)` - “attitude” - is often paired with `客户服务`.
• Example 4:
  • 请问，客户服务台在哪里？
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, kèhù fúwù tái zài nǎlǐ?
  • English: Excuse me, where is the customer service desk?
  • Analysis: A practical question you might ask in a large store or a bank. `台 (tái)` means desk or counter.
• Example 5:
  • 这家电商的客户服务响应速度很快。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā diànshāng de kèhù fúwù xiǎngyìng sùdù hěn kuài.
  • English: This e-commerce company's customer service response speed is very fast.
  • Analysis: Highlights the importance of speed (`速度, sùdù`) in modern Chinese customer service, especially online (`电商, diànshāng`).
• Example 6:
  • 他们的客户服务热线总是占线。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen de kèhù fúwù rèxiàn zǒngshì zhànxiàn.
  • English: Their customer service hotline is always busy.
  • Analysis: `热线 (rèxiàn)` means “hotline,” and `占线 (zhànxiàn)` means “the line is busy.” A very common complaint.
• Example 7:
  • 一个好的客户服务可以增加客户的忠诚度。
  • Pinyin: Yí ge hǎo de kèhù fúwù kěyǐ zēngjiā kèhù de zhōngchéngdù.
  • English: Good customer service can increase customer loyalty.
  • Analysis: A business principle. `忠诚度 (zhōngchéngdù)` means “degree of loyalty.”
• Example 8:
  • 我需要联系客户服务来退货。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xūyào liánxì kèhù fúwù lái tuìhuò.
  • English: I need to contact customer service to return this product.
  • Analysis: `退货 (tuìhuò)` - “to return merchandise” - is a primary reason for contacting customer service.
• Example 9:
  • 我们正在招聘一名客户服务代表。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen zhèngzài zhāopìn yī míng kèhù fúwù dàibiǎo.
  • English: We are currently recruiting a customer service representative.
  • Analysis: Shows the term used in a professional, HR context. `招聘 (zhāopìn)` means “to recruit.”
• Example 10:
  • 我们的客户服务提供24小时在线支持。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de kèhù fúwù tígōng èrshísì xiǎoshí zàixiàn zhīchí.
  • English: Our customer service provides 24-hour online support.
  • Analysis: `在线支持 (zàixiàn zhīchí)` means “online support,” reflecting the tech-focused nature of service in China.

The most significant pitfall for learners is confusing the concept/department with the person.

• 客户服务 (kèhù fúwù): Refers to the service itself, the department, or the function.
• 客服 (kèfú): This is the common abbreviation and, crucially, the word used for the customer service representative (the person).

Incorrect Usage: `我跟一个客户服务谈了。(Wǒ gēn yí ge kèhù fúwù tán le.)` This sounds like “I talked with a customer service.” It is grammatically awkward and incorrect. Correct Usage: `我跟一个客服谈了。(Wǒ gēn yí ge kèfú tán le.)` “I talked with a customer service rep.” `我联系了他们的客户服务部门。(Wǒ liánxìle tāmen de kèhù fúwù bùmén.)` “I contacted their customer service department.” Think of it this way: You call the 客户服务 (kèhù fúwù) hotline to speak with a 客服 (kèfú).

• 客服 (kèfú) - The common abbreviation for 客户服务, but most often refers to the individual customer service representative. This is the word you use for the person.
• 服务员 (fúwùyuán) - Waiter, waitress, attendant. This refers to service staff in places like restaurants, hotels, or KTV. It's distinct from office-based or call-center-based `客服`.
• 售后服务 (shòuhòu fúwù) - After-sales service. A specific and very important type of `客户服务` that deals with issues after a purchase, like repairs, returns, and maintenance.
• 顾客 (gùkè) - Customer, shopper. A general term for someone who buys goods, especially in a retail setting.
• 客户 (kèhù) - Client, customer. The first part of our main term. It can be used alone to mean “client,” often implying a more formal or long-term business relationship than `顾客`.
• 投诉 (tóusù) - To complain; a complaint. A frequent reason one might interact with `客户服务`.
• 咨询 (zīxún) - To consult, to seek advice. A more neutral reason to contact `客户服务`.
• 热线 (rèxiàn) - Hotline. Often combined to form `客户服务热线 (kèhù fúwù rèxiàn)`.
• 退货 (tuìhuò) - To return merchandise. A core function of retail customer service.
• 用户体验 (yònghù tǐyàn) - User Experience (UX). A broader, modern concept where `客户服务` is just one component.