Definition of front office

The term "front office" refers to the department or division of an organization that directly interacts with external stakeholders such as clients, customers, or investors. This term originated in the banking industry during the late 19th century when banks started to separate their administrative and customer-facing functions. In this context, the "front office" referred to the part of the bank where customers transacted business, while the "back office" referred to administrative and support functions. Over time, the term "front office" has come to describe any department in a business or organization that deals with external stakeholders and represents the company's public face. It encompasses sales, marketing, customer relations, and other customer-facing operations. The contrasting "back office" now refers to internal operations such as accounting, IT services, and administrative functions that support the front office's operations.