Sage Blog

In the spirit of Valentines Day we asked our colleagues to share their top tips for showing customers that they care.

What do you think? Is there something else that your business is doing that you’d like to share or something you love (or hate) as a consumer of service?

Stephen Douglas – Customer Services coach

To show the customer you care, remember your customers’ names.
Whenever you have contact with your customers — whether it’s in person, or by phone, fax, or e-mail — always use their names. When you do so, the business experience becomes personal. And when the business experience becomes personal, your customers become vested in the relationship and thereby become your friend. When you use the customers’ names, they become as concerned about your success as you are. Taken from Business Week.

Laura Bowie – Sage 50 Accounts Technical Support

Treat each customer the way you would want to be treated. Let them know what is going on and reassure them if needed. Each customer is as important as the next so make them feel that way.

Joanne Johnston – Marketing executive

Its about listening but also about keeping the up the communication (whether its good news or bad!)

Sarah Dearden

Take ownership

Seems like a simple thing yet it is something that upsets customers the most. There is nothing more upsetting for customers than when someone doesn’t follow through with their actions .

Keith Office – Senior developer

My rule was, and still is, never promise anything that you can’t reasonably expect to deliver. Confidence/Trust takes time to build up but can take seconds to destroy.

Ronald Langston – Test Technician

Don’t tell the customer what you cannot do, instead offer them solutions, or alternatives. Have a true “Can Do” attitude when dealing with every customer

Jamie Harris – Customer Services Advisor

A slight change to the old classic. ‘A customer is like a box of chocolates: You never know what you’re gonna get.’ Stay flexible, tailor yourself, and your solution to the customers needs.

Mandy Filson – Brand Manager

My response echoes much of what’s been posted already – as a customer it’s about feeling listened to, being treated as an individual and being made to feel special. But for me it’s also about feeling that the person delivering the service/experience is happy in what they’re doing and feels empowered to bring some of their own personality into their role.

For example, I recently called a well-known appliance manufacturer because my dishwasher had broken down. I explained the problem to the very nice man on the other end of the phone and confess I was a bit fed up at the thought of having no dishwasher for a few days. He took all the details, gave me an idea of what the problem might be, apologised that he couldn’t send an engneer until the following week and then without hesitation suggested that I nipped out and bought a few pairs of Marigolds as it looked like I’d be doing quite a bit of washing up over the weekend!

With that one line he made me laugh, diffused any frustration I may have felt about the delay in the engineer visiting and left me with a very positive feeling about the individual and the company. However, I still hate washing up!

Lisa Graveling – UK PR Manager

Good service involves anticipating your customers’ needs before they even know what they want.

Paul Waters  - Programme Manager

I agree with Lisa – it’s about listening to your customers and then making sure you actually understand what it is that they are saying. It’s about understanding customer pain points and delivering solutions to address these.