Ever found yourself on a customer call and unsure of how to address the person on the other end? That’s happened to me a few times before I learnt the subtle yet impactful art of addressing customers properly on the phone. So let’s delve into the nuances of what to call a customer during those all important phone conversations.
When addressing a customer on the phone you should use their title “Mr”, “Mrs”, “Ms”, “Dr” etc and last name, and at times, “Sir” or “Ma’am”. If the customer has indicated that they prefer informality, then you should use their first name but even then it’s important to maintain a level of formality.
In the rest of this article I’ll explain why it’s important to address the customer properly especially when on the phone, why in some respects it’s easier to know what to call a customer on the phone than when face to face and in others more difficult, and what signals let you know that it’s appropriate to transition into using their first name.
What You Call a Customer On the Phone is Important
What you call a customer is always important but on the phone this becomes even more crucial. Let me explain why.
What you call a customer is not merely about avoiding saying something embarrassing, or choosing between being formal or casual, or deciding whether to use their title or not. It’s also not just about personalizing the customer’s experience – although that is something important. What you call a customer is first and foremost about acknowledging and respecting something that carries immense significance for people and resonates deeply with them.
Addressing a customer properly is a powerful way to demonstrate your respect for them and show you value them as a customer. This will help you build a rapport, foster trust and openness, and contribute to a more positive and meaningful interaction. The opposite is also true, Misidentifying a customer can not only convey a lack of respect and attention to detail but it can also create a sense of disconnect and diminish the customer’s confidence in the service provider.
What you call a customer in general is so important that I wrote a more in-depth article on it, which you can find here.
When engaging with customers over the phone, the choice of address is an even more crucial element in fostering a positive interaction than usual.
That’s because, unlike face-to-face communication, where body language, gestures and facial expressions help bridge the gaps in conversation, in phone interactions they’re all absent. This is a situation when you can only use verbal communication, so any and every verbal cue automatically becomes that much more significant. Phone conversations rely solely on the tone, clarity, and choice of words, which is why on a call, what you call a customer is that much more important.
For more information about how to talk to a customer on the phone in general, see this more in-depth article I wrote about it here.
What to Call a Customer On the Phone
Whenever addressing a customer (even if it’s not on the phone) it’s best to be formal. That means using their title “Mr”, “Mrs”, “Ms”, “Dr” etc and last name, and at times, “Sir” or “Ma’am”. This is especially important if you’re talking to an older customer who is more used to being addressed in this way. They will probably appreciate the more conventional approach, and may be slightly taken aback if you just use their first name.
Although it’s becoming more prevalent in certain companies to address the customer using their first name, I find it better to be more formal. That’s because being formal allows me to demonstrate respect for the customer, show that I value them and maintain a more professional atmosphere. (Obviously, if your company requires you to use the customer’s first name you should definitely do that.)
The only exception to this is for cultures where it’s normal to call customers by their first name, provided that this is in line with company policy.
When it comes to what to call a customer on the phone, you should bear the following additional things in mind.
If you’re speaking to a current customer, then you’ll already have their basic information on file. This makes life much easier as you already know what to call the customer either from before you made the call, or once they identified themselves when calling you or the company. All you have to do is follow the notes which will tell you everything you need to know, and alert you if the customer has a vastly different or atypical preference as to what they want to be called.
If you’re speaking to a new customer, then because of the nature of phone conversations, you will probably at some stage ask them their details so that you can make record of it. Once you know their title and last name you can start using it. If it’s a situation where you have no need to ask them for their details, you should simply ask them for their name as soon as it makes sense in the conversation.
The only pitiful in addressing a customer in phone conversations is when you want to use “Sir”, or “Ma’am”, but because of your lack visual clues you’re not sure of their gender. You certainly don’t want to be repeatedly using their title and last name, when a simple “Sir”, or “Ma’am” would have sufficed.
In that scenario it’s best to avoid assumptions about the customer’s gender, and opt for dropping the gender reference and using neutral alternatives that will work just as well. The following table shows some of the most common things you might say to a customer and the gender neutral alternatives.
| Gendered Response | Gender-Neutral Alternative |
|---|---|
| “How can I help you, sir / ma’am?” | “How may I assist you?” |
| “Thank you for your patience, sir / ma’am” | “Thank you for your patience” |
| “Yes, sir” | “Yes, of course,” or “Certainly” |
| “No, sir”” | “No, not at all,” or “No, that’s not the case.” |
| “No problem, ma’am” | “No problem, I can assist you with that,” |
Adapt to the Customer’s Self-Reference
Because of the nature of phone conversations, you may have to adapt your approach somewhat. Perhaps the customer called you and referred to themself by their first name. Even if you have all their details on file, it may be best to continue their informal approach. Or perhaps during a long phone conversation, a customer says something along the line of, “Oh, just call me Beverly”. In that case you’ll need to transition to a more informal mode of address.
This is important because not adapting to the way a customer refers to themselves can ruin any rapport or sense of understanding that you’ve already created during the conversation so far. On the other hand, adapting to the way a customer refers to themselves shows that you’re attuned to their preferences and are willing to accommodate their communication style. Adapting to the customer will ultimately enhance the quality of the interaction.
In order to adapt properly you’ll need to do the following things:
Listen Attentively
You’ll need to pay attention the tone and nature of the conversation – although if you’re a good customer service agent you’re doing that anyway. Listen carefully to how the customer introduces themselves or how they refer to themselves throughout the conversation. These cues often signal their comfort level and preferred mode of address.
Mirror Their Style
Let the customer guide your choice of address. If they choose a more informal or familiar approach by for example, using their first name or suggesting a less formal title, then they’re signaling that they’re open to a less rigid interaction. At that point you should start using their first-name and transition to a somewhat more relaxed and informal style of conversation.
Remember that while adapting to the customer’s preference is crucial, it’s essential that you maintain a level of respectful formality. You’ll need to find the right balance between meeting the customer’s comfort level and professional courtesy.