Customer service is the heart and soul of any business. It’s the invisible force that keeps customers coming back, builds relationships, and fuels growth.
And sometimes, a simple quote can perfectly capture the essence of great customer service and provide us with the motivation we need to go that extra mile.
We’ve gathered the best customer service quotes from some of the most experienced CX specialists out there so you can get first-hand advice on all things related to providing exceptional service. From rising customer expectations, the importance of agent proactivity, and the impact of support automation — you’ll find great customer service quotes about all that and more.
The best customer service quotes about trends & expectations
Various customer service statistics show that tech & digital trends shape the way customers want to interact with brands. A timely response is still a requirement, but fluid communication, conversational experiences, and personalized support become just as important.
Gone are the days when customer service was seen as a cost center. In the future, we’re bound to see more examples of outstanding support and its impact on revenue (and more customer service quotes about it, too!).
Automation has its benefits. It allows for faster response times and provides a convenient self-service option for customers to find answers on their own. It saves time and resources for both the customers and the entire company. However, there’s still something special about having a personal touch, especially when it comes to customer interactions.
When reaching out for help or support, we often seek reassurance, understanding, and a human connection. We want to know that our concerns are being heard by someone who genuinely cares and can provide a tailored solution. It’s not just about getting the right answer; it’s about feline valued and acknowledged as an individual.
When it comes to the customer service channels people prefer these days, age plays a big role. Millennials and Gen Z are leading the way in using multiple channels for support, which is known as omnichannel service.
The truth is, good customer service cannot just exist on one platform anymore. With omnichannel support, you can start a conversation with customers on one channel and seamlessly switch to another without starting all over again. While phone and email are still the most common ways to get support, video and social media are becoming more and more popular.
According to Anotnia J.A. Hock, the behavior of consumers has a big impact on businesses. It’s changing the way leaders think, raising expectations, and causing significant changes that can’t be ignored.
Ultimately, understanding consumer behavior allows businesses to stay customer-focused and responsive to their changing needs. By putting the customer at the center of decision-making, businesses can build stronger relationships, improve customer satisfaction, and drive growth.
As indicated in this customer service quote, you need to bridge the gap between their goals and the customer’s expectations to achieve the desired support quality. It requires investing in the right resources, such as well-trained support staff, reliable technology, and efficient processes.
Keep in mind that exceptional support quality is an ongoing effort. Customer expectations evolve, and businesses must adapt accordingly.
The best customer service quotes about empathy
When customers reach out to customer support, they expect not only a solution to their problem but also to be treated with kindness and understanding. They want to feel that their concerns matter and that someone genuinely cares about their situation. Unfortunately, when support agents don’t show empathy, customers can feel frustrated and unimportant.
Most unhappy customers remain dissatisfied when there’s a lack of empathy involved. This negative experience can be a major factor in customers considering a switch to a competitor. The good news is, empathy can be taught.
According to Colin Shaw, customer experience is the context through which people look at business. When you understand your customers’ context, you can make better decisions about how to serve them. It’s like knowing their background and situation, so you can offer the right solutions. It shows that you truly know your customers and enables you to be proactive.
This is especially important because competition among businesses is getting tougher, and understanding your customers can give you an edge.
As emphasized in this customer service quote, being responsive doesn’t mean providing an immediate solution to every request. It means acknowledging the user’s message, setting clear expectations about the next steps, and keeping them informed throughout the process. Even if a resolution takes time, regular updates can alleviate anxiety and show that progress is being made.
Remember, users are not just faceless entities; they are individuals with unique needs and expectations. By understanding their frustrations and providing timely responses, businesses can demonstrate their commitment to turning every person into a satisfied customer.
Sometimes, you may not be able to provide customers with a complete solution to their problems. But here’s the good news: most customers will still appreciate it if you acknowledge their issue and show empathy.
Even if you can’t fix everything, letting them know that you understand their frustration and will do everything possible to assist them can go a long way. The ultimate goal is to make customers feel valued and supported, even if you can’t deliver a purrr-fect outcome.
The best customer service quotes about proactivity
Retaining customers should be a top priority for companies. However, relying solely on reactive support means always playing catch-up when it comes to addressing customer issues. That’s why proactive support is essential — it allows you to stay ahead of potential problems and provide exceptional service, as stated in this customer service quote.
As already mentioned, good customer service is not just about reacting quickly to customer needs and resolving issues promptly. It’s also about going above and beyond by understanding customers on a deeper level, as emphasized by Tony Won.
Consider the entire customer journey and identify opportunities to surprise and delight customers at every touchpoint. By anticipating their needs, you can provide tailored solutions and personalized experiences that make customers feel valued and understood.
One of the best customer service quotes about proactive support is that it can significantly enhance customer interactions if provided throughout the buyer journey. It builds trust, increases satisfaction, and strengthens brand and customer loyalty further. After all, customers appreciate the added value they receive from companies that go above and beyond to provide helpful information and support at every step.
According to Rea Alducente, it’s high time for technology to keep up with these expectations.
Still don’t believe in the power of proactive support? By underestimating the potential of such initiatives, you might miss out on opportunities for growth and customer success. When in doubt, continue to invest in proactive communication and exceptional support, as they can truly make a difference in your bottom line — and get inspired by the best customer service quotes.
According to Mercer Smith, by prioritizing proactive customer service, you not only improve the customer experience but also create a more paw-sitive work environment for your support agents.
Customers can be demanding (and sometimes downright claw-ful!), so it’s easy for agents to become overwhelmed if they don’t feel properly supported. Rather than leaving the agents to deal with dissatisfied customers after the fact, training your customer service team to take a proactive approach can prevent those issues from arising beforehand.
The best customer service quotes about feedback
When it comes to good customer service, actively listening to your customer’s needs, concerns, and feedback can make a world of difference. By giving them a platform to express themselves, you create a sense of trust and respect. This, in turn, leads to better understanding and stronger relationships.
Customers want to know that their feedback matters. When they feel heard and cared for, they are more likely to provide honest and constructive opinions.
In turn, the feedback you receive from customers is a valuable resource for improving your products, services, and overall customer experience. It allows you to identify areas of strength and areas that need improvement.
This customer service quote proves that metrics like NPS can help you understand how likely your customers are to recommend your product to others, while CSAT helps you assess how satisfied they are with your business. By consistently surveying your customers and tracking relevant customer service metrics, you can measure your customer service team’s performance and set realistic customer expectations.
When collecting customer surveys, though, the most insight-rich feedback comes from open-ended comments. The problem is, the average CSAT response rate is 19% for chat, 5% for email, and 5% for phone.
Apart from asking for feedback at the right moment (and doing so regularly), you can also get higher response rates for your surveys if you simplify and personalize your surveys. By offering people a quick recap, you can also help them get into the writing zone and reflect deeper on their experience.
The best customer service quotes about agent performance
There is no single KPI that you can rely on to fully evaluate the performance of your support agents. However, by narrowing down your focus, you can gain a clearer understanding of your team’s performance. This targeted approach allows you to track progress, identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions that lead to positive outcomes.
For example, if customer satisfaction is a priority, you could track metrics like CSAT or CES to grasp how well you are meeting customer needs. If operational efficiency is a focus, you might monitor metrics such as FCR or FRT. If support quality is key, turn to IQS instead.
Customer service professionals are driven by a genuine intention to provide excellent customer service. They genuinely want to help customers and resolve their issues promptly and effectively. However, the reality is that they may face limitations in terms of resources, information, or authority to address certain customer concerns.
According to Hosam Hassan, it’s important to acknowledge the efforts and dedication of every customer service professional who works tirelessly to bridge this gap. They often go above and beyond to find solutions, collaborate with other teams, and advocate for improvements in processes or resources to better serve customers. Make sure you provide your customer service department with the necessary support, training, and resources to handle customer inquiries effectively.
When you think about it, the success of your support operations hinges on the engagement and satisfaction of your employees. By prioritizing their well-being, providing growth opportunities, and fostering a sense of empowerment, you can create a work environment where employees are motivated to go above and beyond for our customers.
In turn, this leads to superior service experiences, higher customer satisfaction, and a competitive edge in the market.
As indicated in Ethan’s customer service quote, repetitive work can lead to feelings of monotony and disengagement among your team members. To counter this, try to identify the root causes of repetitive work and explore ways to address them.
This could involve streamlining processes, implementing automation or self-service options, or reevaluating workflows to optimize efficiency. By finding solutions to reduce repetitive tasks, we not only alleviate the burden on your customer service team but also create a more fulfilling and engaging work environment.
Identifying early signs of burnout is crucial for maintaining a healthy and motivated support team. By reviewing all your customer interactions, you can spot and proactively address support quality issues, including agent burnout.
✨ We’ve seen companies like Pipedrive, Glovo, and Wistia spend 70% less time on quality assurance since they switched to a QA tool. That’s left them with 3x more time to focus on what matters — analyzing performance and giving feedback to their customer service representatives.
While it may not be feasible for managers to do frontline work exclusively, finding opportunities to actively engage in the same job can make a significant difference. This shared experience creates a stronger bond and fosters mutual respect and empathy. It also allows managers to have a deeper understanding of the team’s needs and concerns.
This could involve periodically taking on frontline responsibilities, shadowing team members, or participating in customer interactions. Even a small amount of time spent in frontline work can have a profound impact on the connection between a customer service manager and their team.
The best customer service quotes about support automation
According to Leslie O’Flahavan, AI has the ability to streamline support processes, automate responses, and handle customer inquiries at a faster pace. However, if companies solely focus on the financial benefits and neglect the “human element” of providing support, the customer experience will eventually suffer.
Only by combining the efficiency of AI with a strong customer-focused mindset, you can achieve a balance that benefits both the bottom line and customer satisfaction. It is crucial to invest in AI technologies that align with the goal of improving support, rather than solely focusing on cost-cutting measures.
While it can be tempting to design support systems based solely on internal needs and “gut feeling”, it’s crucial to prioritize understanding your customers and their unique preferences.
By taking a customer-centric approach to support automation, you can ensure that your customers receive the level of service they desire. This might involve offering self-service knowledge bases, dedicated account managers, or fully automated chatbots.
Technology plays a valuable role in empowering customers to find quick answers and resolve simple issues on their own. It offers convenience and efficiency, allowing customers to get support whenever they need it, even outside of regular business hours.
However, there are instances where customers require human interaction, whether it’s for complex problems, personalized assistance, or simply the comfort of speaking to another person. When customers reach that point where technology can no longer provide a satisfactory resolution, it is crucial to smoothly transition them to a live customer service representative, as emphasized by Shep Hyken.
It’s important to remember the human element in customer experience. While self-service options, including AI-assisted ones, can be helpful, there are instances when customers, especially younger ones, may still prefer human assistance.
It could be a matter of round-the-clock access to support or simply a personal preference. In any case, delivering outstanding customer service requires both reliable technology and reliable people, according to Dan Gingiss.
The best customer service quotes compiled
There’s this misconception that good customer service costs money. However, great customer service can make a lot of money, too.
Support should not be seen as a major cost center anymore. Strong customer service culture is the best business strategy, and those inspirational customer service quotes are here to prove it.
Let them serve as a reminder of the importance of going the extra mile and continuously improving your customer service. By embracing the lessons shared by industry experts, you can elevate your customer service efforts and create memorable experiences that leave a lasting impact.
Originally published in June 2023; last updated in November 2023.
