What makes us different?

We differentiate ourselves from our competition through the experience we deliver to customers. In our business, what matters is people helping other people through technology. Unlike some of our competitors we are not led by technology or processes. Customers and their needs and expectations lead us.

Supporting our customers

The support service and aftercare we provide to our customers is the cornerstone of our success. We believe we are already the best in our industry at offering customer service, but we want to offer an outstanding experience at every level. We recognise that smaller businesses have limited sources of advice and very often have no IT department. They look to Sage for advice on how to get the most out of their software to enable better business performance and for guidance on business critical topics such as accounting, employment legislation, maternity, payroll, financial reporting and more.

We also provide service and support through a worldwide network of 40,000 accountants and 26,500 reseller partners who provide additional local expertise, implementation and support.

With Sage’s network of and solutions for accountants, customers can benefit from the ability to exchange data seamlessly with their accountant, making all aspects of their relationship with this key business advisor more efficient and effective.

Our business partners build close working relationships with larger, Sage customers, help to tailor their solutions, deliver large scale implementation, provide specialist knowledge, on-site support and other added value services.

We believe we are not just a software supplier but a partner in our customers’ businesses helping them run their businesses more effectively and realise their ambitions. Our partnerships are built on the ongoing dialogue we have with our customers, the provision of high quality support and advice and the loyalty and trust that results from this. Our emphasis on support is backed up by the resources we put behind it. Across the business as a whole, more than 40 per cent* of our people work in technical support, customer service or customer training roles.

Distribution of our products

Sage products and services reach our customers in the following ways:

Direct
Retail
Business partners
Accountants

This range of channels reflects our understanding of the small and medium sized business marketplace, is tailored to match local market needs and ensures that Sage is accessible and easy to do business with. This diversity of distribution channels, specifically developed to reach small and medium sized business, is one of our key business strengths.

*FY09