Learning That Customers Don’t Buy Software

Context

At Sage, I worked on CRM products serving small and mid-sized businesses across multiple international markets.

Unlike enterprise environments where purchasing decisions are often abstracted through layers of stakeholders, these customers experienced the product directly.

Their frustrations were immediate.

Their successes were personal.

My Role

I led CRM product initiatives, global releases, customer research efforts, roadmap prioritization, and integration strategies between CRM and ERP systems.

Outcomes

• Increased Net Promoter Score by approximately 60% year-over-year.
• Delivered product releases localized across nine international markets.
• Led CRM and ERP integration efforts that strengthened Sage’s ability to serve mid-market customers.
• Improved customer experience through deeper understanding of user workflows and pain points.  

What It Taught Me

Customers rarely buy software.

They buy confidence.

They buy time.

They buy relief.

They buy the feeling that they are no longer alone in solving a problem.

This was one of the first places I began noticing the emotional layer hidden underneath product decisions.