Small business owners wanting to get off to the right start when talking to potential customers would do well to bear in mind the findings of a recent study.

According to research by Standard Life Healthcare, the majority of customers prefer a more formal approach, with 69% preferring a ‘Good Morning’ compared to 22% who liked ‘Hello’. But less than 10% preferred a less formal ‘Hi’.

The study also revealed that 53% prefer to be called by their title and surname, with women (59%) keener on this than men (47%).

But it also revealed different preferences according to generations, with 53% of 16-24-year-olds and 43% of 25-34-year-olds happy to be called by their first name. This compared to an average of 36%, with those aged over 35 much more in favour of being called by their title and surname.

It also suggested that people can tell if the person they are talking to on the phone is smiling, with an average of 68% saying they can pick up on this. This rises to 77% for younger people aged between 16 and 34.

The poll also hinted at a change in the way younger people like to communicate with companies. More than half of those aged under 35 would like to be able to text suppliers and receive replies by the same method, the research discovered, although the figure of 58% of the 16-24 age group slumps to 50% for those aged between 25 and 34.