Thank You for Your Patience: 15 Better Phrases for Sales and Customer Success

Most professionals say "thank you for your patience" at least once a week — but Salesforce research shows that 76% of customers expect companies to understand their needs, yet generic phrases signal the opposite. Worse, AI email tools like Microsoft Copilot and Gmail AI now write this exact phrase automatically — so when your recipient reads it, they immediately know it was a canned response. This guide gives you 15 better alternatives that actually build trust, plus the context to know when to use each one.

What "Thank You for Your Patience" Actually Means

"Thank you for your patience" — or its close cousin "thanks for your patience" — is a professional phrase used to acknowledge that someone has been waiting on a resolution, deliverable, or update. It signals that you recognize the delay, appreciate the person's willingness to wait, and are still working on the issue. It's most commonly used in sales, customer service, and recruiting contexts.

You'll typically see it in situations like these:

• A sales rep following up on a proposal that's taking longer than expected to get internal approval
• A customer success manager updating a client while a technical issue is still being resolved
• A recruiter checking in with a candidate during a drawn-out hiring process
• A support agent transferring a ticket and flagging that there may be a wait

The intent is good. You want to show the other person that you haven't forgotten them, that you value their time, and that you're still invested in a positive outcome. The problem isn't the intent — it's the execution. The phrase has become so overused and so automatic that it no longer conveys any of those things.

Related phrases that fall into the same category include "thank you for your patience and understanding," "appreciate your patience," and "thank you for being patient with us." They all have the same problem: they sound like a template, because increasingly, they are one.

Why This Phrase Fails in 2026 (The AI Problem)

Here's the uncomfortable truth: when your recipient reads "thank you for your patience," there's a good chance they don't think a human wrote it. And in 2026, they're probably right. AI email tools have made this phrase worse than ever — not just overused, but actively counterproductive to building genuine communication.

AI email assistants now write this phrase by default. Microsoft Copilot, integrated directly into Outlook, suggests "thank you for your patience" as a standard fill-in when composing delay-related emails. Gmail AI does the same thing. When someone activates an AI email assistant to draft a follow-up after a slow response, this phrase almost always appears in the output — often in the opening line. It's baked into the training data because it was already ubiquitous before AI email automation arrived. Now it's everywhere, all the time.

The result is a kind of canned response detection that recipients have developed, often unconsciously. When a customer or prospect reads a message that contains "thank you for your patience," their brain flags it. It reads like a script. It feels impersonal. And because it only ever appears in frustrating situations — delayed projects, unresolved support tickets, slow-moving deals — the phrase carries a negative connotation by association. Reading it doesn't make people feel appreciated. It makes them feel like a number in a queue.

According to McKinsey research on AI-enabled customer engagement, customers increasingly value authentic, human interactions precisely because AI-generated email has made generic communication so common. When everyone's emails sound the same, genuine communication stands out dramatically. The bar for "human" has never been lower to clear — but only if you actually clear it.

There's also a practical problem. When your emails look like AI output, open rates drop and reply rates fall. Customers in B2B relationships pay close attention to how you communicate, especially when something goes wrong. A delay or an unresolved issue is a moment of truth in any client relationship. Using a phrase that reads like an AI email assistant generated it in 0.3 seconds sends exactly the wrong signal — that you're not paying attention, that you're going through the motions, and that their frustration isn't worth a real response.

The fix isn't complicated. It's being specific. It's using someone's name. It's describing the actual situation instead of reaching for a placeholder phrase. And in some cases, it's skipping the text email entirely and sending a short AI-personalized video that shows your face and your genuine investment in getting the issue resolved. None of these things take significantly more time — but they signal something completely different to the person on the receiving end.

15 Better Alternatives to "Thank You for Your Patience"

Each of these alternatives does something "thank you for your patience" doesn't: they're specific, they're human, and they give the other person something real to hold onto. Use them in emails, video messages, Slack, or wherever you communicate with clients and prospects.

1. "I'm committed to resolving this issue"

This phrase shifts the focus from the past (the delay) to the future (the resolution). Instead of thanking someone for tolerating a bad situation, you're making a forward-looking promise. It puts you in the driver's seat and reassures the client that they don't have to chase you down.

Use it when a customer is waiting on a fix or a deliverable and you don't have a resolution yet, but you want them to know you're actively on it. Follow it with your next concrete step — for example: "I'm committed to resolving this issue. I'm meeting with our engineering lead at 2 PM today and will have an update for you by end of day."

2. "Really appreciate you digging in here"

This one is especially useful when the client or prospect has done significant work on their end — detailed a bug, filled out a long intake form, or gone back and forth over multiple emails to explain the problem. It acknowledges their effort specifically, rather than just thanking them for waiting.

It's casual and human in a way that "appreciate your patience" never is. It sounds like something you'd actually say out loud, which is why it works.

3. "You're the best, [client name]"

Casual, warm, and genuinely conversational. This works well in ongoing relationships where you have rapport with the person. Including their name — especially in an email subject line or opening line — instantly makes it feel personal rather than templated.

This isn't appropriate for every situation, but if you have a solid working relationship with someone, a little warmth goes a long way during a frustrating delay.

4. "I really appreciate how you [specific example]"

The most powerful word in any thank-you is "specifically." When you cite a specific behavior — "I really appreciate how you put together that detailed summary of the issue" or "I really appreciate how you've stayed on top of this with us" — it shows you were paying attention. It transforms a generic phrase into a genuine compliment.

Make it a habit: before sending a check-in email, think of one specific thing the client has done that deserves acknowledgment. Then say that, instead of falling back on a placeholder.

5. "Thank you for bearing with us"

This is a close cousin to "thanks for your patience," but it lands differently. "Bearing with us" implies an ongoing challenge that both of you are navigating together. It's more empathetic and collaborative in tone — "us" signals that you're in this with them, not just processing their complaint from the other side of a help desk.

"Thanks for bearing with me" is the first-person version and works well in one-on-one sales conversations where the relationship is more personal.

6. "Thank you for your time and commitment"

This works particularly well in longer sales cycles or ongoing professional relationships. It acknowledges that the person has invested real time in working with you — not just been patient, but actively committed to the process. That's worth naming explicitly.

Use this in mid-deal check-ins, project milestones, or when wrapping up a difficult support case where the client stayed engaged throughout.

7. "I'm sorry — I own this"

Sometimes the best thing you can say is the simplest. Owning a delay directly — no hedging, no passive voice, no corporate softening — is more powerful than any polite thank-you. "I'm sorry for the delay. This is on me, and I'm fixing it" tells the client exactly where things stand and signals accountability.

Don't be afraid of apologies. A direct "I'm sorry" is far more trust-building than a phrase that buries the issue under politeness. For more on crafting a genuine apology, see our guide to writing apology letters for customers.

8. "Here's where things stand right now" + status update

This is less a single phrase and more a pattern: lead with a plain-English status update instead of a thank-you. "Here's where things stand right now" signals transparency. It tells the client that you're not going to bury the update inside a layer of pleasantries — you're going to give it to them straight.

Follow it with the actual update: what's been done, what's left, and what the next step is. Clients don't need to be thanked for waiting — they need information. Give them that first.

9. "I know this has taken longer than expected"

Naming the problem directly is more respectful than tiptoeing around it with a generic thank-you. "I know this has taken longer than expected" validates the client's frustration without being defensive about it. It shows you have situational awareness — you understand what this delay means to them.

Pair it with something actionable: "I know this has taken longer than expected. Here's what I'm doing to get it resolved today."

10. "I want to make sure we get this right for you"

This phrase reframes a delay as due diligence. It tells the client that speed isn't being sacrificed for accuracy — it's the other way around. You're taking the time because the outcome matters to you, and you want it to be right for them specifically, not just closed out.

It's a good option for customer success conversations where a rushed fix would just create new problems. It sets expectations while demonstrating care.

Learn more about customer success fundamentals.

11. "Your feedback is helping us solve this faster"

This alternative turns the client from a passive waiter into an active participant in the solution. It's particularly useful in situations where the client has provided detailed information, reproduction steps, or context that's genuinely helping your team narrow down the issue.

It also has a subtle positive effect: it reminds the client that their engagement isn't just tolerated, it's useful. That makes the wait feel more purposeful.

12. "I'll have an answer for you by [specific date/time]"

Commitment to a specific timeline is one of the most powerful things you can offer during a delay. "I'll follow up soon" means nothing. "I'll have an answer for you by Thursday at noon" means everything. It gives the client something concrete, and it holds you accountable.

If you can't meet that deadline, flag it proactively before the time passes. That's the other half of this approach — setting a deadline and then honoring it, or updating it in advance if you can't.

13. "Let me give you a direct update in 60 seconds" [video]

Instead of writing a long email update, record a 60-second video. Say the person's name, explain where things stand, and tell them your next step. Send it via a video email through Gmail or your email client of choice.

This approach works because it's impossible to fake. A video message with your face on it can't be generated by an AI email assistant — at least not authentically. It signals that you took real time for this person, which is exactly the message you want to send when a relationship is under strain from a delay. Check out these video email examples that increase click-through rates for inspiration.

14. "I'm recording this so you have it in writing" [video]

This phrase works as an introduction to an asynchronous video update. It tells the client you're being deliberate — you want them to have a clear, referenceable record of where things stand, not just a quick message they'll have to chase down later. It signals organization and professionalism.

Recording and sending video updates via tools like Sendspark also gives the client something they can share with their team internally, which is especially useful in B2B contexts where multiple stakeholders are involved in the issue.

15. A personalized video message — the most powerful alternative of all

The absolute best replacement for "thank you for your patience" isn't a phrase at all — it's a personalized video message. Nothing signals genuine communication more clearly than a short video where the client can see your face, hear your voice, and know that a real human took real time to address their specific situation.

With Sendspark, you can record one core video and use AI to personalize it with each client's name and company — so it feels one-to-one even when you're updating multiple accounts at once. It's the antidote to AI-generated email, because it puts the human back in the conversation. Sales teams that use personalized video in their follow-ups consistently see 2–3x higher reply rates than teams that rely on text email alone.

How to Respond When Someone Says "Thank You for Your Patience"

When you receive an email that contains "thank you for your patience," the issue is usually still ongoing — this is a checkpoint, not a resolution. Your response should acknowledge the update and keep the door open for continued communication. Keep it brief, professional, and warm.

Here are the most natural responses:

• "No problem at all — I appreciate the update." Clean, simple, and human. This works in nearly every situation.
• "Thanks for keeping me in the loop." Acknowledges the communication without putting pressure on the timeline.
• "I really appreciate you staying on top of this." Slightly warmer, works well when you have an existing relationship with the sender.
• "Understood — I look forward to your update by [date they mentioned]." Useful when the sender gave you a specific timeline. It confirms you heard the commitment.
• "Thank you for your effort here — I know this is a tricky one." Empathetic and collegial, especially good when you know the issue is genuinely complex.

What you want to avoid: a one-word reply, no reply at all, or a response that adds pressure without adding value. Even a two-sentence reply that acknowledges the update and confirms your understanding keeps the relationship moving in the right direction.

For more on how to write better client check-ins on both sides of the conversation, see our guide to 3 steps to better customer check-in emails.

Quick Reference: When to Use Each Alternative

Use this table as a cheat sheet when you're deciding which phrase fits the moment. The right choice depends on the relationship, the context, and the severity of the delay.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you professionally say thank you for your patience?

The most professional approach is to be specific rather than generic. Instead of using the stock phrase, name the situation directly: "I know this has taken longer than expected, and I appreciate you staying engaged." Even better, pair your thanks with a concrete next step or timeline so the other person has something real to hold onto. If the relationship is important, consider sending a short personalized video message rather than a text email — it signals care in a way that no written phrase can match.

When should you use "thank you for your patience"?

The original phrase is appropriate in very formal or brief contexts — a short automated acknowledgment email, for instance, or a live phone interaction where you're putting someone on hold. Outside of those narrow cases, you're almost always better served by one of the more specific alternatives listed above. The more significant the delay and the more important the relationship, the more important it is to use language that feels personal rather than templated.

How do you respond when someone says "thank you for your patience"?

Keep it brief and warm. "No problem at all — I appreciate the update" works in nearly every context. If the sender gave you a specific timeline, confirm it: "Thanks, I'll look out for your update by Thursday." If the situation is complex or the relationship is important, you can also acknowledge their effort: "I appreciate you staying on top of this." Avoid one-word replies, which can come across as cold or dismissive in a situation that's already frustrating.

Is it OK to say "thank you for your patience"?

It's not wrong, but it's rarely the best option. The phrase is so overused — and increasingly auto-generated by AI email tools like Microsoft Copilot and Gmail AI — that most recipients read right past it. It's particularly problematic in B2B relationships where trust and genuine communication matter. If you're looking for the polite, safe option in a low-stakes or automated context, it's fine. If the relationship or the issue matters, use something more specific.

What is a more professional way to say thank you for waiting?

"Thank you for your time and commitment" sounds more professional than "thank you for waiting" or "thanks for your patience." Even better: "I appreciate you staying engaged on this — here's where things stand." Leading with a status update instead of a thank-you is often the most professional move of all, because it prioritizes the information the other person actually needs over the politeness you're trying to signal.

How do you say "thank you for your patience" in an email?

Instead of opening with the phrase itself, try restructuring the email entirely. Open with the update: "Here's where things stand." Then acknowledge the wait: "I know this has taken longer than we'd both like." Then commit to the next step: "I'll have a resolution for you by [date]." This three-part structure is more respectful of the recipient's time and more effective at maintaining trust than leading with a generic phrase. For related phrases used in professional emails, see our guide on alternatives to "per our conversation."

What are the best alternatives to "thank you for your patience"?

The 15 alternatives in this article cover the full range of situations, but the top choices are: "I'm committed to resolving this issue" (accountability), "I know this has taken longer than expected" (empathy), "I'll have an answer for you by [date]" (commitment), and a personalized video message (genuine human connection). The right choice depends on your relationship with the person, the severity of the delay, and the tone you want to set. See also our related articles on alternatives to "thank you for your understanding" — a different phrase used when delivering news or policy updates rather than status delays.