7 Reasons Millennials Demand Great Customer Service

According to researchers William Strauss and Neil Howe, millennials are the generation of children born between 1982 and 2004. And why is this generation so important?Well, because they outnumber baby boomers! And, because millennials are the largest demographic in the marketplace, their perspective on customer serviceis different; so different in fact that their opinions are completely changing the way brands engage, interact, and address issues. This means that, if you’re a marketer and you haven’t familiarized yourself with millennial customers, you’re disregarding a huge demographic potential.And why is this generation so important? Well, because they outnumber baby boomers! And, because millennials are the largest demographic in the marketplace, their perspective on customer service is different; so different in fact that their opinions are completely changing the way brands engage, interact, and address issues.This means that, if you’re a marketerand you haven’t familiarized yourself with millennial customers, you’re disregarding a huge demographic potential.Below we’ve listed some tips on how to understand and ultimately target millennials, and what millennials expect from customer service.

1. MILLENNIALS ARE SELF – SUFFICIENT

Millennials are very adept at discovering their own information because they’ve grown up with the Internet at their fingertips.Interesting information from the report Real Self-Service Economy via Parature shows that of 3,000 customers surveyed, 40% said they prefer self-service to human contact with companies, while 70% expect a self-service application on company websites.So, to attract millennials, your company website should include a troubleshooting guide, a FAQ page, a forum where customers can ask and answer questions, and either an article or video walk-through where customers can search for the answer to their problem. A blog on your website can also be very informative, allowing millennial customers to resolve concerns on their own; and as far as the businesses are concerned, it means you can cut back on customer service representatives.

2. MILLENNIALS EXPECT IT NOW!

Because millennials have been raised in a technologically-savvy era, they’ve not only always had information at their fingertips, they’ve also grown up with smart phones which gives them access to real-time responses. According to recent studies, 71% of online shoppers say the most important thing a brand can do is value their customers time.In addition, studies show that 25% of millennials expect a response within 10 minutes of contacting customer service via social media, while over 30% expect a response within 10 minutes after posting a query via text messaging. So, what does this mean? It means that you must respond to millennials’ queries as fast as possible if you want to keep them happy – otherwise they’ll move on!

3. MILLENNIALS USE MULTIPLE DEVICES

Millennials alternate between their smart phones, laptops, and TV on average 27 times per hour, which means you must both market and connect with them on multiple devices. Therefore, your website should have a responsive design, ensuring that millennials have easy access to your website on whichever device they’re using.

4. MILLENNIALS ARE NOT PHONE SAVVY

Millennials don’t like calling customer service representatives! A recent survey revealed that 34% of millennials would rather go to the dentist than use their phone to call for assistance! Basically,Basically, millennials are not interested in face-to-face communication: they want to choose how they communicate with brands, whether it be through social media or SMS etc. So, if you’re trying to attract the attention of millennials, ensure you don’t rely on just the phone to keep in touch with them. Statistics show that just 1% of calls made to companies are from millennials.

5. MILLENNIALS EXPECT THE TRUTH

Millennials won’t put up with scripted customer service responses: they expect brands to be authentic, with a more informal approach to customer service. Millennials speak in Facebook posts, texts and tweets, so you must learn to speak their language if you want to reach them. Always be authentic with millennials!

6. MILLENNIALS VALUE GOOD CONTENT AND REVIEWS

Millennials are entirely different to other generations in many ways. Besides not wanting to speak on the phone to customer service reps, they engage with brands emotionally, personally, and far more extensively than other generations.And, they do it in entirely different ways. Millennials are inquisitive, and they want to know where your product was manufactured, they want to engage with real people on social media, and the reason you should have an About Us page is because they want to know the faces behind your brand.The content on your website must be good, because millennials seek recommendations and information from those closest to them. Informative content will make millennials want to share and showcase reviews and positive consumer feedback. Related: Revealed: How to Target the Right People on Twitter

7. MILLENNIALS ARE EDUCATED AND ADVENTUROUS

Right or wrong, it’s expected that millennials are the most educated generation of all time, and perhaps this is because of the technology they’ve grown up with. Today, the world has become smaller and more accessible, and a large proportion of millennials have travelled extensively, giving them a considerable amount of experience with different cultures. Millennials want to be engaged: they want to make a difference.

SO, WHAT DO MILLENNIALS REQUIRE FROM CUSTOMER SERVICE?

Millennials are not a pushover: they’re not easily duped, and they’re interested in the adventures that brands can provide. One example is travelling: millennials don’t see travelling for work as a burden, they see it as a perk.So, if you’re in the hotel business, you can use real-time data to keep millennials updated on when their room is ready, weather forecasts, good deals at shops or restaurants close to your hotel, and so on. Just make sure that you have a way to connect with them.Another suggestion for attracting millennials to your brand is to support a cause that’s dear to their hearts, then encourage them to join as well.