While companies are still trying to establish relationships with millennials, a new demographic is coming of age, presenting fresh challenges for customer service delivery. With Gen Z (people born starting in 2001) already outnumbering millennials in the global population, this group is set to make an even greater impact than their predecessors as many Gen Zers become consumers. Members of Generation Z are the first “digital natives” living in a society where nearly everything and anything is available around the clock, at the click of a button. With little patience and lofty expectations, Gen Z demands the highest quality customer service. How can organizations tailor their strategy to meet their requirements and foster positive customer experiences? Three tips for meeting the expectations of Gen Z customers include:
#1. Make It Personalized
The ‘emotional connection’ between consumer and brand is becoming increasingly important, and members of Gen Z, like millennials, want to feel like a valued and unique individual rather than a transaction or a number in a contact center queue. Gen Z will look to shop with brands that deliver customer service in a channel that is designed specifically for them. This involves going beyond just social channels and accounting for new technologies like voice assistants or Smart Homes.
Brands will need to understand what consumers are looking for on different channels and improve social listening capabilities. The power of shared experiences among Gen Z cannot be understated and delivering personalization across multiple channels can turn these customers into advocates for your brand among their peers.
#2. Offer Seamless, Omnichannel Support
A significant shift in communication has taken place, as traditional phone conversations are no longer dominant. Every channel of conversation, from text messaging to Instagram, is home territory for Gen Z and these consumers interact with friends, family and even brands across all of them interchangeably. Companies must have a platform which consolidates channels for their customer service teams, giving them a complete customer history with all interactions wherever and whenever they happened.
This consolidated information allows customer service representatives to provide personalized service, recommend next best actions or give suggestions specially designed for the individual needs of the customer. By making the experience effective and efficient, companies can earn ambassadors for their brand.
#3. Handle Problems Effectively
With voice recognition technology and automated phone systems, customers are often frustrated and disappointed even before they speak with a real human. When issues arise, customer service representatives are the frontline of maintaining a positive relationship with the customer on behalf of the brand. Over half of consumers would tell more than five friends about a bad experience, and 95 percent would tell one friend.
Providing effective customer service when something goes wrong is imperative, and reliability and consistency is essential when interacting with Gen Z. Make sure customer service representatives have the right training and a strong understanding of the customer journey. By fostering the right skillset, brands can help their representatives deal with Gen Z customers constructively and sympathetically.
Meeting the desires and needs of Gen Z will soon be a driving force in the customer service industry. Handling problems effectively and quickly will be critical to retaining customers. If companies can address Gen Z’s demands with a personalized, omnichannel approach to customer service, there is great potential to build strong relationships and grow critical brand loyalty.
