5 ways Millennials are revolutionising customer service

Growing up I was always connected to the internet, from dial-up all the way to the NBN. In my lifetime I have seen the legendary brick Nokia phone transform into the smart slim iPhone we have today. Throughout all these technological changes I have always been up to date with the latest trends. This is my generation – the generation that created #FOMO (Fear of missing out), the generation that cannot survive without a smart phone, and the generation that is obsessed with Kim Kardashian.

This generation is covered in designer brands, they drive expensive cars, and they are constantly buying the hot new thing. Millennials are quick to spend but slow to think. Because of this they are constantly in-store and online ready to break the bank.

Millennials have the greatest amount of buying power at an estimated $200 billion a year according to Dan Schawel from Forbes. When it comes to customer experience it is very important to focus on this key demographic.

Inside the mind of a millennial:

#1. I can do it myself

Google is a millennial’s best friend; this generation doesn’t want to call and find out how to do something. We are used to googling the answers for every question we have ever had. I know that my closest friends are more likely to give up on something if they can’t find it online. We feel better when we can do it ourselves and not ask for anyone’s help.

Millennials love to use FAQs and forums to find answers to their questions. They love to share their opinions and forums are a great place for them to share their experiences. They will find information much faster if you create a community where they can communicate with each other. This will give your contact centre agents more time to deal with the complicated questions that take time.

#2. I want it now

Instant messaging, same day delivery, and fast internet – all these services are designed to make life faster. 25% of millennials demand a response in the first 10 minutes of initial contact of a social media enquiry according to Desk.com. To satisfy this generation, contact centres need to operate on all channels and have an agent readily available to respond to any queries.

#3. I prefer to text

From the age of 10, I would get home from school and jump straight on to MSN Messenger. I have experienced a life of constant connection with my friends and family through instant messaging. 18-24 year olds send and receive around 128 texts a day according to Pew Research Center. I want to be able to send a text from my phone and get a reply almost instantly. If you want to connect with millennials you need to send text messages and keep that connection.

#4. I am constantly connected

Millennials will now watch Netflix while doing work on their laptops and texting on their iPhones. This generation is always online and switching between devices every day. If you want to deliver excellent service, then you need to have a multi-platform friendly website.

#5. I live on social media

When my friends complain about a service or product on Facebook or Instagram then I am very likely to never purchase that service. 47% of 18-34 year-old consumers use social media to complain about brands they have used as stated by the Microsoft’s State of Global Customer Service Report. My generation loves a brand which is connected on social media and is happy to hear our opinions. If you want to build brand loyalty with millennials then you need to make them feel heard and follow up with their social media complaints.

These are 5 different ways you can improve your customer experience to capture the millennials.

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