As with any budding generation of consumers, there’s been a lot of speculation and generalizations in the business world around Generation Z. Do they have the same values as their predecessors? Will they demand instant gratification? Must everything be digital?
Gen- Z is a class of people born between 1995 and 2009, or those between the ages of 18 and 22 years old. With these young consumers, good customer experience is of the utmost importance.
To prepare for the next generation, companies must create an omnichannel customer service strategy to ensure that interactions are timely and easy. According to Jennifer Sussin, Research VP at Gartner, companies who invest in the customer experience should prioritize the following when dealing with these new customers:
- Earn their Trust - Ensure your digital reputation is up to par and be sure to respond to both negative and positive review. This new generation of customers puts a greater emphasis on trust than any before them, and tend to do a lot of online research before choosing a product or service.
- Focus on Reciprocal Relationships -Keep an eye out for ways to engage with your customers especially through social media channels. Generation Z wants to form relationships with the brands they trust.
- Make Self-Service possible - Make it as easy as possible for customers to access the answers to common inquiries and emphasize omnichannel support options so your customers can reach you in the manner that they prefer. This generation was raised with the internet, they are accustomed to finding answers to problems on their own.
- Create Experiences, Not Products - Don’t stop emphasizing the customer experience. Young consumers want to have a connection or relationship with the organizations they deal with and they want to be treated as more than just a number.
- The Time Is Now - Don’t wait to start addressing the new generation of customers today. According to Gartner, over 70% of Gen-Z influence their parents’ retail purchasing decisions.