How are Millennials Helping Improve Customer Experience?

According to Merriam-Webster, millennials are people born in the 1980s and 1990s. They form the largest chunk of society now and will remain the largest until at least 2030. Therefore, they are the talking point of many important issues.

They have a significant impact on the present consumer market. Millennials have quickly adapted to rapid technological changes, which has made an enormous difference.

But Why Should Marketers Bother?

Millennials are the largest customer segment because, according to the Pew Research Center, they are the largest generation in the labor force.

It’s no wonder they have a higher purchasing power and, therefore, spend more. Multicultural millennials spend more than $65 billion each year.

Millennials are more educated than the previous generation. This is also reflected in their purchase decisions.

Companies are changing how they handle customers to accommodate this highly demanding generation. In fact, millennials are helping improve the customer experience as a whole. They inspire the changes we see today in the consumer landscape.  Let’s take a closer look at how.

1. They are a Mobile Generation

According to a study done by Statista, millennials spend an average of 223 minutes, or more than 3 hours a day using mobile internet.

According to another study by the Pew Research Center, 92% of millennials own smartphones, which is much higher among them than in previous generations. They are always on their phones, but they don’t necessarily like talking to you over the phone. They would instead read your FAQs or chat with you.

This means that the fundamentals of customer service have been affected or got a new face. Calling was the backbone of customer service until millennials changed that. Brands have had to rethink the whole customer service process because they still have to serve their customers.

These customers dislike talking over the phone and aren’t entirely fond of being served by email. However, email is not totally abandoned. Brands have started using chatbots so customers can freely talk to them whenever necessary.

Also, mobile apps and mobile sites have become mandatory for brands because millennials spend considerable time on their phones.

2. They are Always on Social Media

In continuation with the previous point, brands have also started serving their customers on social media using messengers and other messaging apps. Millennials are mostly on social media, which they access through their phones. 75% of 18-to-25-year-olds open social media apps every week, and 70% of 18-to-25-year-olds report opening a messaging app every week.

Gone are the days when having a social media presence used to mean having a social media brand profile. Now, brands always have to be there to serve their customers.

Here is an example of Netflix serving and casually interacting with customers.

Apart from this, millennials seek opinions on social media before buying anything. Quirks says 51% of younger millennials and 61% of older millennials think that if any of their friends post about a brand on social media, it will impact their buying decisions.

Keeping this in mind, brands have created different communities on social media so that consumers can easily discuss relevant topics.

This helps improve the customer experience and allows brands to keep track of the discussions. Thus helping them understand what customers are saying about them. It will also make the brand more contactable.

Millennials like to talk about their grievances with a brand on social media. Brands must rise quickly and address the issues before the news reaches more customers.

Brands must also consider the Internet of Things, where different devices are connected and can be communication channels. Convenience is everything for this generation, and technology is their favorite pastime.

Brands need to learn to leverage these millennial characteristics to provide a better customer experience. Google Smart Home is an amazing example of the IoT. It’s no wonder Google is making the most of its own innovation by marketing its other products and also giving a platform to other brands.

3. Personalization is Their Personal Favorite

Millennials love customization. They like customized products and personalized communication, which can affect their perception of a brand and their purchase decisions.

Here is an example of one of the favorite brands among millennials, Nike. They have a fantastic product customization option called NIKEiD. The option to customize products according to each customer’s preferences is another reason why they are a favorite.

Millennials want it quick, they want to be served on the go, and they want you to be omnipresent, suggesting that you must have CRMs on board if you haven’t already.

CRMs like Salesforce, Zoho, and Salesmate can help you have all the data at your fingertips, even when you are on the go. So, you can easily use the data to create personalized experiences and send customized offers that customers can receive on the go.

With the help of such tools, you can even schedule your communication at convenient times for individual customers. This is a great way to reach out to millennials who are hectic with work and social lives.

It’s important to note that millennials like customization but are also price-sensitive. Personalization is preferred but for a competitive rate. This is pretty challenging for manufacturing companies, where production based on a prototype is always less costly.

Personalized product recommendations can help you retain these millennials. Abandoned cart reminders or even a thank you email with relevant product snippets can get you some conversions.

Millennials don’t like anything irrelevant. They expect brands to do their essential homework before approaching them.

4. They Cherish the Experience

Millennials expect a seamless shopping experience, which starts with a great website and a noticeable emphasis on user experience. A complete package with a live shopping assistant or a chatbot would appeal to millennials.

They also expect to get accurate search results and relevant product recommendations if needed. Their idea of a good customer experience includes easy checkout and an easy return policy with quick delivery.

Millennials like authenticity, consistency, and continuity. So businesses should focus their efforts on consistently delivering exceptional experiences.

Millennials are also called “conscious capitalists.” They like brands that serve the interests of all stakeholders, including customers, employees, investors, communities, suppliers, and the environment. When spending money, they are conscious about where their money is going.

Unlike the previous generation, millennials like the experience of doing something good for society and the environment. According to The Millennial Impact report, they are getting more engaged than the previous year in philanthropic causes.

Companies are also trying to connect their purchases with a social cause so that they feel good about it. Big Data Analytics Hires is a recruitment company that did a great job appealing to a millennial audience.

These changes are Mandatory.

These changes are mandatory for companies because millennials are the largest age group in society and influence their parents and other previous and subsequent generations. Thus actually widening the segment.

Brands, therefore, don’t have a choice but to improve the customer experience according to the demands of millennials.

These changes are fundamental. Companies are evolving into customer-centric organizations to improve customer experience. Employees are also getting trained to serve customers efficiently and promptly.

This generation, which spends more but also more wisely, will demand and expect more. To tap into these big pockets, follow the tips mentioned above.

Do you have any questions about millennial buying habits? Feel free to ask us in the comment section below.

We thank Shane Barker, a digital marketing consultant specializing in sales funnels, targeted traffic, and website conversions, for his contribution.