Commentary

Millennials Want It Now, And They Want It Right

New data from Aspect Software finds that texting presents a new opportunity for brands to engage with this target demographic. Millennials (GenY: individuals aged 18-34) are hyper-connected to their mobile device, and booking a doctor’s appointment or a car rental via text is not just a quick and easy convenience, it’s expected. Many companies have much to lose if they do not address the evolving needs of millennials, opines the report:

  • 76% of Americans view customer service as a “true test” of how much a company values them
  • 55% of people have stopped shopping or using the services of at least one company because of poor customer service in the past year

According to The Aspect Consumer Experience Index: Millennial Research on Customer Service Expectations, with Jason Dorsey, more than half of Millennials say that their customer service expectations have increased over the last three years. 65% of all consumers and 69% of Millennials say that they feel good about themselves and the company they are doing business with when they resolve a problem without talking to customer service.

The new study examines the generational and technological divergence between consumer groups and their perceptions and preferences towards customer service. The key takeaway, says the report, is that  companies need to quickly address the customer engagement preferences of the Millennial demographic or risk going out of business.

Key findings from the study include:

  • Customer experience is increasingly defined by customer service: 76% of all generations view customer service as a “true test” of how much a company values them
  • Nearly a third of consumers would rather “clean a toilet” than talk to customer service.
  • 56% of Millennials moved their business from at least one company in the past year due to poor customer service.
  • 73% of consumers said that they should have the ability to solve most product and service issues on their own.
  • The big opportunity: Help consumers help themselves and let them do it with text and other digital channels.

The average consumer interacts with customer service 65 times a year, yet they are increasingly underwhelmed with an experience that does not reflect consumers’ digital and mobile preference nor their desire to resolve issues on their own, says the report. As Millennials are more ‘experience-loyal’ than ‘brand-loyal,’ consumer engagement is quickly becoming a far more influential factor in building positive brand perception.

 While companies need effective strategies for all generations, says the report, they can’t afford to ignore the increasing buying power of Millennials, who are poised to outspend boomers by 2017. Millennials are not afraid to take their business elsewhere if left unsatisfied. The study suggests that companies willing to embrace integrated omni-channel support and self-service will have a competitive advantage over firms that choose to rely on traditional support channels and technologies.

 Jason Dorsey, Chief Strategy Officer at The Center for Generational Kinetics, concludes that  “… millennials are self-reliant and technology dependent… not necessarily tech savvy… (but) they expect instant gratification, speed and ease of use… the average Millennial… looks for both the ability to communicate the way they like… and maintain that level of customization… when speaking to an agent in real-time… “

To download the infographic and checkout the take-action strategies, please visit here:  http://www.aspect.com/millennials

 

5 comments about "Millennials Want It Now, And They Want It Right".
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  1. Tim Dreyer from Aspect, April 27, 2015 at 5:18 p.m.

    Thanks for covering the research Jack. Loved the piece. Note the link has a period in the URL and should just be aspect.com/millennials

    Thanks again,

    Tim

  2. garrett perez from ASU, April 28, 2015 at 2:56 a.m.

    Good article covering an important point. Marketers tend to stress what the company can do for the customer, yet when the customer service is not up to par the money spent on marketing is almost a waste. One can only promise so much without the backing. Having good customer service is almost like paying for a whole marketing campaign. Personally when I recieve great customer care I am almost more than likely to speak about the service with others. I know this is a common trend as well, having heard of similar great customer care from friends and family. So the importance is clear. The technological implimentation is a tricky task because there are so many ways it can go wrong. However, if done right it is a boon to the company as a whole. It will cause the company to be seen as forward thinking, and caring enough about its customers to invest into the technology. Having that backing allows marketing to boast so much more about the company, and for good reason.

  3. Jack Loechner from Mediapost Communications, April 28, 2015 at 4:33 p.m.

    thnaks, Garrett... jack

  4. Melanie Kaupke from ASU, April 29, 2015 at 12:51 a.m.

    I think this is a great article, and really addresses the current wants of millenials. I am a few years past that "millenial" generation but I definitely fit into some of those categories. The ease of use of any website through my iphone greatly increases my liking of that brand, and with customer service, the less time spent the better! Too many times have I been stuck waiting for 20-40 minutes, to have someone that I cant understand try to help. I want to know that I am important, and in certain cases, that my paid membership or subscription is important to the company, and that they want my business. Too often however I am left feeling the opposite. The ease of being able to help mobily or online is a fact of the current world, and the brands that really want the attention and loyalty of millenials need to accept that and make their changes accordingly. 

  5. Jack Loechner from Mediapost Communications, April 29, 2015 at 2:05 a.m.

    thanks, Melanie... jack

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