Are companies ready to talk to Millennials?

[nusratjahan]

Many companies, especially those with interests in digital, today have to deal with Millennials , a term used – often very loosely – to designate young people familiar with and competent in using typical Web 2.0 tools and languages.

Let's now look more specifically, through the analysis of global research, at how to design a Customer Service that meets the expectations of the new generations.

Identikit of the perfect Millennial
Millennials are the latest generation of the 20th century: born between 1980 and 2000, educated, competent, and confident in using a wide range of digital tools ; in our country, they now constitute almost 20% of the population. The data speaks clearly: Millennials are well aware of what they want and expect from a brand when it comes to customer service. But even more evident is what they absolutely don't want to happen. According to Accenture , 68% of Millennials expect companies today to have an integrated omnichannel service ; their high expectations for service and relationships know no boundaries and apply to any brand—from the smallest to the largest—and product—from the cheapest to the most expensive. Furthermore, the new generation shop s are always online, and therefore expect every company to have at least one efficient digital touchpoint , such as live chat: according to “ Microsoft's 2016 Global State of Customer Service Report ”, 60% of consumers between the ages of 18 and 34 regularly use live chat for customer service. The challenge is also serious when it comes to waiting times: the “ 2017 Millennial Mobile Consumer Report by USHUR ” found that Millennials expect companies to be able to answer their questions within an hour and – among them – 30% want an immediate response .

The new generation of business communications and services
Communication with Millennials must therefore be digital, smart, practical, and to the point: there's so much to do that there's no time to waste! This applies to both marketing and customer service: if Millennials are familiar with certain tools, it will be more effective to use familiar channels and languages, in an integrated and omnichannel manner. Make way for social networks, instant messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram, chat, and video chat, to offer a fast yet personal service, with positive impacts on customer satisfaction —thus avoiding triggering negative word-of-mouth and reviews that can have a damaging impact on brand reputation—and loyalty —in this case, the transition through customer service is particularly delicate since, as the aforementioned Microsoft report states, 68% of Millennials have abandoned a brand following a negative customer service experience—and understanding their customer base .

The advice, therefore, is to invest in a Customer Service capable of efficiently responding to the needs and desires of the new generations, as well as of current and future customers.