Customer service in the age of the 'why?' generation

By: Nathalie Schooling

There was a time, not too long ago, when loyalty – whether to an employer, a brand or the provider of a product or service – was pretty much a given. Members of the so-called ‘older’ generations generally visited the same doctor, dentist and pharmacist that their parents had. Shopping preferences were largely entrenched. And employees were quite content to stay with the same employer and, in many cases in the same job, for decades. Whether this kind of ‘blind’ loyalty was a good or bad thing remains a topic for heated debate, but the undeniable truth is that the new generations don’t hold loyalty in the same high regard – as employees or as customers. And business owners and managers need to recognize this fact and tailor both the career opportunities and service delivery they offer accordingly.

Like it or not, the world finds itself firmly rooted in the age of Generation Y. The baby boomers have made way for their offspring – and this has ushered in a completely new way of looking at life, work and consumerism. From a customer service perspective, this is a significant challenge. Particularly since Gen-Yers are certainly not your only customers, but in many cases they are now your frontline staff. And these frontline staff have a very different view on what the concepts of service and communication entail. Don’t believe me? Pay close attention the next time you visit a music store, fashion outlet or gaming shop. While these are obviously not the only stores where Gen-Y sales assistants are the norm, they offer good insight into the mindset and service ‘attitude’ of the next generation workforce.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not Gen-Y bashing. On the contrary, I believe the rise of a new generation of employees and consumers presents massive opportunities for businesses that take the time to understand them and deliver what they really want. Which is, quite possibly, very different from what the previous generation of shoppers and workers wanted.

For example, as employees Gen-Yers expect far higher levels of recognition and more opportunities for advancement. And if they don’t get these, don’t expect them to hang around waiting. While their formal education levels may not generally be as high as those of previous generations and their communication abilities lack formality, they are nonetheless very intelligent, and their skills are in high demand – particularly as the world becomes increasingly technology driven. As an employer, you ignore these basic Generation Y aspects, or worse, try to change them, at your peril.

From a consumer perspective, the Gen-Yer is a very different shopping animal to what the business world is accustomed. This is the generation of instant gratification and they don’t like to be kept waiting. So, while they may not expect you call them ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’ they do expect you to recognize their value as a customer, understand their impatience (and their language), and give them what they want, when they want it.

In an age where customer service is no longer a differentiator, but a basic entry point for businesses, and creating customer experiences is key to attracting and retaining buyers or guests, organisations need to develop an understanding of the new generation of customers who are, in effect, the future of their business. Like any change, this one is not going to be easy. But given the instant and mass nature of their communication channels, and the fact that peer opinion undoubtedly drives their consumer decisions, if you choose not to try and understand and meet the unique buying and working needs of this new generation, you can expect to find it a lot more difficult to stay in business in the years to come.

And when you do, don’t bother asking ‘Y’.