A new study shows that in order to reach the millennial customer, companies must focus on digital, self-service solutions to customer support.
Aspect Software, a company that specializes in customer engagement, released the study on generational customer service preferences, identifying millennials as a key demographic that must be addressed.
A key discovery from the study revealed that consumers place a high value on customer service. In fact, 76 percent of all consumers see customer service as a “true test” of how much a company values them. Further findings showed that 56 percent of millennials moved their business from at least one company in the past year because of bad customer service.
Joe Gagnon, SVP and GM of Aspect’s Cloud Solutions, said, “As Millennials are more ‘experience-loyal’ than ‘brand-loyal,’ consumer engagement is quickly becoming a far more influential factor in building positive brand perception.”
The study suggested that the need for companies to consider the needs of millennials becomes more pressing, as their increasing buying power is predicted to outspend boomers by 2017. Those companies who are able to develop integrated omnichannel support and self-service will have an edge.
“When it comes to customer service, the average Millennial is going to look for both the ability to communicate the way they like, be it through text or Twitter, and maintain that level of customization made possible when speaking to an agent in real-time,” said Jason Dorsey, chief strategy officer at The Center for Generational Kinetics. “Therefore companies who don’t adapt their engagement approach are at great risk of near-term obsolescence.”
