Want to know what really drives Gen Z to buy? Or how to keep boomers happy? A new report from Genesys has uncovered the secrets to winning over customers across generations, providing invaluable insights for SMEs looking to stay ahead of the curve.
From varying attitudes toward AI adoption in the workplace to differing expectations for customer service personalization, and preferences for communication channels and brand values, the report emphasizes the complexity of orchestrating experiences that effectively meet diverse needs.
Key Australia & New Zealand Findings:
Generational Differences in Customer Service Expectations
- Gen X and Boomers: For these generations, the top priority in customer service interactions is resolving their problem or addressing their concern completely (83%).
- Millennials: This group values clear and effective communication about their issue during interactions (73%).
- Gen Z: The youngest cohort prioritizes clear and transparent policies and procedures (68%).
Businesses must ensure that customer service personnel are trained to provide clear, open communication throughout the customer journey to meet these varied expectations.
Customer Service Interaction Preferences
- Boomers: Prefer in-person interactions (82%) and phone calls (80%).
- Gen X: Equally values phone, email, and in-person interactions (65%).
- Millennials and Gen Z: Favor in-person (60%) and email (67%) interactions over phone calls.
While phone, email, and in-person interactions remain essential, other forms of communication, such as text/SMS, are also gaining traction, especially among younger generations.
Emerging Customer Service Interactions Among Younger Generations
- Gen Z and Millennials: Show a growing preference for webchat, mobile in-app/self-service chats, and SMS communications (52%, 44%, and 45% respectively).
- Boomers: Show resistance to these emerging interactions, particularly in-app chats (13%) and messaging apps (11%).
Despite the rise of new communication methods, foundational areas like phone, email, and in-person interactions remain crucial for all generations.
Price, Quality, and Brand Reputation as Key Purchase Drivers
- Price and Quality: Universally important, with boomers most likely to cite price (86%) and quality (84%) as top factors.
- Brand Reputation: Particularly important for Gen Z and millennials (67%).
- Promotions and Discounts: Significant for Gen Z, almost as important as price and quality (75%).
To attract Gen Z, brands should consider offering well-planned promotions, assuming the product remains of high quality.
Employer Reputation and Employee Preferences
- Boomers and Gen X: Rank employer reputation as the most important consideration when evaluating prospective employers (89%).
- Millennials and Gen Z: Also value reputation but place higher importance on the opportunity to work autonomously and alignment with core values (83%).
Compensation and benefits remain critical across all generations, with high importance placed on competitive packages.
Generational Views on AI in the Workplace
- Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X: View AI as an opportunity to replace some job aspects while creating new ones (23%, 20%, and 22% respectively).
- Boomers: More skeptical, with only 7% seeing AI as an opportunity and 36% believing it will have little or no impact.
Employers should consider these generational perspectives when implementing AI-driven processes and systems.
Mark Buckley, Vice President, Australia & New Zealand at Genesys, said: “Our latest research highlights the universal commonalities across generations, namely that price and quality matter significantly when it comes to customers’ purchasing decisions. It also reveals nuanced generational differences in customer experience preferences. Whether it’s addressing the desire for comprehensive problem-solving among Gen X and boomers, providing clear communication for millennials, or ensuring transparent policies for Gen Z, successful experience orchestration is key in delivering exceptional customer service across all age groups.”
In a time when remarkable experiences are expected — whether a large global enterprise or small, local business — the report underscores the transformative power of delivering on the unique expectations and perspectives of each generation to foster long-term loyalty and business growth.
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