It is important to understand the product needs of your customer. It is equally important to learn about their spending behaviors and expectations from the customer services.
There exists no business today which can get a referral and customers’ trust without providing them a good experience at the hands of the customer service agent. An era has begun where the customer care center is as important as the good/service itself, sometimes even more. Every business now requires new stratagem from its customer service center to pave the path to success.
The key to better customer support is to identify the customer type and customer need as early as possible. Therefore, a customer service agent must undergo rigorous training to assess and satisfy customer needs and requirements without fatiguing the customer.
In today’s market, generation Z (people born from 1995 to 2012) is the most powerful consumer group. They have not known a world without the internet, they have experienced 2008’s recession, and they are used to receiving information quickly. There are many terms used to describe Generation Z as consumers, such as
- Independent
- Focused and determined
- Competitive
- Prefer self-service, personalization and accessibility
- Fiscally prudent
Generation Z will represent 40 percent of American consumers by 2020, while their purchasing power is predicted to reach USD600 billion. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that your company’s support staff is trained and skilled to handle this influential set.
By keeping in mind the common characteristics in Generation Z consumers, your customer care center can serve them better. Setting up some rules to be followed by every customer service center representative can also be very helpful, such as:
1. Be honest, transparent, and loyal to your consumer
Generation Z does not prefer hierarchy and power structures. They are concerned with results and need solutions from you quickly when they cannot find them for themselves. Also, Generation Z is aware of marketing. They have shifted the focus from consumer to producer for brand loyalty. It is the consumer who has to be treated as gold to make repeated sales and give positive reviews on social media.
To serve Generation Z, the customer service agent has to be proficient in delivering the relevant information without taking much time. Additionally, the customer service agent should follow-up till the customer is fully satisfied and his/her requirement has been met.
2. Offer immediate and perfect solutions
Most people from the iGeneration look for self-help options and FAQs. They contact a customer service representative as a last resort, when they have reached a dead end. They expect personalized customer care and immediate solutions. They do not care about the company’s operations and procedures; they are only concerned with the solutions the customer service center can provide them.
You must serve them correctly and timely, otherwise they will move on to someone else!
3. Be available—24/7 and through all channels
This generation has not known the world before technology took over. They are always with their mobile phones and look towards tech-savvy options.
Customer care center leaders or managers need to focus and deliver through different means of communication. Thus, it has become crucial to adopt omnichannel support to deliver uninterrupted services at your customer care center.
4. Bad experiences will last forever!
This rule is the most important to remember. Studies have shown that more than 40% consumers do not forget bad experiences even after two or more years. And negative experiences are more likely to be shared on social media platforms. This implies a very long-lasting negative impact on a brand’s image.
From the receptionist service to the customer care center, every employee involved in customer interactions should be trained to build and uphold a positive image of the company.
Generation Z expects every customer service agent to treat them as their priority and offer quick results. This includes engaging them through channels they feel comfortable with, in languages they prefer and with the information that serves their purposes. They are well-versed in navigating and filtering through options. They are intelligent and make product comparisons often before finalizing purchase(s). They are also well-informed so they choose a more convenient yet economically safe product/service. Once they have selected your brand, they expect the customer service to be extraordinary and well-integrated to give a positive review and to keep them coming back.
To stay ahead of the curve and earn the loyalty of this crucial segment of your target market, invest in improving your customer service center right away!