A new research report from global cloud leader in AI-powered experience orchestration, Genesys, has revealed the intricate dynamics of four distinct generations — Generation Z, Millennials, Generation X and Boomers — to help businesses understand the evolving preferences and needs of today’s consumers and workforce.
From varying attitudes toward AI adoption in the workplace, to differing expectations for customer service personalisation, to preferences for communication channels and brand values, the report’s findings emphasise the complexity for organisations to orchestrate experiences that meet diverse sets of needs effectively.
Gen X and Boomers ranked ‘solves my problem or addresses my concern completely’ as the most important consideration when interacting with customer service (83%). In comparison, Millennials care most about ‘clear and effective communication about their issue or concern during interactions’ (73 %) and Gen Z want ‘clear and transparent policies and procedures’ (68%).
Clarity and completeness matter across generations. Businesses should ensure that customer service personnel understand how to orchestrate exceptional service, with clear and open communication.
Based on preference for the type of customer service interactions, Boomers care most about in-person (82%) followed closely by phone (80%). Gen X ranked phone, email and in-person as equally important (65%). Interestingly, phone shifts down in the rankings for Millennials and Gen Z, who opted for in-person (60%) and email (67%) as their most preferred interaction styles.
Text/SMS was fairly consistent across generations, ranking between 36% at the lowest (Boomers) and 51% at the highest (Gen Z).
This shows phone, email and in-person interactions remain foundational areas businesses need to get right when handling customer service interactions, regardless of generation. However, emerging types of communication may be more impactful for certain demographics.
Price and quality ranked as the most important factors for every generation when they were considering purchasing a good or service. Boomers were the most likely to cite price (86%) followed by millennials (85%), Gen X (81%) and Gen Z (78%). Boomers were also most likely to cite quality as a top factor (84%) followed by Gen X (83%), Millennials (80%) and Gen Z (78%).
Brand reputation was an important factor for all generations, particularly Gen Z and Millennials (67%). Interestingly, promotions and discounts were almost as important as price and quality for Gen Z (a close 75%), indicating that brands can look to reach this audience through well-planned offers.
Genesys Australia and New Zealand vice president, Mark Buckley 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.”