Gen-Z grew up in a world of fast-moving technology, social media and on-demand services. Gen-Z now makes up over 40% of the global consumer base. As they become a bigger consumer group, companies need to understand and meet what they expect from customer service. In this post, we look at what Gen-Z expects, and how companies can do more than they expect.
Who is Gen-Z?
People born from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s count as Gen-Z. The exact cutoff years are still hotly debated. But Gen Z is generally seen as the group that came of age after the events of September 11th, 2001. As of 2023, Gen Zers are between 8 and 27 years old.
Gen Z expects personalization
Gen-Z values personalisation in every part of their lives, including how they deal with companies. They grew up with fast-advancing technology, where custom, personal service is the norm. So they expect the same from the companies they buy from, including in customer service.
For Gen-Z, personalised customer service is not a nice-to-have. It is a basic need. They want to feel heard and understood as a person, not treated as just another faceless customer. They expect companies to know their needs and wants well, and to tailor each contact to match. This can include personalised product suggestions, custom marketing messages and tailored customer service.
To meet this need, companies must invest in tools such as AI and machine learning that can offer personalised answers to customer problems. This includes personalised product suggestions, tailored marketing messages and custom customer service.
Quick and Efficient Service
Gen-Z grew up with technology that gives them what they want at once. This has shaped what they expect from customer service. They want companies to reply quickly to their enquiries and solve their problems without fuss. Social media has made this even more important. Customers can tell thousands of people about their experience in seconds.
Invest in tools that give quick and efficient customer service. This includes chatbots and other forms of AI that can reply at once to common enquiries.
Authenticity and Transparency
Gen-Z values authenticity and transparency when dealing with companies. They want to know that the companies they buy from are honest and ethical, with a clear mission and values. Be open about your policies and practices, and tell customers about them clearly.
Be authentic when engaging with customers. That means being honest about products and services, and not making false claims or promises. Be open about business practices: how you source materials, how you treat employees, and how you affect the environment.
Diversity and Inclusion
Generation-Z values diversity and inclusion. They expect companies to be inclusive and to embrace diversity in all its forms. So companies must be aware of the diversity of their customer base. They must also make sure customer service staff are trained to understand and respect different cultures, backgrounds and views.
Invest in diversity and inclusion training for customer service staff. This includes training on cultural sensitivity, unconscious bias, and talking clearly with customers from diverse backgrounds. Also make sure your hiring practices are inclusive, and seek out and hire people from diverse backgrounds.
The Cue Conclusion
Gen-Z expects a lot from customer service. They expect quick and efficient service, authenticity and transparency, diversity and inclusion, and personalised answers that meet their own needs.
To meet these expectations, companies must invest in tools like AI chatbots and Live Chat. They must also invest in training that supports efficient, personalised customer service. And they must be clear with customers about their policies and practices. By doing so, companies can build strong relationships with Gen-Z and earn their loyalty for years to come.
