Multi-Generational Consumers: How to Connect in the Contact Center
1 Jul, 2007
By: Sharon DanielsQuestion:
When I started out as a call center agent 22 years ago, customers were glad to have a real person answer their questions. Now, it seems like the younger generations are more interested in getting help through an e-mail or instant message. As a manager, how can I prepare my agents to meet the needs of these younger customers, while still providing good service to the traditional types?
-Stumped in St. Louis
Answer:
Dear Stumped,
Times certainly have changed haven’t they? Just think, 22 years ago you would have handwritten your question and sent it by mail. Today, the proliferation of technological advances like e-mail and instant messaging have changed the nature of communication and the way we conduct business. Contact center agents often have the ability to control the customer interaction by combining e-mail, phone, chats and Web page viewing in a way that addresses the needs of each individual.
The newest generation to enter the marketplace as customers, often referred to as Millennials, has a comfort level with these advances that has many business leaders scratching their heads as to how to serve this group alongside three other generations, each with its own stereotypes regarding technological savvy and customer service preferences. The oldest Millennials – born in 1977 and after – came of age during the technology boom in the 1990s. New to the workforce and to the role of independent consumer, Millennials are estimated to have an annual buying power of $172 billion. And with a population of about 100 million, this isn’t a group contact centers can ignore.
However, while segmentation certainly has its place, it’s important to remember that customers don’t come to a contact center in segments. They come one at a time, as individuals. Judging a customer based on assumptions about the age group to which he or she belongs can be a risky prospect. Inevitably, a 90-year-old grandmother will turn out to be a master of text messaging. If your agents assume the only way she’ll want to communicate is through a traditional method, they might find themselves providing less-than-stellar service.
To avoid scenarios like this, consider the following:
1) Get back to the basics. The perceived obstacle of serving four diverse generations at once is a small part of a bigger issue. Contact centers also are dealing with multicultural customers, global customers, savvier customers, more capable customers, etc. Therefore, regardless of age or background, start by identifying the branded customer experience you want them to have – what you want customers to think and feel when they do business with you – and make sure that your agents behave in a way that supports that experience.
2) Ask probing questions. Some people want answers over the phone, while others would rather receive information via Web chat, e-mail or other medium. By asking a few simple questions, your agents can uncover how customers prefer to be served. Asking, “How would you like me to provide you with the information you need?” will help clarify the customer’s preferences.
3) Offer options. In today’s business environment, contact centers generally provide more than one way to handle any situation: a phone call with an agent, e-mailed instructions, a live Web chat. The most appropriate medium depends both on the situation and on the person. A routine transaction could be completed via phone, Internet or text message, but it’s likely that a complicated billing issue is more appropriately handled on a one-to-one basis by phone. It’s important to ask questions rather than make assumptions, and to offer any appropriate options.
4) Recover well. Every call center agent will eventually misinterpret a customer’s wishes. Perhaps someone wrongly assumes a Baby Boomer wouldn’t want to try the Web chat option, or a Millennial would prefer a quick text response to a real conversation. When it does happen, remind your agents to offer a sincere apology right away, and to go back to asking questions to clarify needs. Companies often earn customer loyalty as a result of an excellent recovery.
5) Be human. Customers want their business needs met, but they have human needs the service provider also must anticipate and address. All customers want to be heard, to be empathized with and to have action taken that addresses the reason for their call. Regardless of the generation or medium, incorporating these three behaviors into every customer contact will help agents provide a consistent, positive service experience that supports the company’s brand and builds customer loyalty.
