Not concerned with Generation Z customers? You should be. Born between 1998 and 2016 (note that sources differ somewhat on the range,) they make up 26% of the US population, says Neilsen, and now that many of them are entering adulthood, the chances of your agents encountering Gen Z customers is high.
So how should a contact centre improve itself to accommodate this 21st century generation? These strategies will help:
1. Focus on immediacy
Gen Z is famously known for its short attention span, so immediacy should be a component of your new contact centre strategy. Agents must be able to deliver fast results if they are to keep these young people engaged, focusing on efficiency and trying to avoid elongated chit-chat, transferring between departments or anything that might delay the conversation.
Immediacy also extends beyond your agents and how they handle customers. Omnichannel communication is more important than ever for tech-savvy young people. McCrindle explains that Gen Z are the most technologically saturated generation ever. To keep up, your centre must embrace social media channels, live chat and other instant avenues of communication.
Young people are not as forgiving of ignorance as older generations.
2. Invest in agent-facing information
Young people are not as forgiving of ignorance as older generations. This is from a study commissioned by eGain that found key pain points of Gen Z to be contact centre agents not knowing the answer to a question, or providing a different answer to another agent.
“The only viable solution to this challenge is smarter knowledge that can guide [agents] quickly and accurately to answers and through processes,” said eGain’s CEO, Ashu Roy.
Consider investing in workforce optimisation in the new year. By streamlining your processes with the right call centre management software, you’ll be providing your agents with the real-time information they need, quickly and efficiently.
Young people value immediacy and efficiency, and tolerate delays less than older generations.3. Build loyalty, don’t ask for it
It’s proving much harder to gain the loyalty of Generation Z than generations that came before. EY studied Gen Z and reported that they appreciate relationships built on mutual respect – where agents develop trust, rather than ask for it. Young people also want to be a part of the solution, making it important that each contact centre agent focuses on giving their customers a personalised experience over a scripted one.
If all of this sounds hard, it’s because it is. But you’re not alone. Call Design is a leading contact centre WFO consultancies, and can help shape your business for Generation Z and whatever else the future holds. To learn more, get in touch with us today.