A recent survey by Mattersight of over 1,000 millennials found that more than 85 percent have felt let down by a company’s service and support in the last year. Almost 50 percent of those surveyed experienced a disappointing interaction within the past 30 days. As millennials approach their highest spending years, companies should move past generational stereotypes and understand how millennials like to communicate with brands.
Many people believe that the millennial generation has become antisocial due to their dependence on smartphones and the Internet. The stereotype suggests that because those aged 18 to 35 text, tweet, and post frequently, they must prefer these digital forms of communication over face-to-face interaction. In reaction to this belief, many brands have invested in creating social customer service platforms to handle complaints, questions, or requests through Facebook comments or tweets.
As forward thinking as this effort may seem, the new research shows that it may be misguided. Only one percent of survey respondents said that they would prefer to reach out to a brand on social media for customer service. Although many millennials use social media for personal use, research has shown that digital communication methods often encourage stunted linguistic styles and poor grammar, which leaves messages open for misinterpretation and makes social media a less than ideal space to solve an important, urgent problem.
Contrast social media with the stalwart component of customer communication: the call center. The voice of a brand, call centers often provide the only human interaction that consumers will have with a company.
The research shows that the number one preferred way for millennials to contact customer service is via phone, but they have high expectations for the quality and results from a phone call. So how can companies maximize the call center experience, thereby gaining positive sentiment from customers during this crucial interaction? Companies need to focus on the basics and arm their employees to provide fast and friendly service directly to their customers. When millennials were asked to reflect on a recent positive customer service experience and identify why it exceeded their expectations, the top responses in order of popularity were:
- They quickly understood my problem
- I received a personalized experience
- They provided overall fast service
- I felt valued
- They showed compassion
Companies that can quickly solve their clients’ issues – and provide a personalized experience – will have a leg-up in earning millennial loyalty as the generation reaches its peak purchasing power. And now is the time to do so – despite another common misconception that millennials aren’t brand loyal, studies have found that the majority of millennials with sticks with the brands they’re currently purchasing from.
Hopefully for millennials, the days of being painted as a group that is hiding behind its computer screens are over, and brands will provide their millennial customers with the opportunity to be seen, heard, and most importantly, to be understood and respected.