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4 WAYS TO TAILOR THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE FOR GEN Z

8 minute read
By Scott Clark

May 11, 2023

Customer Experience

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Gen Zers are the most digitally savvy and socially conscious consumers, with
high expectations and a low tolerance for poor customer experiences.


THE GIST

 * Diverse demographics. Gen Z is the most ethnically diverse and digitally
   native generation.
 * Visual engagement. Gen Zers strongly respond to visual content, particularly
   videos.
   
 * Authentic experiences. Gen Z values truth, transparency and social
   consciousness.

Generation Z, the group of people born between 1997 and 2012, is the largest and
most diverse generation in history. They are also the most digitally savvy and
socially conscious consumers, with high expectations and a low tolerance for
poor customer experiences. To succeed in a competitive and fast-changing market,
brands need to understand how to tailor their customer experience strategies for
this influential and demanding group. This article will explore the ways that
businesses are crafting the customer experience to appeal to Gen Z.


HOW ARE GEN ZERS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER GENERATIONS?

Among all of the generations that exist today, Generation Z is unique in many
ways. According to a 2023 Statista report, Gen Z is more racially and ethnically
diverse than other generations, with over 50% identifying as being of two or
more races. They are also considered to be more accepting of different types of
people and their beliefs and are more likely to identify as either transgender
or nonbinary. Gen Zers are considered to be highly innovative and adaptable and
are unafraid to challenge the status quo.

Gen Zers have a collaborative nature and tend to have a pragmatic attitude when
it comes to issues such as global warming. They are also more open to new ideas
and approaches than other generations. Gen Z is considered to be the first
digitally native generation, as its members have had access to the internet,
cell phones, game consoles and other technology for their entire lives. As such,
it shouldn’t be a surprise that Twilio’s recent State of Personalization report
revealed that 34% of Gen Zers already expect AI to be used in their experiences
with brands.

More importantly to marketers and advertisers, Gen Z has been constantly exposed
to brands due to technology and the internet, as opposed to previous generations
who typically encountered brands through TV, newspapers or magazines.



Liron Reznik, executive strategy director at frog, part of Capgemini Invent, a
digital innovation, consulting and transformation brand, told CMSWire that the
first thing to understand when it comes to relationship-building with Gen Z is
that they already wield $360 billion in disposable income in the US and $4.4
trillion worldwide. "The oldest Gen Zers are turning 24 this year. As this
generation ages and moves into careers, their spending power will only grow —
and their brand loyalties are being formed now," said Reznik.

Reznik said that because Gen Z is so different from preceding generations — in
terms of diversity, insistence on authenticity and fluency in digital
experiences — connecting with them offers businesses the opportunity to
modernize their brand stories and experiences, or build them from the ground up
to speak to Gen Z.

Related Article: Do Your Brand's Values Align With Those of Gen Z?


1. MAKE IT VISUALLY APPEALING

Gen Z is especially responsive to visual content, particularly video. According
to a Global 2020 Cloudinary UGC Study, 70% of Gen Z find images and videos to be
very useful when making purchasing decisions. A December 2022 report by
InsiderIntelligence indicated that Gen Zers in the United States spend over 13
hours a week watching TikTok videos and other user-generated content and 16.5
hours a week watching TV. 

A 2022 Los Angeles Times article revealed that Gen Z's viewing habits change
according to the time of day. An average Gen Zer begins their day by scrolling
through TikTok and Instagram Reels. Around noon, they transition to YouTube, and
once the night rolls in, they switch to Netflix, Prime or Hulu.

Given Gen Z’s media preferences, video is an effective way to quickly and
creatively communicate, as well as to showcase a brand’s personality and values.
Video can be effectively used to tell stories, demonstrate products, share
testimonials and engage with a brand’s audience on their preferred social media
platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.



Related Article: Why Ecommerce Needs to Evolve for Gen Z


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and Trust
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navigate call reputation.


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2. MAKE IT OMNICHANNEL

Gen Z expects a consistent and seamless experience across all of a brand’s
channels, both online and offline. They want to be able to access information,
browse products, make purchases and get support whenever and wherever they wish.
Brands should provide multiple options for interaction, such as websites, apps,
chatbots, voice assistants, social media, email, SMS, phone calls and physical
stores. All of these channels should be consistent, integrated and synchronized
so that customers are able to switch between them without any hassle or
friction.

Additionally, by providing Gen Zers with multiple channels with which to
communicate and interact with a brand, they will have more opportunities to be
their unique selves. Reznik suggested that brands give Gen Z the tools for
multifaceted self-presentation — Gen Z consumers want to project different
facets of themselves, and the traditional boundaries defining identities in past
generations are blurrier now. 

“Consider that 41% of Gen Z say they identify as neutral on the spectrum of
masculinity and femininity, and one in three say their most authentic self is
their online identity,” said Reznik. “Those numbers help illustrate why this
generation doesn’t consistently follow a single traditional young-adult
aesthetic. Brands that help them express different facets of their identities
are likely to earn their loyalty.” Reznik said that this is an area where legacy
brands can experiment.


3. MAKE IT AUTHENTIC

Gen-Z seeks truth and transparency from brands. They care about social and
environmental issues and want to support brands that share their values and make
a positive impact. Gen Zers are unlikely to do business with a brand that does
not live the values and ethics that it espouses. They are also very likely to
research a company to see if it has been walking the walk, and not just talking
the talk. Brands should be prepared to regularly show them how they are
contributing to the causes they care about, such as sustainability, diversity,
inclusion, human rights and animal welfare. 

When brands use social media to reach Gen Z, they should engage them in
meaningful conversations and solicit their feedback and opinions, be honest and
humble about their strengths and weaknesses, and admit their mistakes and
failures. Additionally, brands should avoid using exaggerated or misleading
claims or promises that they cannot deliver. It’s always better to underpromise
and overdeliver than to overpromise and fail to live up to expectations.



Will Yang, head of growth and customer success at Instrumentl, an all-in-one
grants platform, told CMSWire that Gen Z is a generation that values
authenticity and transparency, so it’s important to emphasize these qualities as
part of your customer experience. "Be honest about what you are offering and
don’t make false promises — this will help build trust with them."


4. MAKE IT FRICTIONLESS, CONVENIENT AND SMOOTH

Although it has been said that Gen Z has a short attention span of around 8
seconds, according to a 2022 McKinsey report, this is a myth that is regularly
being disproven. Gen Zers do prefer shorter content, which is less about short
attention spans and more about being particular about where they spend their
time. 

Gen Zers want quick-and-easy solutions to their problems and needs. Brands
should provide them with fast and reliable customer service, preferably through
texting or chatbots, which are their preferred communication methods. Brands
should leverage generative AI and automation to streamline their processes and
optimize their response time. Self-service options and FAQs should be available
to enable them to locate answers and solve problems themselves, allowing them to
control their own narrative. Additionally, brands should anticipate their needs
and preferences, and provide personalized recommendations and offers.

Kashif Naqshbandi, CMO at Tenth Revolution Group, a cloud talent solutions
provider, told CMSWire that as the first generation to have grown up entirely in
the digital age, Gen Z would be more likely to have higher expectations when it
comes to a frictionless customer experience. "Where older age groups might be
more patient when it comes to any CX difficulties, Gen Z could be less tolerant
of clunky transitions or irrelevant pathways, for example,” said Naqshbandi. 

Gen Z is the most likely generation to be able to handle any technical
difficulties that might occur on a website or mobile app. “Gen Z might actually
be the best positioned to be able to navigate those difficulties as they arise,”
said Naqshbandi. That said, they are also apt to be the first to leave when such
pain points present themselves


FINAL THOUGHTS ON GEN Z AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Brands that wish to tailor the customer experience for Gen Z customers must
prioritize authenticity, seamless omnichannel experiences, visually engaging
content and frictionless interactions. By understanding and catering to the
unique characteristics of this diverse and digitally native generation, brands
can build meaningful relationships and brand loyalty with what is arguably the
largest and most influential consumer group today.




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Scott Clark is a seasoned journalist based in Columbus, Ohio, who has made a
name for himself covering the ever-evolving landscape of customer experience,
marketing and technology. He has over 20 years of experience covering
Information Technology and 27 years as a web developer. His coverage ranges
across customer experience, AI, social media marketing, voice of customer,
diversity & inclusion and more. Scott is a strong advocate for customer
experience and corporate responsibility, bringing together statistics, facts,
and insights from leading thought leaders to provide informative and
thought-provoking articles. Connect with Scott Clark:

Main image: Cavan on Adobe Stock Photo


TAGS

customer loyalty and retentiondigital experiencecustomer experiencegeneration
zcxmdigital marketinggen z
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For nearly two decades CMSWire, produced by Simpler Media Group, has been the
world's leading community of customer experience professionals.

Today the CMSWire community consists of over 5 million influential customer
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Our sister community, Reworked gathers the world's leading employee experience
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