Disconnect with Generation Y: Retail, Contact Centers and Automobile industry
To download this story in PDF, click here.
Written by Rejean Bourgault (Canada); Edited by Olivier Adam (Singapore), Co-founders of 5Deka Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Retail Market
The world is changing rapidly and so are customer demands. In today’s retail market, young consumers (Generation Y, 29 years-old and younger) are demanding new ways of interacting and communicating in everyday life. The other day, one of our 5Deka fans described to us a simple interaction he witnessed between two 15 year-old girls and a cashier sales rep in a Montreal retail store (the name of the store is not important – suffice it to say, it was a boutique chain store catering to teenage girls). As you will see, this example is an illustration of the disconnect between generations in the retail market. Some companies get it, some don’t.
The two young girls saw a nice item at the cash register counter, and the sales rep explains to the ladies that this item will be in special in a couple of weeks:
- Great, the girl responded, can you send us an email when it comes in special, and we will come back?
- Huh? No… We do not offer this type of service.
- Oh, well then, can I give you my cell phone number, and you’ll send us a text message (SMS)?
- Huh? No… We do not offer this service either.
- How come? We are members of Tristan (another chain of clothing) and we regularly receive their price specials by email. They even are on Facebook now!
- Well… Sorry, but you can call us in a few weeks and will let you know if the item is on special.
- Sorry, but why should we be calling you? This makes no sense.
In this particular example above, a retail store could use e-mail, instant messaging or text messaging to not only inform customers of the specials of the week but to also let them know about new stock arrival, new colors available for their favorite products, etc.
Question for you: What kind of communications tools do you use to interact with your customers? Have you taken the time to train your employees properly? As a matter of fact, the unnamed store chain mentioned in the story above also offers their privileged or club members a similar service of sending specials and sales to them in advance. The two girls, with good reason, were asking for personalized service, as if they were dealing with a small specialized boutique, and we believe each retail chain or store should be in position to interact via email, chat (Instant Messaging) and SMS with their client to stay competitive. By the way, offering all these types of customer interactions is not unique to the retail industry; it can be applied to other industries, such as Finance, Insurance, Government, etc…
A good example of different communication methods offered to students is the Student Price Card (www.spccard.ca) that my 14 year-old daughter showed me the other day. In the member profile section, the Web site offers students, four choices of communication interactions: E-mail, phone, text message (SMS on Cell phone) and Instant Message (like MSN messaging).
Question: Are you already offering or planning to offer all these type of communications? If not, you have to catch the wave right now as you are already late. The new cyber generation (15 years old and less) will soon expect companies to interact with them in the Virtual world.