For a few years now, the millennial generation has been a prime target for brands looking to reshape their customer experiences. The reason? These young consumers have serious buying power: According to Cone Communications, millennials represent $2.45 trillion in global spending. But if your brand thinks they will open their wallets for any great deal, think again. Millennials want products that support a better world, technology that actually saves them time, and customer service to rave about to their friends. So before you start engaging them on social media, make sure you’re giving these savvy customers good reason to be your friend. Here are five things your millennial customers want from your brand.
Before doing business with your brand, millennials want to know how others feel about you. While blogs and reviews on social media are sure to influence their decisions, their friends’ opinions matter most. Kissmetrics states that 89% of millennials trust recommendations from friends and family more than a brand’s claims. Rather than telling millennials how great you are, just show them. Great products and service win the hearts of these young consumers, and they are more than happy to tell their friends about it.
Once millennials start praising your brand, it’s hard to stop them. As they post fun videos on Facebook or tweet their delight, friends are sure to take notice of your brand. However, as much as these customers appreciate how amazing you are, they want to feel that love in return. Millennials value your gratitude—and there’s no better way to show it by offering them something special for their loyalty.According to Aimia, 44% of millennials are willing to promote products or services through social media in exchange for rewards. So when you thank them for their glowing reviews, be sure to offer a little discount or free gift (or why not a VIP pass?) as an extra token of appreciation.
Yes, all customers want fast responses from brands. But millennials are in a real hurry—any delay beyond ten minutes is considered an eternity. Desk.com states that nearly 25% of millennials expect a response within ten minutes of contacting customer service via social media, while 30% expect the same delay via SMS. While social media and messaging are fast-moving channels, speed is the general rule with this generation. If you can’t answer them right now, they’ll take their money—and their loyalty—elsewhere.
Mobile phones are a must-have for many people these days. For millennials, any other kind of phone belongs to prehistoric times. More than 85% of this generation owns a smartphone, according to Nielsen. In addition, Euclid states that 41% of millennial shoppers search for or purchase products online 70% of the time or more. Their preference for shopping on the go means that your brand needs to have a mobile-friendly reputation. If webpages don’t load properly and messaging apps are not an option for customer service, these tech-savvy consumers will give up on your brand.
Millennials want to feel good about what they buy. Interestingly, this doesn’t just apply to the quality of their purchase. This generation wants their money to support companies who care about giving back to the community. According to Euclid, 52% of millennials feel it’s important that their values align with the brands they like. What does this mean for your brand? If you support a charitable or environmental cause, you are likely to attract millennial customers who also support these causes. Showing a commitment to ethical practices and philanthropy is key to turning these customers into brand advocates. Millennial customers are, in some ways, no different from those of any other generation. They want respect, value timely service, and feel excited about your brand when they have a great experience. What makes them stand out is how they demand the best from brands at all times and will happily turn to a competitor if their needs are not met. By setting the bar high, millennials challenge companies to deliver their very best. And if your brand is able to meet that challenge, the result will mean satisfaction for all your customers, regardless of age.
