I’ve been invited to speak at the Online Customer Experience 2010 conference in London on the 12 July where I will be doing my Mind The Gap presentation on the different generations. Leading up to this event I’m going to be sharing some of my thoughts and ideas on how to strengthen the online connection you have with each generation.
You can see my other posts on Generation X and Baby Boomers
Here are my headline top tips for delivering online customer experience for Generation Y:
Who are Generation Y?
This generation were born at the turn of the century and have also been called the Millennial generation. Our research shows that in Europe and the UK Generation Y starts in and around 1990 and ends in 2007.
Why is Generation Y important?
They are the largest Generation since the Baby Boomers and because they are extremely confident, they have a big influence on household purchases. As they enter work their disposable income is increasing and are active online consumers
Online customer experience Top Tips:
1. Endorsements will work They look for heroes. This generation grew up watching Pokemond, Miley Cyrus, Big Brother and X-Factor. Ideally your celeb should be squeaky clean.
2. Helicopter parents have made them soft Gen Y have always had their parents hovering around nearby. Our research has even uncovered situations where they have taken their parents to job interviews! They are over-protected and when they get stuck they expect to be guided and helped along the journey seamlessly.
3. But don’t treat them like kids They are a hugely confident generation. They’ve grown up wired to the internet making them street smart.
4. Go ahead punk, make my day! They know their rights and will eat you up for breakfast if you try and take them for a ride. They fully understand the power that the internet has given them as consumers and they will not hesitate to hit the send button and take your brand down.
5. They are plugged in everywhere all the time: They want messages in sound bites on modern media and expect a “drill down approach” to information – limited info at first, with options to get much more than you think is necessary
6. They are time poor Time is their most precious commodity, not money. They are prepared to pay for convenience and time saving
7. Be stupid clever You can’t impress them so don’t even try. They like the original especially if it is an existing concept that has been cleverly tweaked and twisted
8. Push the boundaries: See if you can shock them, they will never admit that you have but they will get a kick out of seeing the shock on the faces of the other generations