Customer service has changed immensely in the past five years, due in part to millennials’ rise into adulthood and their spending influence on Canadian corporations. Due to the variety of options available in every industry, customers aged 18-34 expect a lot more from companies in terms of service, responsiveness, and overall brand value.
Millennials have made it clear that company transparency is important. A strong, empowered customer service team is no longer an afterthought or ‘nice to have’, but instead a deciding factor in whether many decide to purchase a product or not.
Yet rising expectations aren’t for a sharp voice-automated telephone calling system with a crack-squad team ready to listen after the caller is pre-qualified; the demand is instead for a seamless online experience at any stage in the buying or using process.
A recent survey conducted by Desk.com found that millennials try to avoid calling customer service as much as possible. 34% would rather have their teeth cleaned, 32% would rather go shopping on Christmas Eve and 25% would rather go to the DMV.
The way in which millennials have influenced customer service can be seen in the many full-fledged digital channels that have developed in recent years. Social Media, online help desks, and E-Mail are just a few of the ways customer service has expanded.
With constant connectivity highlighting a millennial’s average day, the need for change in customer service standards has become a top priority among industry leaders and followers, in order to serve customers when they want, where they want, and how they want. The instant response and solution delivered by online communication have left dial-in support as an afterthought for most, demoted to a necessity for those with too technical an issue to resolve via message.
An interesting stat: Social Media has become the preferred form of communication among millennials, with 4 of 5 millennials claiming they use Social Media for customer service needs before considering any other channel.
This shift reflects the rising demand for ‘social fast’ – social customer service which provides the public with an opportunity to engage a brand and benefit from past or ongoing discussions.
One of the most important factors in a customer service team for millennials is saving time. According to a recent Salesforce study, 71% of online shoppers claim that the most important thing a brand can do is value a customer’s time, with 52% of respondents indicating they would abandon an online purchase if they cannot find an answer quickly enough.
Millennials expect answers fast, which is why they love Social Media. Nearly 25% of millennials expect to get an answer within 10 minutes of reaching out for customer service through a company’s Social Media platform.
At GoneVoIP, we’ve made it a priority to adapt to changing customer service needs in order to serve all customers as they prefer. We have a 100% Canadian support center that offers bilingual service seven days a week. We’ve also expanded our support services to include online signup, E-Mail Support, and Social Media support. Our Facebook page has earned a perfect response rate, with an average response time between 3 and 41 minutes – a distinction we are very proud of. Yak promises fast, resolution-focused support via whichever form of communication our customers choose. The best experience is our promise to all Canadians. Contact us and find out how GoneVoIP can make connecting easier for your household.