Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: November’s Guest Blogger!

During the month of November, we Americans think, read, write about, and focus on the subject of gratitude. It’s the season of the harvest and an opportunity to take stock in all the things that we are thankful for in our lives.

This month, I thought it might be fun to take a look at the little things companies do for us to make our lives easier as customers. Too often we focus on all the things that go wrong with our customer experiences that we forget to note the good things. It’s the little things that keep me going back as a repeat customer and I bet it’s the little things that keep you going back too.

The purpose of today’s special blog posting is dedicated to introducing you to our guest blogger for the month of November. I know you are all going to enjoy the postings of Kathy Blumenstock. A friend for many years, Kathy is a media professional who has some very interesting experiences with customer service.  Kathy currently writes Animal Planet’s “The Mole” blog – http://blogs.discovery.com/the_mole.  A career journalist, she has been a reporter and writer for The Washington Post, Sports Illustrated, USA Today,  NBC News and Entertainment Tonight.  Kathy also contributes feature stories to Knitchmagazine.com and Knit ‘N Style magazine. I know you are going to enjoy Kathy’s stories and observations. I am thankful to her for sharing them!

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Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: The Millennial Generation – Who Are They?

We are wrapping up our series on understanding the generations and how to customize your customer service to each of the four groups who are making purchases in our society. This is the fourth and final group and let me say that it’s our pleasure to introduce you to the Millennials…also known as The Echo Boom, Generation Y, Generation Next, and the Baby Busters. Almost as large a group as the Baby Boomers, the Millennial Generation is 76 million in size. The generation includes individuals born between 1981 through 1999. This makes them anywhere from 10 to 28 years of age. Marketers see the potential in this generation and have already begun to develop focus groups that are aimed at the younger segment of this generation in the hopes of figuring out what makes them tick. They are strong influencers when it comes to purchase decisions in the family.

The Millennial Generation is the group that we researchers know the least about. It is simply too early to tell what they will accomplish but they are being touted as the “Next Great Generation” by Howe and Strauss who are famous researchers on the topic of the Millennial Generation.

This generation has been influenced by the likes of Prince William, Chelsea Clinton, Ricky Martin, The Williams Sisters, and the Teletubbies.

This is a unique group and much is expected of them since they can learn so much from all the generations that have come before them. The core values of this group include optimism, civic duty, confidence, achievement, sociability, morality, street smarts, and diversity. Quite an impressive list.

If Millennials are a part of your target market or you employ Millennials, you have an interesting challenge ahead of you. This group has much to offer and they are in a hurry to make their mark.

Knowing what core values drive the actions of your customers and the things that motivate them to buy should be an important factor in your marketing plan and customer retention strategy. Analyze your customer base and be clear with your marketing messages. The implications are far-reaching and could result in better customer retention rates for your organization.

To schedule a “Generations In the Workplace” seminar contact us at angela@marketviewpoint.com.

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Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: What Generation X Expects

Generation X is a generation that brings challenges into our organizations. Born between 1965 and 1980, this generation encompasses individuals who are between 29 and 44 years of age.They are a generation that operates by a wide set of core values. When you think of this group and how to structure your customer service efforts around them, think of the following: diversity, global thinking, balance, fun, self-reliance, pragmatism, and technoliteracy.

From a customer service perspective, you can appeal to this group in a variety of ways. Think in terms of the following to attract and retain their interest in patronizing you:

• Technical Excellence – Have all of your electronic marketing, communication, order taking, and processing systems up-to-date, functioning, and coordinated. Nothing frustrates this generation more than broken web links, outdated information, or a company’s failure to have even the simplest of electronic tools such as a website.
• Diversity – Be sure to spotlight the various populations you serve through your business. Use your marketing materials, the causes you support, and the individuals you employ to demonstrate the populations you are involved with. If you work with them, don’t forget to include the populations that sometimes get overlooked like the mentally and physically challenged.
• Informality – Go ahead and use their first names when addressing this generation. Unlike the World War II generation (Traditionalists), this group will not be offended by informal means of address. As a matter of fact, if you address them by Mr. or Mrs., they might think you are referring to their parents!
• Self-reliance – Generation X loves to be able to “do it themselves”. Purchasing on-line, using self-check out lines at the grocery store, and being able to renew their library books on-line are just a few of the conveniences businesses have put into place to demonstrate customer service to this generation.

Knowing what core values drive the actions of your customers and the things that motivate them to buy should be an important factor in your marketing plan and customer retention strategy. Analyze your customer base and be clear with your marketing messages. The implications are far-reaching and could result in better customer retention rates for your organization.

To schedule a “Generations In the Workplace” seminar contact us at angela@marketviewpoint.com.

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• Market Viewpoint …helping you see your business through your customers’ eyes.
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Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Generation X- Who Are They?

The microwave! What a fabulous invention! It’s also one of the many inventions that has helped to shape Generation X also known as “the Young and the Restless Generation” – the next generation to come under the Market Viewpoint customer retention microscope.

Gen X is made up of 46 million people – a relatively small group when you compare them to the 80 million consumers who make up the Baby Boom generation. Gen X is responsible for $125 billion annually in buying power and the word that best describes this consumer group is – skeptical. Born between 1965 and 1980, they grew up seeing everything being called into question including personal relationships (the divorce rate in the US tripled from 1960 to 1980)  and professional relationships. They had complex childhoods due to the fast-paced rise of technology. Consider inventions such as cable TV, Digital TV, VCRs, video games, fax machines, pagers, cell phones, and the PC – all became an integral part of the way we live during the formative years of Gen X. They grew up during a time when change was constant and frequent.

If you market to Generation X, know that you are dealing with a generation that is resourceful and independent. I like to think of them as the “Lone Ranger” consumer group. They are savvy at figuring things out and their independent manner of thinking makes them easy targets for the lure of the competition.

Knowing what excites your customers and motivates them to buy should be an important factor in your marketing plan and customer retention strategy. Analyze your customer base and be clear with your marketing messages. The implications are far-reaching and could result in better customer retention rates for your organization.

To schedule a “Generations In the Workplace” seminar contact us at angela@marketviewpoint.com.

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• Market Viewpoint …helping you see your business through your customers’ eyes.
• Follow Angela Megasko, president of Market Viewpoint on Twitter today! www.twitter.com/AngelaMegasko

Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Customer Service and the Baby Boom Generation

In our last post, we introduced the Baby Boom generation. This large group of consumers (80 million) is a crucial target market for most companies doing business today. Creating the ultimate customer experience for this optimistic yet competitive group can be challenging but worth the effort to win their loyalty.

Take into consideration that this generation is very concerned about “rights” including those of the consumer. When designing your return policy or establishing your customer service department be sure to include ways to communicate to your customers that everyone’s rights and best interests are being taken into consideration in the problem resolution process. This generation wrote the book on protesting. The Vietnam War was an important event that shaped their values and ideals. Be ready to listen to this group because they are going to demand it.

Boomers also like to question the status quo. They are an important part of helping to improve the processes in our organizations because they challenge us to look at why we do things the way we do then seek out ways to improve. They were influenced by leaders like Robert F. Kennedy, who said, “There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why… I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?”

Respect, honor, fairness, value, and meaning should be infused into your customer retention efforts for this generation. This generation had something to say and they are counting on you to listen.

Knowing what excites your customers and motivates them to buy should be an important factor in your marketing plan and customer retention strategy. Analyze your customer base and be clear with your marketing messages. The implications are far-reaching and could result in better customer retention rates for your organization.

To schedule a “Generations In the Workplace” seminar contact us at angela@marketviewpoint.com.

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• Market Viewpoint …helping you see your business through your customers’ eyes.
• Follow Angela Megasko, president of Market Viewpoint on Twitter today! www.twitter.com/AngelaMegasko

Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: The Baby Boomers – Who Are They?

To help our readers fine tune their customer retention strategies, we are dedicating this month’s posts to gaining a better understanding of the four generations that make up today’s marketplace. This week, we take a look at the Baby Boom generation, also known as the “Me Generation”. This is a consumer group born between 1946 and 1964. They are anywhere from 45 to 63 years of age and are a generation that is all about “rights” – mine, yours, women’s rights, civil rights, reproductive rights, and the rights of Mother Earth. It’s no wonder that Baby Boomer Al Gore is as concerned about our planet as he is. The single biggest influence on this group was the television, but bell bottoms, mood rings, Apollo rockets, and the peace sign also rocked this generation.

Key words used to describe this generation are competitive and optimistic. They are an optimistic generation because they know that achieving the seemingly impossible can happen. This generation accepted and achieved the challenge to put a man on the moon. They are a competitive generation because there are so darn many of them – 80 million who wield $1.6 trillion dollars of buying power.

Knowing what excites your customers and motivates them to buy should be an important factor in your marketing plan and customer retention strategy. Analyze your customer base and be clear with your marketing messages. The implications are far-reaching and could result in better customer retention rates for your organization.

To schedule a “Generations In the Workplace” seminar contact us at angela@marketviewpoint.com.

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• Market Viewpoint …helping you see your business through your customers’ eyes.
• Follow Angela Megasko, president of Market Viewpoint on Twitter today! www.twitter.com/AngelaMegasko

Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Customer Service and the World War II Generation

Creating an impressive customer experience for your customers is dependent on really knowing your customers. You’ve got to know what makes them tick in order to really begin to develop a close, long-lasting relationship with them.

The World War II generation, or Traditionalists as they are sometimes called, is a consumer market that encompasses people between the ages of 64 and 109. They are still consuming and working and are a target market for many companies who see the potential of tapping into this loyal and industrious consumer group. It’s important to keep in mind that this is a proud group of consumers who helped to position America as a nation of wealth, prosperity, pride and dreams.

When developing your customer retention plans and strategies remember to correspond frequently with this group by phone or in person. Electronic forums may not be a place where they are most comfortable. Use respect in all forms of address. Many in this generation served in the military and prefer that you gain their permission before addressing them by their first names. Another customer service tip is to make sure that you properly thank the members of this generation if they have purchased something from you. A handwritten thank you note will go a long way to gain their patronage.

Knowing what excites your customers and motivates them to buy should be an important factor in your marketing plan and customer retention strategy. Analyze your customer base and be clear with your marketing messages. The implications are far-reaching and could result in better customer retention rates for your organization.

To schedule a “Generations In the Workplace” seminar contact us at angela@marketviewpoint.com.

• Like what you read? Digg, Stumble or Tweet this post!
• Market Viewpoint …helping you see your business through your customers’ eyes.
• Follow Angela Megasko, president of Market Viewpoint on Twitter today! www.twitter.com/AngelaMegasko

Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: The World War II Generation – Who Are They?

I know what you’re thinking. What does being familiar with the World War II generation have to do with creating the ultimate customer experience? It has EVERYTHING to do with it! The number one rule of customer service is to know your customers. By doing so, you can deliver the products and services they want and expect in a manner that is acceptable to them. With this being said, let me take a moment to introduce you to the World War II generation. Some of you may be selling to this generation or managing them since many in this generation are still a part of the workforce.

Members of the World War II generation, or Traditionalists as they are sometimes called, were born between 1900 and 1945. This makes them anywhere from 64 to 109 years of age – and yes, there are some 109 year old citizens out there. All you have to do is watch the Today Show once in a while to hear TV personality Willard Scott wish them a Happy Birthday! If you are selling to or working with anyone from this generation, you will find that they are an industrious, hard-working, and proud generation. They can also be characterized by their loyalty to a variety of things including brands, spouses, and their country. If you capture them through your marketing efforts, you probably have a customer for life.

Knowing what excites your customers and motivates them to buy should be an important factor in your marketing plan and customer retention strategy. Analyze your customer base and be clear with your marketing messages. The implications are far-reaching and could result in better customer retention rates for your organization.

To schedule a “Generations In the Workplace” seminar contact us at angela@marketviewpoint.com.

• Like what you read? Digg, Stumble or Tweet this post!
• Market Viewpoint …helping you see your business through your customers’ eyes.
• Follow Angela Megasko, president of Market Viewpoint on Twitter today! www.twitter.com/AngelaMegasko