Firm Management
What Millennials Want: How to Woo the Modern Workforce
According to the Pew Research Center, millennials became the largest generation in the labor force in 2016. For professional services firms that plan on staying in business after their senior leadership retires, attracting and connecting with ...
Jul. 10, 2019
Millennials are infamous. From avocado toast aficionados and aspiring homeowners to safe-space seekers, millennials find themselves as the butt of many baby boomer jokes. However, what many non-millennials dangerously overlook is that this eco-conscious and app-savvy demographic is already the largest working age group in the workforce.
According to the Pew Research Center, millennials became the largest generation in the labor force in 2016. For professional services firms that plan on staying in business after their senior leadership retires, attracting and connecting with millennials is the key to success. But, working with millennials requires an entirely new song and dance. Not only is this socially minded demographic different than any age group before them, but they also expect the firms and companies they invest in to follow suit. Now more than ever, businesses need to master exactly how to woo, delight, and retain the millennial workforce.
Go mobile
It might sound obvious, but millennials depend on mobile apps. This tech-savvy demographic is more comfortable adopting and building tech than any other age group. As a result, they’re looking for businesses that can keep up. Mobile apps make professional services firms more accessible and approachable by planting firms directly into the palms of their clients’ hands. With apps, clients aren’t required to make the trip to your office or make time in their schedule. They can access your services any time, anywhere. This freedom to roam and work at their leisure is the customer experience millennials expect from a modern brand. Bottom line, if you’re not on the app train, you’re on the road to antiquity.
Use the right channels
To engage millennials, you need to speak their language. These app-savvy individuals use their phones more than any other age group. Did you know 79% of millennials are on their phones at least three hours a day? And, they aren’t racking up minutes. Millennials are texting connoisseurs. These T9-fluent individuals are not only accustomed to text-based conversations … they also prefer it. Millennials want communication channels that are less crowded than email and accessible at their fingertips. Chat, in-app messaging, and text are the holy trinity of millennial communication. These text-friendly avenues provide a clear line of communication that replaces the noise of spam-filled inboxes with real-time conversations. Providing customer support solely through email or the phone is a sure-fire way to alienate millennials and send them running into the arms of a competitor – faster than a full-gluten bagel!
Ditch the paper
Millennials want everything digital. Long gone are the days of paper records, printed receipts, and deep-drawer file cabinets. The smartphone-wielding population wants information that can be saved in the cloud and accessed from anywhere in the world. Millennials want the freedom to store, share, and review documents wherever they roam, all while saving the planet from frivolous paper use. Requiring any form of paperwork negatively carbon dates you. To meet the social, environmental, and convenience expectations of the millennial, you need to lose the paper.
Don’t leave them hanging
For millennials, top-notch customer experience (CX) goes a long way. Even if this brunch-loving bunch prefers text-based communication, they don’t react kindly to bad customer service. Customer experience is a major decision point for millennials. As they interact with brands daily, from e-commerce, to transportation, to food and hospitality, millennials know exactly what great customer experience looks like and what a bad one feels like. Ensure a friction-free experience for millennials with an intuitive website, accessible support channels, and the right mobile tools.
With years of experience scouring the internet for research, answers, and the occasional first-date identity check, millennials are pretty resourceful. Before they turn to you with a question, they’re going to look online. Take your CX even further with a millennial-friendly knowledge base filled with training videos, guides, and webinars.
Get social
As consumers, millennials buy brands – not products. Take advantage of the social channels millennials are already using to share your brand story and build relationships. Millennials use social media to inspire, motivate, and interact with the community around them. To get through to the content-consuming demographic, flaunt your brand personality and contribute value to the community, no strings attached.
Not sure where to start? Promote research, skill-building workshops, and webinars to engage your audience. What can set your firm apart from competitors is how your audience feels toward you. As a group that values transparency, millennials aren’t afraid to drop a brand over bad press, a poor experience, or conflicting values. They have a good nose for fakes. By sharing your brand story, contributing value, and nurturing relationships on and offline, you’ll build long-term millennial relevance.
Laying a strong foundation with millennials today will keep you relevant for years to come. To build a grade A millennial customer experience, brands need to ensure they’re using smart tools and the right channels.
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Chris Farrell is co-founder and CEO of Liscio, Inc., a next-generation client communication and collaboration platform that provides a safer, simpler solution for businesses without the risks and distractions of email. Contact Chris at chris@liscio.me or 310-985-8888.