Crafting the Customer Experience For People Not Like You: How to Delight and Engage the Customers Your Competitors Don't Understand

GEN Y

Gen Y is the most diverse and connected generation in history. They’re not just tech-savvy; they are tech-dependent. Many members of this generation are actually more comfortable dealing with machines than with people. They are accustomed to having information and connectivity—to their friends, the news, and the world—at their fingertips, all the time.

I read an interesting article not long ago about the growth of Amtrak’s ridership and revenue on the East Coast. Specifically, Amtrak could trace the rise in ridership to Gen Y. So many Gen Yers are riding the train on the East Coast for one singular reason: they don’t have to turn off their electronic equipment, even for a few minutes, as you are required to do when you fly. For popular and fast East Coast routes like Washington, DC, to Philadelphia, Gen Y opts for taking the train—and the ability to have a Wi-Fi connection the entire way. What a great customer benefit to offer to those who value that above almost anything!

Here are the other aspects of customer experience that members of Gen Y value most:

• Automation: Why deal with people when you can just deal with a machine? Why deal with money when you can just swipe your credit card or debit card? Gen Y loves automation. Just as matures prefer to deal with someone face-to-face, Gen Y chooses technology and automation over human interaction. They simply see no need to involve anyone else when they can do something themselves.
• Connectivity with their social circle: Beyond ...