Each generation has its own communication channel preferences. This is an opportunity for proactive companies, but a major threat for reactive ones. Find out why and how to adapt to the different generations to ensure your company’s growth and longevity.
Most customers have a smartphone in their pocket, which they carry everywhere and use to communicate at all times. Their phones enable them to communicate via different channels, according to their preferences. For example, calls, e-mails, text messages and chats such as Facebook messenger and SnapChat. Every generation wants to be served on their preferred channel. That’s why your company needs to adapt its communications to each target audience.
An overwhelming majority of Canadians aged 15 to 44 (96%) said they would have a smartphone by 2020, as did most Canadians aged 45 to 64 (87%). The proportion of seniors who reported owning a smartphone rose from 43% in 2018 to 54% in 2020.
Reference: https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/fr/plus/3582-le-telephone-filaire-fait-place-au-telephone-intelligent
Each generation has its own communication preferences
Indeed, each age group has its own communication preferences, which means that companies need to adapt their communication style quickly to remain attractive to each generation they serve. Companies can’t afford to generalize their communications, as they risk driving away certain generations and losing important revenues. The telephone is still attractive to some, but repugnant to others. So we have to be on the lookout and adapt.
Generations in brief
- Baby Boomers – 1945 – 1964
- Generation X – 1965 – 1980
- Millennials – 1981 – 1996
- Zoomers (Gen Z) – 1996 – 2012
Generation Z, also known as Zoomers, hate calls
80% of them say they use social media to communicate via an application on their phone. They also appreciate face-to-face communication.
Millennials / Gen Y prefer texting because phones make them anxious
The report reveals that 88% of Millennials prefer texting to phone calls, and 52% feel anxious when taking a phone call.
Millennials greatly appreciate the non-intrusiveness of SMS communication. According to a hypothesis posed by OpenMarket, if given the choice between an SMS phone and a voice-only phone, 75% of millennials would opt for the SMS phone.
Reference : https://answernet.com/blog-generations-styles-communication/
Millennials / Gen Y like to communicate at their convenience without interruption
Text messaging enables asynchronous communication, giving each party the chance to communicate whenever they want without interruption. 90% of millennials read any new text message within 90 seconds of receiving it.
La Génération X préfère un appel ou un courriel
50% of Gen Xers say they prefer a phone call, and the other 50% of this same generation prefer e-mail to communicate with a company.
Boomers find text messages boring
Obviously, Boomers prefer face-to-face communication or a phone call. However, the Covid crisis has spurred Boomers’ interest in using text messaging to communicate. No doubt Boomers have been forced to adapt to communicating with younger generations. Even so, Boomers find text messages boring.
Every generation wants a personalized experience
Overall, consumers want personalized communications and experiences from brands with which they have a relationship and to which they are loyal. 88% of Millennials share this desire, followed by 87% of Gen Z and 82% of Gen X. At 77%, Boomers also show a strong desire for individual recognition from companies.
Your company needs to adapt now
Your company needs to know its customers and their communication preferences. Even today, very few companies offer text messaging to their customers. Most of them still use the telephone and e-mail, which turn off generations Z and Y. This limits their ability to attract and serve younger generations. This limits their ability to attract and serve younger generations. On the other hand, it’s an opportunity for proactive companies who want to capture market share from their competitors.
Is your company ready to adapt to the new generations?
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