Based on a publication from Marianne Wilson in Chain Store Age, The hardest generation to please is …
La generación más díficil es…
There is just no pleasing some people — especially those of a certain age.
Across generations, Gen Z is the most likely to be upset by customer service, according to new research from Qualtrics XM Institute. Young consumers are also the most likely to make purchasing decisions based on values and COVID safety measures, but they are the least likely to recommend a brand.
Qualtrics asked 9,000 consumers to rate how they felt after a recent interaction with a brand or organization (on a scale of upset to delighted). Across all age groups, Gen Z adults (ages 18-24) gave the lowest scores to every industry in the analysis. They were the most upset by their interactions with federal agencies, followed by investment firms and airlines They gave the highest ratings to social media and retail stores.
In other findings, Gen Z adults are twice as likely as baby boomers to stop purchasing from a brand because of insufficient COVID safety measures (30% vs. 14%). But they are three times (42% vs. 14%) as likely as boomers to start purchasing from a brand with COVID safety measures such as mask requirements or curbside pick-up.
In other findings:
• Baby boomers were the most likely – of all generations – to feel delighted by their interactions with companies.
• Baby boomers were also the most likely to say they would promote or recommend a brand to friends and family. Gen Z was the least likely to do so.
• Gen Z is more likely to be familiar with the brand values of the products they buy and are more likely to say the brands they purchase from are doing enough to address societal and environmental issues (31% vs. 17%).
Gen Z, a larger generation than the millennials that precede them, is an emerging force of trendsetting consumers who influence the purchasing behaviors of older generations, according to the report.
“Gen Z has a high bar for speed and gratification, and right now it’s clear that most companies aren’t reaching it,” said Bruce Temkin, head of Qualtrics XM Institute. “These savvy consumers are accustomed to instant service, and they will hold companies accountable for their values and service quality, even amid a global pandemic. To win in 2022, organizations need to better understand and cater to the needs of these younger consumers, even as those needs shift during different stages of the pandemic.”
This article was originally published in Chain Store Age
