The New Generation are Coming
If you had internet during your childhood then you’re a millennial. You probably used Freetel or ICQ to chat, or at most, MSN messenger. You probably played ATARI, Family Game, or if you were a young millennial you might have played PlayStation 1. But if there’s one thing that is certainly in common with all millennials is that we’re not happy with the way things are done!
Who are Millennials?
Millennials, or Generation Y, are people born between the 1980’s and year 2004. They are the children of the Babyboomers and had internet during their childhood. Right now they have either established themselves in their careers or soon to be in the market for a job.
Because Babyboomers have lived a good life (even here in the Gulf States), they have raised their children to be confident. In a TIMES review published earlier this year, it was pointed that millennials hold symptoms of narcissism, mostly by the widespread of selfies, how they behave like celebrities, and how they sometimes refuse to follow rules. I personally can’t deny, we like to make life easier for ourselves, but are businesses doing the same?
Businesses are not.
I remember when my father used to drop me off at school. Everyday he picks up his copy of Akhbar Alkhaleej and if it was a Tuesday I pick up my copy of Mujalat Majid. People change. People now don’t pick up any print on their way to work. The media industry knows that but aren’t reacting properly to it. If they don’t react properly, if they aren’t following Millennials, then they’re dying.
Not only written media; every industry faces a challenge as they attempt to adapt to millennials. Retail industry here is still heavily dependent on physical stores when it could benefit from e-Commerce. In fact, by turning online they don’t only cut the high rent costs but also save a lot in logistics. Businesses never regret having a credit card machine.
Customer service is also lagging behind, depending on call centers when the world is heading to serving customers on social media. I’m not talking about social media responses that direct issues to emails or phones, I’m talking about real social media customer service. JetBlue moved a big part of their customer service operations to social media and saved a fortune. They say that with social media they can serve 4 customers while serving 1 on phone. When I have a problem with a company I complain about it on twitter, and I prefer to mention the company in my complaint. People will always complain on social media, it’s only logical that the company solves it right there.
On the next issue I will discuss how to market for the Millennials and what motivates them to be loyal to a brand, and eventually buy.
P.S. Tamkeen’s support is your money. Use it carefully and don’t allow providers to convince you that their support is free money. Many service providers illegally exchange services for cash. They’re basically stealing your money while making you think you’ve gained instead. I don’t know any successful business that fell for their tricks.
