Transforming CX for the Millennial and Gen Z Buyer

How are you transforming the customer experience (CX) and attracting the audiences of the future? It’s something many organizations are prioritizing and rightfully so. “80% of customers say the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services” according to Salesforce. So, how can we connect and engage with Millennial and Gen Z consumers? Let’s dive right in. 

The Evolution of the Web 

Twenty years ago, brands connected with consumers via Web 1.0 which was the first ever version of the web browser (aka “read-only”). In the mid 2000’s, we were introduced to Web 2.0 and social media sites like Facebook and Twitter were born. Consumers went from “read-only” to becoming participants. Ultimately, sharing and chatting in a centralized location. Now, fast-forward to 2022 and the new buzzword is Web3 also known as Web 3.0.  

At a recent GDS Group CX Innovation Summit, Co-Founder and CEO of Firework, Vincent Yang shared how we speak to the consumer is very different now than it was in the past. Here are 3 key trends Firework is observing with Web3: 

• Participatory: Consumers still want to be a part of the brand and the overall journey vs. read-only mode. 
• No intermediary: Due to privacy concerns, consumers don’t want to share too much. 
• Decentralized: That is where the consumer is going in the next 10 years.  

What does this mean for brands? Yang says, “your website, your app, is back on the center-stage again!” 

Rethinking Engagement 

Previously, brands were putting more focus on their social media platforms over their website. Last year a Firework survey found that 75% of people spent less than 10 seconds on a website. Why is that the case? Yang claims, “there is no human connection there.” 

In order to better connect with Millennial and Gen Z consumers – you need to rethink how you engage with these audiences. 

“There is a paradigm shift of how they consume content, how they want to be advertised to, how they want to shop and how they want to engage on a website. They are digitally savvy, and many are digitally native born. So, how the brand engages with them is very different now.” 

Vincent Yang, Co-Founder and CEO at Firework

The Importance of Human Connection on Your Website 

Human connection is done through an array of social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram. These consumers can watch short videos, livestreams, and interact with one another on these apps. Unfortunately, these elements typically don’t live on company websites. It may be time to change the game. 

Deloitte reports that 74% of US consumers are consuming short form video with higher figures for Gen Z (84%) and Millennials (81%) in 2018. That number has increased since then. With nearly all consumers (97%) now using their mobile devices to shop according to Rightpoint, how can you give consumers the content they crave while benefitting your business?  

Look at transforming your website from traditional to digital. Yang advises that instead of just using images, introduce livestreams and short videos to your company website or app. This is one beneficial way to change the experience while creating that human connection many crave. 

TOP TIPS: 

• Leverage influencers, athletes, and celebrities to these short videos to get more traction. 
• Create videos of store managers showing off the products on the shop floor. 
• Have your brand ambassadors create content for your websites, rather have them just post content out to their own followers.  

These elements can increase engagement time, conversion, and retention. By including these types of engaging livestreams, Yang says that they can help a brand create a social following, be a destination where a consumer can be inspired and encourage them to complete a transaction in-store. Overall connecting the online and offline experience and building trust. 

China Leveraging Livestreams China has already adopted this interactive livestream approach using it for customer service, baking apps and websites. In fact, eMarketer reports “livestreaming is an integral part of ecommerce, generating $300 billion in China in 2021 and growing 85% from a year prior.” 

Embrace this Opportunity 

Brands now need to tune into what the Millennial and Gen Z audiences want and leverage technology to engage these consumers and win their business. At the GDS Group CX Innovation Summit Yang concludes, “with this new technology every single business has the opportunity to win trust in the online world. It empowers you to enable this ‘talk with’ your customers, ‘not talk’ at your customers. When a human connection is there, consumers stay longer, they buy more, they transact more, they come back more.”  

GDS Summits are tailored 3-day virtual event conferences that bring together business leaders and solution providers to accelerate sales cycles, industry conversations and outcomes. Regarding the CX Innovation Summit 86% of Delegates said the overall experience of Digital Summit they attended was either Above Average or Excellent and 71% of Delegates said the Digital Summit provided them with actionable outcomes to support their current initiatives.  

For more, click here to hear from attendees on how GDS has helped them to achieve their business outcomes. 

Continue the debate at GDS’ CX Innovation Summits where we bring together senior marketing executives who are actively seeking to share, learn, engage, and find the best solutions. 

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