If you’re in Customer Service and haven’t had the realization that customer service for Boomers vs Gen Z can be quite different, you’re asking for trouble.
Boomers don’t tend to be “Chill” when it comes to being served. They grew up with more formal service standards and are accustomed to being “waited” on. They’re not necessarily condescending or demanding (maybe, a little demanding…) they just expect to be served.
Being a boomer, when I’m in a restaurant with my 2 Gen Z kids, and something is missing from the table, I’ll politely ask someone to bring it or fetch our server. And this will annoy both my kids to no end, “They’ll get here, dad”, or “They’re just busy, have patience”!
A friend of my daughter’s was in a popular fast food Chinese restaurant recently. And they were out of the item he wanted. The manager told him a new batch would only be a few minutes as she ordered the cook to make some more. A second later, the cook took a phone call and stayed on the phone for a good 5 minutes without ever starting the order he was given.
My daughter’s friend although annoyed, (rightfully so) didn’t say a word. A boomer would have had the manager’s ear within a minute or so.
I remember taking a computer science class at a nearby community college when I was 40. The instructor was awful, a tenured hack who could not be bothered to answer student questions. The guy really irritated me, but the rest of the students, all ½ my age, could care less.
When the clerk in a bowling alley (while helping a boomer) flings the shoes onto the counter along with a receipt without ever looking up, the Boomer will recoil ever so slightly while Gen Z’s don’t have a second thought.
Same goes for a stop at the medical office, when the receptionist hardly looks up while she asks for your name and insurance information. (Do you think she, or the guy in the bowling alley ever read a customer service book?)
Gen Z kids will put up with exceedingly poor or slow service as long as the worker isn’t rude to them. Often, they’ll say, he’s just busy, or having a bad day. Boomers just want to be serviced.
I know a wonderful Gen Z girl, who works in a high-end curio shop, who’ll say to customers as they come in at closing time, “We’ll be closing in a few minutes, but look around and let me know if there’s anything I can help you with”. Good Customer Service Training.
The Gen Z customers invariably defer, saying they’ll come back another time. Not so, when she’s helping Boomers. They come right in, take their time and even accept the free gift-wrapping on several presents, no matter what time it is.
I’m not inferring one group is right or wrong. Nor am I suggesting you treat one group better than the other. Just observe your customers, and realize that in customer service for Boomers vs Gen Z, you should keep in mind the unique needs of each.
Gen Z’ers don’t want to be an inconvenience and tend to put themselves in your shoes when you’re busy. Boomers seldom think about something like that. They’re in your store, you work there. They just want to be serviced, so when you’re helping boomers, realize they are used to a little more attention and they expect it. That’s all. So, give it to them.
The Little Customer Service Book
A Common Sense Guide to Helping People
Recommended Links:
https://thelittlecustomerservicebook.com/2023/06/17/warmth-in-customer-service/
