Move over, Millennials. Generation Z is coming in hot.
The next generation of consumers is here. Gen Z, as it’s been coined, consists of those born in 1995 or later. By 2020, they will account for one-third of the U.S. population and 40 percent of consumer spending, the largest percentage of any other generation. They currently contribute $44 billion to the American economy.
Certainly worth paying attention.
The question is, how is this generation impacting your business? More specifically (since we obsess over queues), how will this generation impact the way you manage your queues?
Here are 5 truths that research has uncovered about Gen Z and our take on how each of these findings might impact your queuing strategy.
1. They’re big.
As mentioned, Gen Z could make up for 40 percent of consumers by 2020. That’s a significant percentage of your customers. Look at your queuing strategy and approach. When was the last time you took a step back and evaluated how your lines are organized and managed?
If your strategies are stuck in the 90s, 2000s, or even early 2010s, you could be missing out on the opportunity to meet the needs of this significant new market of consumers.
2. They’ll give you 8 seconds.
Fast Company recently wrote an expose of sorts on Gen Z and they explained their attention span this way: “They’ve grown up in a world where their options are limitless but their time is not.” According to some research, Gen Z has evolved to process more information at faster speeds, but getting their attention and keeping it is challenging. They communicate and take in information in bite-sized pieces.
When it comes to your queuing strategy, you can also think bite-sized. Make your instructions clear and concise. Break up your process into smaller steps. Manage their wait time expectations by letting them know in a straightforward way, how long they’ll be expected to wait in line.
3. They’re realists.
Gen Z is adept at sniffing out marketer’s attempts to sell to them. They are leery of things that aren’t transparent and authentic. This realistic view can extend to strategies you might use to cover up the appearances of a long, poorly managed wait. Be upfront with these consumers and give them accurate wait times. Be proactive about communicating when wait times are longer than expected — remember, unknown waits feel longer than known waits.
4. They get technology.
The average Gen-Zer will multi-task on 5 screens compared to the 2 screens of millennials. Technology is entirely natural to them and has been at the forefront of their lives. The implication for your queuing strategy is to consider a technology-first approach. This will require a shift in the traditional way of thinking about queuing. If given the choice between automating or tech-enabling some aspect of your queue vs. keeping with the status quo, consider the technology first. Mobile queuing is a great example of this.
5. They are quick to un-follow.
Salesforce recently wrote about a Vodafone Digital Transformation Summit, in which futurist and author, Mike Wash, said this about Generation Z: “They will expect us to offer them better, faster, richer, and more personalized experiences, and ‘unfollow us’ the moment that we don’t.”
Take this concept to your queue and the implications are clear to offer faster, better, richer, and more personalized experiences. Modern queuing strategies are tailored to the needs of customers whose expectations are greater than ever. Is your queue operating at peak performance?
Gen Z is here and their presence will impact your business for many years to come. If you haven’t already, now’s the time to evaluate how the critical step of queuing is impacting their perception of your business.
