Guest Blog: Delivering Exceptional Customer Service Across the Generations

Do you deliver Customer Service that makes every generation feel delighted or dismayed?

Most companies claim, “What makes us different is how we serve our clients and customers.” But all too often what is really happening is they are treating each generation of customers EXACTLY the same, and without knowing it they are ticking them off and pushing them away!

One size fits all is NOT a pattern for success when it comes to multi-generational customer service.

Delivering extraordinary customer service must be done with the customer’s GENERATIONAL CODES™ in mind. What may APPEAR to one generation as superior service may be a smack of smothering or pressure to another. 

For example, a Traditionalist customer walks into a department store to purchase a new pair of shoes. The Millennial service professional shouts out across the store, “Let me know if you need anything!” The Traditionalist mutters to herself, “How rude!” In her Generational Code™, a shout across the store is not professional or respectful customer service. She wants the service team member to at least walk across the store to greet her and then stay close by, so she doesn’t have to shout or hunt for him when she has a question. 

Here’s a seemingly similar scenario, but entirely different Generationally Savvy™ answer…A Gen Xer walks into a boutique clothing store. An older service professional walks right up and greets her by saying, “It’s such nice weather we are having! What brings you in today? Is this a special occasion? Are you celebrating something?” The Gen Xer gives the service team member a deliberately blank look and says, “No, I’m just looking,” hoping the service person will just go away. It takes EVERYTHING in the Xer’s power not to rush out of the store. Meanwhile, the Boomer team member hovers close by, ready to jump in at the slightest opening. The Gen Xer is thinking to herself, “Seriously! I know where to find you if I need you, please leave me alone!”

What we have here is a GENERATIONAL CODES™  collision. Neither approach to customer service was inherently right or wrong, but BOTH service professionals weren’t taking into account was the GENERATIONAL CODES™ of each customer.