Editorial
The Gist
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Generational habits matter. Each generation communicates differently, so brands must avoid a one-size-fits-all strategy to build lasting loyalty.
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AI comfort varies. Younger customers welcome AI-driven support, while older generations are slower to trust it, especially in sensitive scenarios.
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Feedback fuels growth. Multichannel feedback collection helps marketing teams personalize outreach, shape content and improve the customer journey.
In the early days of the internet, most customer-brand communication was still analog. Writing letters, phoning and going into brick-and-mortar stores were all common ways that customers engaged with the businesses they patronized. When brands wanted to reach customers and cultivate relationships, they mailed flyers or called with special offers.
Today, many customers communicate without ever leaving their couches, and they expect companies to keep up. Customers expect to be able to use their preferred medium when interacting with companies to make purchase decisions or resolve issues. Those preferred mediums vary across generations, and as more methods of communication have become available, the generational differences in customer communication have become more pronounced. What worked for reaching Gen X may not work for Gen Z.
To create a successful customer retention strategy that will address the needs of existing and future customers, companies must address this digital divide by consciously building brand loyalty across generations. Meeting your customers where they are is not just about the platform; it’s about understanding where they’re coming from, sharing stories and recognizing their needs.
Table of Contents
- The Widening Communication Gap
- Older Generations Still Want a Human Touch
- Millennials Are Done With Phone Calls
- Gen Z Talks Where the Brand Is Watching
- AI Use Depends on Who You’re Talking To
- How to Build a Program That Captures Every Voice
- Summary of Key Points: Generational Communication and Brand Strategy
- Closing the Customer Communication Gap
The Widening Communication Gap
Prior to the internet and social media, most customers had to contact businesses the same way, regardless of their age. Now, the customer base has fractured, with younger generations eschewing the methods and platforms that older generations rely on.
What does the data show about generational communication habits?
Older Generations Still Want a Human Touch
Having come of age before the internet took off, Baby Boomers have adopted some technology, but they still express a preference for and greater trust in human communication. They primarily communicate with customer service in person, by phone or by email. That said, many are willing to adapt to new technology as long as it is easy to use and maintains the responsiveness and human connection of other methods.
Gen X is more comfortable with tech across the board. They grew up with email, they use smartphones to access online content, and they are active on Facebook and Instagram. However, they still express a preference for human interaction with brands via email or phone.
Related Article: Mastering Customer Communications: A Blueprint for Exceptional Experiences
Millennials Are Done With Phone Calls
Millennials express a strong preference for email or text communications from brands. They also use social media, and they prefer Instagram and TikTok. They will engage on social media via direct message, but they view incoming phone calls as intrusive, and countless memes demonstrate they will not pick up the phone unless they have no other choice. They pay attention to brands’ online content and values, and they will communicate their opinions by leaving comments, emailing, texting or writing online video reviews.
Gen Z Talks Where the Brand Is Watching
Gen Z is on track to dominate the market in coming years, and they’re more cautious about their purchases. Gen Z grew up online, and they want verification and validation of products before they buy. With referrals from family and friends being the main driver for purchases, user-generated content offers a key way to connect with Gen Z. Authentic customer-created content is emerging as a powerful and cost-effective alternative to influencer marketing.
Compared with other generations, Gen Z members are “most likely to favor brands that prioritize direct engagement with their audiences.” They expect brands to communicate with them on social media. Instagram, YouTube and TikTok all influence consumer buying decisions while helping companies build relationships and brand loyalty.
AI Use Depends on Who You’re Talking To
Gen Z is the most comfortable with AI. In a recent survey, 52% said they trusted generative AI to help them make informed decisions. There’s a sharp drop in acceptance of AI chatbots for people over 45, particularly for medical, legal or financial applications. They are more receptive to AI for customer service, but still significantly less comfortable than younger customers are. Customers across generations are willing to consider AI chatbots for simple questions if they know they’re talking to AI.
How to Build a Program That Captures Every Voice
Taking a multichannel, multimedia approach will help your brand capture important data from customers and gather insights into how to retain their business. As a bonus, allowing communications on the customer’s terms builds trust and improves the efficiency of marketing and product initiatives.
Here’s how to do it.
Make Multiple Avenues of Communication Available
Today, regardless of age, customers expect brands to meet them where they are. They won’t talk to your brand if you won’t adapt. This means organizations trying to gather customer feedback and understand customer sentiment must make a variety of communication methods available, including video, audio, text and social media. Customers want to share their thoughts but on their own terms. People are drawn to social media as a way to share and amplify their own stories; take that same approach with your brand.
By giving customers multiple means of communication, brands can make that they are capturing enough context and data from customers to shape marketing and retention strategies.
When in Doubt, Gather More Information and Context
It’s tempting to make assumptions about customer behavior based on limited sample sizes and proximity. When designing customer communications strategy, brands need to understand what matters to their audience, and more data helps create a better picture. Often, customers are willing to share their insights if asked at the right time, so make it easy for them.
For instance, your older customer base may prefer phone and email, but if you ask them to send a photo or video of the problem, they can use their smartphone to share that information. A Gen Z customer might not contact you directly, but they will share their thoughts with their friends on TikTok. and your other prospective customers will watch to see how the brand responds.
The rise of social media has created more work for teams monitoring brand mentions, but it has also created opportunities. Social media posts can reveal valuable insights about customer perceptions and provide inspiration for future campaigns.
Listen and Track Trends Within Generations
When marketing to generational customer bases, brands must be careful not to seem insincere or out-of-touch. What is trending and popular among millennials might not appeal to Gen Z. With AI allowing detailed personalization at scale throughout the entire customer journey, customer cohort analysis is more important (and luckily, easier) than ever. AI can analyze unstructured data (i.e., videos, social media posts, and reviews) and turn it into actionable insights.
Gathering customer feedback and tracking purchasing demographics helps you identify and relate to what your customer base is thinking. User-generated content serves a valuable role, both for its insights and for the opportunity it offers to connect with a broader audience through authentic, relevant content.
Make Sure That Marketing Can Access Customer Feedback
You may lose prospective customers in the early stages of the funnel if your content is unrelatable. The best way to reach these potential customers, who may not be in your data set yet, is to make sure that you are addressing your existing customers’ comments and complaints and adjusting your marketing strategy accordingly.
For instance, once the rise of social media led to more widespread engagement with customer reviews, some women’s clothing brands discovered that their ads and clothing lines were failing to resonate with entire segments of the market. Responding to customer feedback, a number of clothing brands have now expanded their advertising and product lines to be reflective of more varied body types and fashions.
Likewise, by making sure that customer support data is not siloed, organizations can allow marketing to incorporate feedback from real customers and build ongoing relationships with customers through their preferred medium.
Customer acquisition is expensive, and the better informed your marketing team is, the more likely it is that campaigns will be successful. After all, customers from every generation want to feel heard, and if your outgoing communications are on channels they ignore or your messaging ignores their feedback (especially complaints), they may assume they’re shouting into a void.
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Related Article: Moving Beyond Generations in Audience Segmentation
Summary of Key Points: Generational Communication and Brand Strategy
Editor's note: This table outlines the major insights and recommended strategies from the article on bridging generational communication gaps in customer experience.
| Topic | Key Insight | Recommended Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Generational communication habits | Each generation prefers different channels—Boomers favor phone/email; Millennials prefer text/social media; Gen Z expects social engagement. | Tailor communication strategies to each generation's habits and preferences. |
| AI comfort levels | Gen Z is most comfortable using AI tools, while older generations are skeptical, especially for sensitive matters. | Use AI for simple queries, but ensure human options are available for complex or high-trust needs. |
| Customer feedback collection | Multichannel feedback yields more accurate, representative data across generational lines. | Provide multiple formats (text, video, social, phone) to gather diverse customer insights. |
| Content personalization | Customer feedback can highlight blind spots in marketing content and product appeal. | Incorporate real-time feedback into campaigns to improve resonance and inclusivity. |
| User-generated content (UGC) | Gen Z trusts and engages with UGC more than influencer marketing. | Encourage authentic customer stories and amplify them across platforms. |
| Social listening | Monitoring brand mentions reveals valuable insights across generations. | Track sentiment and trends on social media to inform marketing and product decisions. |
| AI-enhanced cohort analysis | AI can analyze unstructured data to track generational preferences and behaviors. | Leverage AI to improve segmentation and personalization at scale. |
| Cross-functional collaboration | Siloed data hampers marketing effectiveness. | Ensure marketing teams have access to customer service feedback and insights. |
| Retention over acquisition | Building loyalty across generations supports long-term success. | Invest in relationship-building and responsiveness via each generation’s preferred channels. |
Closing the Customer Communication Gap
Customer communication was a different ballgame 30 years ago. Communication was on brands’ terms. But that is no longer the case. The marketplace is more competitive, and customers are more discerning. Brands must adapt to the modern, fractured market with a multichannel, multigenerational approach that addresses a diverse customer base. As daunting as that task may seem, it comes with a significant upside. We now have much more data and a lot more ways to connect with customers.
The advent of AI has made it easier to turn data into meaningful insights that support marketing, strengthen customer retention programs and improve overall relationships with customers. Brands who close the communications gap see more success and develop a strong brand reputation along with a more loyal customer base, better products and sustained growth.
Whether through traditional or new communication channels, embracing customer feedback, however customers want to give it, allows us to build a better customer experience. And ultimately, that’s what every generation wants.
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