Understanding the Snapchat, Smartphone generation is essential for building highly effective contact centre teams, according to a report compiled by Teleopti.
Daniel Mayer is Customer Success Manager, and Senior Consultant at Teleopti who was behind the report said that contact centres were grappling with the demands of round-the-clock, multi-channel communications, employers need to keep one step ahead with a consistent recruitment strategy and innovative Workforce Management (WFM) infrastructure to match. It’s time to understand what Gen Z wants from work, if they differ from Millennials and how to make them part of an efficient, highly motivated contact centre.
When job website giant Monster teamed up with global research firm TNS to find out what it takes to attract the Snapchatting, Smartphone addicted, video streaming generation and found that the demographic was:
• Entrepreneurial and self-reliant – 76 percent of Gen Zers believe they are owners of their career and nearly half want their own business
• Money and security – are what Gen Zers value most and as a generation brought up in times of recession when family and friends lost jobs and homes, this makes absolute sense. Their ideal job package sounds more like their grandparents’ with health insurance and ‘a boss to respect’ high up on the list of demands.
• Hard workers – Gen Zers are no slackers with 58 percent saying they are willing to work nights or at weekends for a better salary and 74 percent prepared to move for a good job opportunity.
Gen Zers differ from their slightly older counterparts differ from Millennials because they are more territorial than their Millennial colleagues, preferring to go it alone in the face of stiff competition. They also appreciate face-to-face communication. They don’t like the concept of university debt and seek to find new ways to learn that will not cost them an arm or a leg.
Gen Zers would prefer to have many different roles in the one place of employment to gain work experience.
The report says that rather than fear the arrival of another dynamic to the already complicated contact centre environment, employers should focus on the WFM areas that bring out the best in Gen Zers and benefit all staff, whatever their age. They should also look at providing different sorts of service.
Self-service systems appeal to the independent, self-reliant nature of Gen Zers. Agents are empowered to control their schedules, select breaks and lunches, swap shifts, and request time off with immediate feedback from their manager
The channel needs to re-think its learning environment – be sure to develop a portfolio of different learning styles, a mixture of traditional in-classroom training and online or virtual sessions to suit all generations and use WFM to allow time for training.
Take this one step further by tapping into Gen Zers’ need for on-demand interaction by creating a dedicated e-library of learning. This could feature anything from online tutorials to training documents and hints and tips from colleagues. Make it collaborative so they can share their thoughts and ideas with others. Finally, build e-library time into their busy work schedules to open up the doors to self-discovery at a stress-free pace.
Companies need to make room for ‘face’ time and think of ways of incorporating this into the contact centre especially when it comes to mentoring or team meetings. Make room for Skype and FaceTime to bring out the best in your Gen Zers. Consider extending this approach to your customers by creating a genuinely immersive experience using the latest innovations in Virtual Reality.
