Reach older customers with Dynamics 365

Learn how D365 can help you reach older customers in today’s blog.

Over the past several years it seems like every business is obsessed with reaching a certain type of customer — the Millennial consumer. 

It makes sense as the generation represents the near future and their habits and preferences have been disruptive in the business landscape. Their younger siblings in Gen Z haven’t yet evolved in such a way to truly provide us insights into how to reach them, while the older generations are being taken for granted.   

So, yes, you should be concerned with the Millennial generation. However, you shouldn’t be so obsessed with reaching that generation that you are ignoring those that are older. Yes, even the Baby Boomers. 

As we undergo the business digital transformation, it is easy to be dismissive of the Boomers. The stereotypes suggest that this is a generation that is stuck in its ways, loyal to legacy brands and anti-tech.   

Even if that were the case, it would still be foolish to ignore the generation. A recent study in the UK found that consumers older than 55 represented 86% of all new consumer spending. Despite that, the study found that 78% felt that their generation was under-represented in marketing efforts and nearly half of those surveyed said that they would actively avoid brands and retailers that they felt were ignoring them.   

Let’s repeat that: HALF of the demographic that represents 86% of all new consumer spending will actively avoid brands and retailers that they feel are ignoring them.  

So, you probably shouldn’t ignore them.   

You also shouldn’t believe the stereotypes, particularly as it relates to technology. Most research has demonstrated that the Baby Boomer generation is equally interested in using technology to enhance their shopping experience as any generation.  

But, there are differences and software like Microsoft Dynamics 365 can help you address those differences without sacrificing the things you are doing to reach younger consumers.     

Two of the most significant differences in consumer behaviour relate to how Boomers want to experience online shopping and what they expect in their interactions with the brands and retailers that they are dealing with.  

Boomers are more likely to want to see a product and be able to manipulate it before committing to purchasing it than younger generations are. This lends itself to the Virtual Reality technology that Microsoft has put a huge focus on in recent years. In the near future, you’ll likely be able to use VR in your online shopping experience to get a 360-degree view of the product before committing to it.    

Another area that Boomers differ from younger generators is in their expectations of customer service and reactions to what they perceive to be bad customer service.  

Simply put, Boomers demand attentive and personalized customer service. Beyond that they put their money behind their beliefs. In the UK survey, 54% said that would be unlikely to return to a business due to a “lack of appreciation” from a Sales Associate.  

That might seem like an impossible standard to maintain for a business that is also facing numerous other challenges, often with a smaller amount of employees than in previous generations, but, as the old adage says: The Customer is Always Right. It doesn’t matter to the consumer that providing attentive, personalised customer service is difficult. It only matters that you provide it. 

Here is where Dynamics 365 can really help.  

D365 allows you to access a 360-degree view of each individual customer at your fingertips. Every interaction that you have had with the customer in the past can easily be found and accessed by your staff, whether they behind a cash register in a brick and mortar location or on the phone at a call center.  

Your staff can see personal preferences of the customer (i.e. does Margret Johnson prefer to be called Mrs. Johnson, Ms. Johnson or Margret) and even personal details that can make them feel valued (i.e. how her granddaughter’s gymnastic efforts are a sense of pride to her and that you should ask her about it). 

D365 allows you better manage issues that the customer may be having with your goods or services. Although no one likes to repeat themselves, Boomers are particularly sensitive to having to give out the same information time and time again while trying to resolve an issue.  

Dynamics 365 can help your staff avoid that. This is particularly useful in a call center situation. When you need to transfer the customer to another agent you can do so in such a way that allows the agent instant access to what has happened in the call so far. That avoids having to ask identifying questions again, which can avoid the client becoming aggravated. Ultimately this will help you turn a negative call into a positive interaction and keep the customer loyal to your business.  

Curious about other ways that Dynamics 365 can help you better serve your customers? Give our experts a call today.