The world of customer service has changed dramatically and is evolving with each new generation. This is a process we call "Consumer Gen-Mutation". How do you respond as an individual or business? You need to be adaptable and flexible in your customer service and communication strategy. You need to understand who you are dealing with, what their characteristics are and how to respond appropriately.

1. The Genetic Code of Modern
Customer Service
Jared Shippel
February 2012

2. The Consumer-Centric
Paradigm Shift
Why Make This Shift and Evolve?

3. Principles of Customer Service
1. To Customers, Front-Line Representatives
Are the Company.
2. Employee Satisfaction Matters!
3. Show Customers They’re Valued; Don’t
Assume They Know It.
4. Internal Customer Care is as Important as
External Customer Care.
5. Train Your Staff to Deliver Great Customer
Service—and Hold Them Accountable.
Vasudha Deming

4. Who is The Modern Consumer?
• Consumers’ expectations and requirements
have evolved  Suppliers and service
providers need to evolve too

5. Consumer Gen-Mutation
• Consumer behaviour is linked to the generation that
one is born into.
• Each generation has defining characteristics – a
unique “Genetic Code”.
• Each genetic code responds to a different set of
customer service rules and is a mutation of its
predecessors.
Boomers
X
Y Z

6. Boomers and Generation X
Characteristics
Boomers
• Work-centric
• Independent
• Competitive
• Live to work
• Less likely to rely on
technology
Gen-X
• Value work-life balance
• Individualistic
• Flexible
• Work to live
• Technologically adept

7. Generation Y – Characteristics of the
New Consumer
• Impatient – instant feedback and
communication
• Sceptical – demand explanations
• Multi-taskers – Get bored easily and must
be intensely engaged
• Informal – Relaxed, creative and
enterprising

8. Generation Y – Characteristics of the
New Consumer Cont.
• Street Smart – Practical, mature and
resilient
• Aware – Team oriented and socially
connected
• Life-Focused – Seek meaning but are image
conscious and materialistic
• Tech Savvy – Advanced knowledge of
technology and its applications

9. Generation Z – The Consumer has
Evolved into a Curator
• Not Brand Loyal – product or service is
important
• Curators – share everything and objectively
evaluate products and services
• Enhance and Enable Sharing
• Respond well to transparency and
openness

10. Then Vs. Now
Consumer
Employee
Company
Company
Employee
Consumer
Company
Relevant
Consumer
Relevant

11. Creating a Healthy Customer
Service Helix
Interaction Between Consumers and
Business

12. 1. Warm Feeling
2. Relevance
3. Consumer Action
4. Feedback
5. Modify Relevance
6. New Consumer
Action
7. Further Feedback

13. How Does Your Company
Listen and Respond to the
Consumer
Applying the Appropriate Customer
Services Gene Therapy

14. The Advent of Social Media

17. Case Studies
How Has The Customer Services
Gene Pool Been Strengthened

18. Tchibo: A New Experience Every Week
Coffee &
Coffee
Bars
Services Products

19. What Can Other Businesses Learn
• Become a Trend Scout
• Design Your Product or Service in Line with
Leading Trends
• What Will Our Customers Like?
– Place yourself in their shoes
• Ensure Quality Standards are Met
• Be Innovative
– Weekly Themes

20. Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) –
Blueprint for All Sectors
• Culture: Fair treatment of customers is
central to the corporate culture
• Target Market: Products are designed to
meet needs of identified customer groups
and targeted accordingly
• Information: Clear information before,
during and after the point of sale

21. Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) –
Blueprint for All Sectors Cont.
• Sales / Advice: Advice is suitable and takes
account of their circumstances
• Delivery: Products and services perform as
led them to expect, and are an acceptable
standard
• Choice: No unreasonable post-sale barriers
to change, switch provider, submit a claim
or complain

22. ―When dealing with
people, remember you are not
dealing with creatures of
logic, but creatures of emotion‖
Dale Carnegie