Only some Baby Boomers and Gen Xers were born with silver spoons in their mouths. All Millennials were born with digital devices in their hands. And you as real estate agents, the ultimate customer service providers, had best pay attention.
These devices have shaped how Millennials perceive the world, how they communicate in the world, how they function in the world and how they think the world ought to ideally work. Facts and figures are at their fingertips. Now or when they want it, not later. Music. Their resting heart rate. Now or when they want it, not later.
Clearly, the digital devices and screens dangling in front of and on Millennial eyes, ears, wrists have made them self-reliant. They’ve also made them a bit impatient and demanding. They can do and find out for themselves…they don’t need or want to be spoon- fed information.
Just look at what’s happening in real estate searches right now. Some 70% of potential Millennial buyers find the home of their means if not the home of their dreams online, on their own. If and when they come to your website searching for homes, help them find those homes by giving them excellent Customer Service tools on your website. Now, not later, so they can use those tools when they want to. Customer service tools such as
*Help Centers like mortgage calculators
*Access to Frequently Asked Questions like school
rankings
*Search Knowledge Basics
* Specific Categories of Information like single-family, condo/townhome, raw land, investor categories
* Live Chat Options and/or Phone Calls via Face Time.
Millennials, because they were born with digital devices in their hands, have come to terms with their devices. They take those devices for granted.
It’s up to Customer Service providers, real estate agents, to give Millennials the best customer service possible. Look at great customer service providers such as Esurance. (people can get a video appraisal on their smart phone in real time without being placed on hold.) Amazon’s Mayday button lets customers press a button to get connected to a technical advisor who either walks you through the process or does it for you…without placing you on hold. Even Dunkin’ Donuts creates convenience and priority for their mobile-first customers. No “on hold” time, no waiting in line.
If you think Millennials are impatient or demanding now, just wait until 2020. Everyone, not just Millennials, will be even more so. And you as real estate agents, actually the ultimate customer service providers, had better be ready.
