Customer Service

Millennials, Gen Z consumers embracing 3rd-party customer help options

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April 27, 2021

The young consumer is more likely than older consumers to initiate a self-serve journey outside of a brand or retailer-owned channel and more likely to use non-retailer guidance when it comes to customer service.

That's a prime finding of a Gartner Inc. research report that polled 4,500 customers on customer service channel approaches.

Most millennials (62%) and Gen Z customers (75%) would use non-company guidance (such as a subreddit, Google search or YouTube video) to self-resolve issues either all or most of the time, even when they have the option of contacting customer service.

In comparison, just 19% of Baby Boomers and 43% of Gen X customers report they would do the same, according to a press release on the findings.

"This tendency among younger generations to rely on non-company channels should not be viewed as a problem for customer service and support leaders. In fact, service leaders should embrace this trend as it helps to increase customer loyalty," Deborah Alvord, senior director analyst in the Gartner Customer Service and Support practice, said in the release.