New Emplifi Study Reveals Striking Generational Differences in Everything from Platform Usage to Shopping Expectations

Emplifi, the leading unified customer experience platform, released “7 Key Consumer Expectations Impacting Social Media Success Today,” a report outlining generational insights into how different groups engage with brands, specifically in regards to social shopping and CX. Surveying more than 1,000 respondents from the U.S., the report explores what consumers expect from their social media experiences and brand interactions, and also how social media marketers can adapt their strategies to better meet these expectations.

“Communication preferences change with time, which poses an immense challenge for brands whose product or service serves multiple generations”

Gen Z most dissatisfied of consumers on social media

Emplifi discovered that 40% of consumers surveyed feel they are getting an excellent customer experience (CX) on social media when making a purchase. For Gen Z, which represents the largest group of global consumers, there was even more frustration with 70% believing they do not recieve excellent CX. However, the study also found that 2 out of 3 consumers prefer to use social media during the buying process to ask questions, make purchases and seek post-purchase customer support.

“Communication preferences change with time, which poses an immense challenge for brands whose product or service serves multiple generations,” said Emplifi CXO, Shellie Vornhagen. “The key for brands to truly excel at CX is to expand care and marketing programs into the channels where their customers are active, and increasingly, that’s social media. Social continues to pull away as the consumers’ choice, and the companies that will succeed are those who follow their customers’ lead and embrace social as well.”

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Different generations prefer different platforms

Emplifi’s survey also highlights generational platforms preferences with Instagram (65%) and TikTok (51%) being popular among the younger age groups, and Facebook more popular among Gen X (76%) vs Gen Z (43%). These findings underscore the importance of factoring in age when shaping buyer personas and CX initiatives into social media strategies.

More than half of respondents (56%) feel that customer service quality has a larger impact on brand perception. When asked to pick one item that drives positive brand perceptions the most, consumers rated 24/7 customer service availability (29%) and quick response times (28%) as the top two items, showing the critical role of a solid, always-on customer care infrastructure on all channels.

“It’s no longer enough to use social media to provide care. Consumers are looking to social media not only to research and purchase products, but also for post-purchase care. Companies need to adopt an “always on” approach,” and scale their efforts to provide a seamless experience on the platforms on which their customers are. We’re fortunate to live in an age where this is possible.The tech is there, now we just need brands to get on board,” said Vornhagen.

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