Why Video Chat is Essential for Millennials and Gen Z in 2023

Different generations have different attitudes towards customer service and digital communication.

However, when it comes to Millennials and Gen Z, there’s more that unites these two generations than separates them.

Especially when it comes to modern customer contact channels like video chat.

In this article, we’ll be exploring why video has become an essential part of the Millennial and Gen Z lifestyle. We'll cover:

• The rise of video calls
• The consumer demands of Millennials and Gen Z
• The benefits of video chat for Millennials and Gen Z
• Video support as a marketing tool
• The future video customer service

The rise of video chat

Previous generations like the Boomers and Generation X were not engulfed by the tech powerhouses that dominate us today. 

Until mobile phones became mainstream in the mid to late 90s, most communication was via traditional channels, such as landline telephones, post, and later email.

While Baby Boomers spent most of their lives using traditional channels, Millennials were the first generation to become completely immersed in tech.

Gen Z have never known a life without it.

Smartphones, online shopping, and video communication channels like Facetime or WhatsApp are second nature to both Millennials and Gen Z alike.

They recognise video chat as a fast, effortless way of connecting with people face-to-face, at any time and place. 

The COVID pandemic has had an impact on the popularity of video calls too.

While many of us were unable to meet in person, video virtual meet-ups allowed us to maintain social connection.

Video chat’s increasing popularity raises an interesting question:

If Millennials and Gen Z are so used to using video chat in their personal lives, why do most contact centres still focus on traditional channels for customer support? 

Millennial and Gen Z customer support

The Millennial and Gen Z generations make up a combined 48% of the consumer population.

It’d be short-sighted of any serious company to not adhere to the changing demands of almost half of their customers.

However, while contact centre internal systems might be modernised, most customer support processes are largely the same as they were 20-30 years ago. 

A customer calls a company from their phone, they get through to the switchboard, wait on hold, and finally get through to the agent on the other end. 

It’s far removed from how younger generations interact with each other today.

In the past, waiting for responses was the norm when it came to traditional contact channels. Baby boomers and Gen X knew to expect these waiting times.

Younger generations are different. Millennials and Gen Z like their responses fast. 

What’s more, Millennials and Gen Z are innate tech users who are masters of multitasking. They are able to look at several different screens at the same time with total ease and understanding. 

So what does this mean for businesses and customer support? 

It means that if these generations have changed the way they communicate with friends and family, it makes sense that they’ll change the way they communicate with brands too. 

In a world where just about everyone communicates via social media or a smartphone, it's vital that companies are quick to respond to these changing consumer habits. 

The easiest way of doing this is by implementing video chat for customer service. 

The benefits of offering video chat for Millennials and Gen Z 

Video chat mimics how younger generations communicate with their peers, so it’s a great way to make your brand look more relatable, current, and approachable.

The last thing you want to do is to alienate your customers by appearing outdated. 

Having video chat app on your website means that your Millennial and Gen Z customers can easily engage with your business via their preferred method. 

This reduces the likelihood of you losing Millennial and Gen Z consumers from your sales funnel. 

Video chat is especially effective on mobile too - an increasingly important consideration

Millennials and Gen Z spend an average of 15.1 hours every week on their smartphones. It’s the preferred device for surfing the web amongst the younger demographic. 

With this in mind, you can improve the customer experience by adding an easy click-to-call button on your mobile site.

It means customers can start a call with a simple tap on their screen. It’s a process familiar to Millennials and Gen Z thanks to their use of apps like FaceTime. 

Video support as a marketing tool

Another aspect to consider is video’s effectiveness as a marketing tool. 

For example, how many times have you been scrolling through social media and stopped because you’ve spotted a picture or a video of a product you liked? 

Brands use media to market to their customers for a simple reason: it stands out and makes the product look fantastic. 

Video marketing content is especially valuable as it means customers can get a better idea of the look and feel of the product. It enhances the customer experience.

Video chat does the same thing. Brands can use it to offer virtual shopping experiences which bring the in-store experience online. 

Not only is this great for conversions, but it boosts brand credibility and helps to build better, more direct customer relationships too.

It’s an example of customer engagement done right. 

The future of video chat customer service

Both Millennials and Gen Z use video communication much more than previous generations, and brands have taken note.

With most brands’ social media feeds being filled with memes, GIFs, and videos, the question still remains: shouldn’t customer support centres adapt?

The truth is that lots of them are already adapting. In the last year, the use of video chat for customer service has sky-rocketed by 70%.

Ultimately, forward-thinking companies understand that, as tech becomes more embedded in society, consumer expectations of customer support will only increase too. 

Personal video communication has already dramatically increased.

So, if you’re looking to truly engage a younger demographic, make sure to take changing consumer habits seriously.

Your Millennial and Gen Z customers will thank you for it.

The takeaway

It’s clear that modern digital channels like video chat are exceedingly popular with Millennial and Gen Z consumers.

They’re also the future of customer service - video chat’s popularity has surged since 2020 and is set to continue on this trajectory.

In fact, research indicates that 76% of consumers will continue to use video chat in the post-pandemic world, more so than they ever did before.

With this in mind, it’s imperative that businesses don’t underestimate the value of video customer service - or they may get left behind.

Luckily, Talkative can help you get started.

Our video chat is one of the most flexible solutions on the market, from our no-code chat widget builder to a sterling customer success support.

This means we can work with you to create the best experiences possible for your customers.

With our help, you can reinvent your digital communication and provide next-level customer service.