• Preferring Digital-First Communications: Gen Z avoids phone calls and other traditional methods as well. 72% prefer live chat, social DMs, or in-app messages. EPOCH Clemson, for example, a student housing company, experienced a 65% increase in mobile traffic after reformatting its blog and chat features because of a mobile-first preference for Gen Z.

• Expecting Seamless Integration Across Platforms: Omnichannel isn't optional. A Gen Z customer could ask a question on Instagram, then go to email, expecting the agent to be up to speed with the previous conversation. Brands like Glossier do this exceptionally well, moving customer insights from one avenue to another so that no interaction seems siloed.

• Valuing Quick Customer Service Responses: 55% of Gen Z expects a social media response within one hour, and 40% will abandon a brand after two interactions. A response beyond expectation puts more than staff on the clock it's time and financial disrespect.

• Impact of Slow Service on Customer Satisfaction: Delays affect more than revenue loss. After one bad service experience, 62% of Gen Z goes to the competition. For example, if a refund takes too long, it gives them the incentive to take to TikTok to complain about your brand instead of getting the refund damaging the brand in the end.

• Desire for Services Tailored to Individual Preferences: Customization is key for Gen Z. They appreciate personalized recommendations informed by previous selections (hello, Spotify's Discover Weekly) and hate one-size-fits-all approaches. A survey by Simpu found that 68% are more likely to purchase from brands who customize support according to purchase history.

• Examples of Successful Personalized Approaches: Sephora's Beauty Insider loyalty program features and operates on AI to suggest products according to skin type and past purchases, yielding a 35% increase in repeat purchases. The covers for Netflix originals are generated by the site's AI assessment of viewer habits; people watch what they like to look at.

• Gen Z's Preference for Ethical Company Practices: 67% of Gen Z researches a brand's sustainability and labor practices before purchasing. They'll never buy from brands with dubious supply chains. For instance, in 2023, Gen Z called out H&M for greenwashing.

• Need for Transparency in Problem-Solving: When the chips are down, however, Gen Z wants honesty. An overdue order notification that states, "We messed up here's a 20% coupon," is more reputable than saying nothing at all. Brands like Warby Parker disclose their factories' workings and annual carbon footprint and thus cater to this generation's values.

• Importance of Brands Engaging Positively on Social Issues: Gen Z expects allyship for climate change, LGBTQ+ rights, and mental health. 58% of consumers feel more positive about brands that support social equity, according to a 2024 Edelman report, so remaining silent means you're complicit.

• Examples of Brands Failing/Succeeding in This Area:

Success: When Patagonia did its infamous Don't Buy This Jacket campaign, it reduced its surplus inventory yet increased sales by 30%.

Failure: When Boohoo was called out for unfair labor practices in 2023, it lost 26% in revenue from Gen Z-driven boycotts.

• Recap of the Main Points: Gen Z can be served by assessing the customer experience with five major baseline expectations met: technology, speed, personalization, ethics, and social responsibility. If you don't check off boxes here, they'll never be yours.

• Call to Action for Brands to Adapt to Gen Z Standards: Access the customer experience.

• Everything needs to be mobile-friendly: Blogs, chat support, and even your checkout funnel needs to be mobile-friendly.

• Empathic, trained teams: Support interactions need to be personal, which means properly utilizing CRM tools.

• Impact reports must be published: Brands need to be transparent about their progress regarding sustainability efforts.

• UGC is crucial: Promote user-generated content to create community. How to find the content? Hashtag searches on social media. Where's the evidence this works? EPOCH Clemson. The brand that aligned with Gen Z expectations and came back with engagement conversion 2X what was expected. Don't wait start now because you're on borrowed time.