Are Your Customers Getting Younger?
If you’ve been in business for many years – especially if you’re business-to-business – it’s easy to feel as though your customers are getting younger. How they communicate with you is different, and businesses you’ve had long-standing relationships with are starting to drift away from doing things the way you’ve always done them.
Does this mean that your customers are getting younger, or is it something else?
The Changing Generations
The first Millennials were born in 1981 and are 45 years old as of 2026, whilst the oldest Gen Z individuals are about to hit their 30s. Together, these two generations make up an estimated 67% of the Australian workforce, according to the Great Place To Work 2024 Insights Report.
Both generations are moving into more managerial and leadership roles with buying power for their employers, and some Millennials have already held these positions for several years. They are now the people you often need to cater to, and their expectations have been shaped by growing up in the digital age of technology.
Younger Generations Influencing Preferences
Communication preferences from Gen X customers can also be influenced by their Millennial and Gen Z counterparts. The convenience of being able to email or complete a transaction at a time that suits the customer transcends generations.
Flexible work hours and remote work setups mean that the most convenient time for someone to contact you or engage with your website is often outside standard business hours. Emails and easy-to-use eCommerce systems allow people to work at times that best suit them.
Does This Mean Your Customers Are Younger?
In short, yes and no.
Your customer base might be starting to skew slightly younger than it has in the past. As older workers retire and pass their position on to others, their replacements will naturally be younger. However, it’s just as likely that your customers have always been in their 30s or 40s and what you’re noticing is a shift in preferences as different generations move into managerial roles.
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The age of your target audience may not have changed, but their expectations have. To make the most of younger generations stepping into managerial positions, you need to assess how your business is structured and how you reach the customers you want.
Let the WEB IDEAS team help ensure your custom designed website is setup to attract customers and function in a way that meets their needs.
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