Companies already exploring the consumer characteristics of the younger generation are going to be highly competitive in the global marketplace. In the near future, market saturation and the trend towards digitalisation will not only change the format of customer services but the quality of customer interactions will also be crucial.

Elena Tokar, Marketing Director of Canyon Accessories, commented: "Brand awareness, reputation and quality have always been of paramount importance, but the market is as variable as consumer tastes. Today's customer is no longer looking for the best in terms of value for money. The 'aftertaste' from interaction with a brand is of far greater importance to the consumer. A competent customer service strategy capable of meeting the wishes of even the most demanding consumer plays a crucial role in brand development in the market."

Make way for the young

The team at Canyon, a brand of electronic accessories and smart gadgets, looks at its target audience which is the younger generation, through consumer preferences setting new patterns of behaviour. Recognising this is essential for shaping consumer-relevant communication in a way that meets their expectations.

Consumer behaviour differs depending on age – for example, younger people prefer online media such as email, on-site web forms and online chats. Modern technology now transforms customer services with machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) changing not only the way things work but even the functions themselves.

But, the baby boomer generation, on the other hand, is very cautious about perceiving artificial intelligence (in the form of round-the-clock virtual assistants answering various questions) as a human substitute.

Meanwhile, the younger generation considers AI applications in customer service from a more optimistic perspective. Many of them believe that AI will transform support into a more personalised service. Since the virtual assistant has been introduced at Canyon, the proportion of enquiries from such sources as mail, and feedback forms has fallen. More than 60 per cent of users have started using AI to resolve product issues.

According to research, nearly 70 per cent of customers base their expectations on the fact that support staff will assist them with a query without the need to seek an answer by contacting the same company but via a different channel. This means brands need to manage customer data based on every possible aspect of interaction.

By implementing omnichannel platforms, marketing and customer services can be combined so that the accumulated information can be analysed and used to create a complete customer profile, and to provide customised products and solutions. Canyon is also able to track customer enquiries in online shops, social networks, and promptly respond to force majeure, and analyse feedback.

In addition, self-service is the most convenient way of support for the younger generation – they look for solutions to their queries either through search engines or on the brand's website before contacting the support team for advice. That's why Canyon has created a User Portal on its website containing a FAQ, warranty policy and a map of service centres, device drivers and manuals, as well as compliance certificates.

From modern technology to empathy

Canyon notes that the brands' customer services have transformed over the past 15 years from a simple call centre to a unified service model.

"Digital technology is increasingly penetrating our lives. There is a growing proportion of consumers who are more comfortable communicating in a support chat or asking questions to a virtual assistant. In response to their wishes, we reach out where they prefer and speak to them in the same language. Channels of communication with clients are constantly developing, but the main priorities of our support team remain the same – attention to each client, striving to solve any issue as quickly and as completely as possible," comments Tatiana Domme, Customer Care Director of Canyon Accessories.

The support team now works using an omnichannel model where customers can contact us in the way they prefer (email, feedback form, live chat on the website or virtual assistant).

Internal surveys reveal that 99 per cent of issues are resolved on the first line without passing the query on to another employee. According to the CIS (customer satisfaction index), more than 95 per cent of customers are satisfied with the support service.

However, digitalisation on its own is not enough, says Tatiana Domme. The human factor remains an important element, according to her, and integration of any technology will not be successful without qualified employees, while corporate culture is directly reflected in the format of communication.

"A happy client is equal to a happy employee. This formula hasn't been new for a long time, but it works. It is impossible to develop a good customer approach unless the employees have a built-in atmosphere. It's not just about our support team, it's about our entire Canyon corporate culture. For us, one of our top priorities, at a strategic level, is the customer loyalty, the level of their satisfaction and engagement. That's why there is a huge emphasis on service."