Five Generations in the Workplace
2020
Have you ever wondered who you’re talking to?
2015
When that call comes in, do you know who you’re talking to?
That’s a good question, right? It could be anyone from your grandfather, your mother, and in some cases,
your great-grandmother. How you communicate with them has a huge impact on the overall customer
2010
experience.
Below you can find a quick guide with insights on the four main generational groups you talk to everyday,
that will help you understand their key differences and how to address each group on the phone.
Traditionalist baby boomer
Born 1900-1945 Born 1946-1964
2005
MILLENNIALS
Born 1965-1980
0%
20%
40%
60%
Born 1981-2000
Gen 2020
Millennials
Gen X
Baby Boomers
Traditionalists
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections
Looking at the overall workforce today, Millennials make up the largest group of workers based on the Bureau of
Labor Statistics Employment Projections. Currently in Greenville, our entire staff is made up of 76% Millennials, with
Generation X making up only 17%. Wow, that’s huge! And according to the International Labour Organization (ILO),
by 2025 Millennials will comprise Three-Quarters of the Global Workforce.
Rotary Dial Phone
Current
Age 117 - 72
Other
Names Veterans, Silent,
Radio babies.
Famous
People Famous
Bob Dole,
Elizabeth Taylor. People
Core
Values Adhere to rules.
Conformers.
Patience.
Technology
Preferred
Communication
16
Personal Computer
Adapted
Their preferred
mode of
communication
is face-to-face.
Connections
Current
Age
Other
Names
Core
Values
Technology
Preferred
Communication
71 - 53
Internet / Mobile Phone
Current
Age
52 - 37
Social Everything
(Google, FB) / Tablets,
Smart Phones
Other
Names Gen Y,
Generation Next,
Echo Boomers. that next time you get a Traditionalist on the phone and understand that they would much rather be face to face
Each phone call is going to be a challenge, because the person on the other line needs your help with something
Famous
People Barack Obama, Famous
Jennifer Lopez. People Ashton Kutcher,
Serena Williams.
Equal Rights.
Involvement.
Optimism. Core
Values Balance.
Core
Diversity.
Values
Entrepreneurial. Achievement.
Avid Consumers.
Confidence.
This group
also prefers
face-to-face
communication.
Assimilated
Generally
Technology
Integral
Preferred
Preferred
comfortable
Communication with web-based Communication
communication.
parent or grandparent ever asked you to set up their television or mobile phone? If so, think about how you help
them through this process. Chances are, you don’t get aggravated and rude, after all, this is your family. Remember
Bill Clinton,
Meryl Streep.
Technology
group is, for the most part, not at all tech savvy, so it’s going to be important for an agent to have patience. Has your
36 - 17 Names
Acquired
or grandfather. Put this in to perspective, Traditionalists is the oldest generation and most likely grandparents. This
Current
Age Gen X, Xers,
The Doer, Post
Boomers.
“Me” Generation. Other
So, who is calling you? When speaking to agents, most often they comment that they usually talk to their grandmother
This group
communicates
through social
media
CHRISTMAS EDITION
with you instead of on the phone.
that you see as a very simple task, but to them is a big deal. As an agent, I had a customer that was so upset because
she lost all her television channels (not connected to cable). To me, this was an easy fix, so I ran her through an
auto-program which brought back all her channels. To this customer, I had just performed a miracle, she couldn’t
stop thanking me. Why am I telling you this? Well, because instead of getting frustrated that she couldn’t do a
simple auto-program, I took the time to walk her through it step by step and took her from total frustration to total
satisfaction. Our job as call center representatives, is to answer the phone and provide Insanely Great Customer
Service to everyone that calls us. Let’s just pay attention to who it is that we’re talking to.
CHRISTMAS EDITION
Connections 17