Focusing on Gen Z customers has been all that shopping has done for the past few years.
For the next few years, the focus will likely shift to Gen Alpha, a group of consumers whose numbers are expected to reach 2.2 billion this year, according to a Razorfish report that compares the attitudes and behaviors of Alphas to those of Gen Z and gives retailers ideas on how to reach this new generation of shoppers.
Gen Z was the first generation to grow up with technology, while Alphas are the digital experts who are always on the cutting edge of new technology.
This is what the Razorfish study says about the numbers:
More than 40% of Alphas have used a computer before they turned 6.
By the time they turn 7 years old, more than half are using video game consoles.
63% of Alphas value having the newest technology, but only 31% of Gen Z does.
In a statement about the results, Josh Campo, CEO of Razorfish, said, “Alphas are mature beyond their years, and their tech skills have largely contributed to their access to information.” “Their favorite brands are more aligned with their parents than the children and teens of generations past, and more than half of them first hear about these brands through digital channels.”
Alphas are not just younger Gen Zs. This is the most important thing for stores and brands to remember. They’re more Gen Z than Gen Z, at a younger age.
A senior vice president at iQmetrix named Jason Raymer was interviewed by RetailCustomerExperience via email to learn more about how Generation Alpha affects a smooth customer journey and conversational engagement, as well as how retailers can make a digital-first CX strategy for Alphas. The company is focused on providing rewarding experiences for telecom retailers and customers.
Do you know who or what a Gen Alpha is?
A. The second group of kids born to Millennial parents is called Generation Alpha. These children are born after 2010 and are still being born, so the oldest of them are 13. So, these are the next group of teens who are starting to use smart gadgets. Soon, many of them will be old enough to buy their own. Even those who are not yet old to make the purchase will have strong opinions about what they want. Telecom retailers need to start understanding this consumer demographic now to be ahead of the purchasing trends that are coming.
Q: What makes Gen Alpha different from other customer groups, like Gen Z, in the retail telecom sector?
A. Gen Alpha is the first generation to be born with the mobile device in their hand during developmental years. This has created a generation that views knowledge as a commodity, as it’s always at their fingertips and used accordingly. This creates savvy shoppers that will require retailers to offer hybrid shopping channels that can offer a customer journey that is completely frictionless and seamlessly integrated, no matter which purchasing channel you’re in.
In what ways does the retail telecom sector, or any retail sector, need to know about Gen Alpha customers?
A. Gen Alphas were never faced with vintage networks that required patience and understanding of slow internet browsing. These networks let carriers and their stores use the quality, availability, and range of networks to set themselves apart from older generations in the marketing materials they sent to them. In 2023, all consumers in North America will have the same carrier networks. This means that coverage will no longer be a factor in Gen Alpahs’ decisions about what to buy. Because of this, new value ideas need to be made and used in hiring tactics.
How can stores start to meet the wants of Gen Alpha right now?
A. Create and establish transformation efforts now that will be — or already are — table stakes, such as:
Offering ease of tap payments through wireless terminals.
Customers will be able to quickly find and get the information they need to buy thanks to digital signs that can be changed from one place.
Inventory and promotional offer availability that is across all forms of distribution to best accommodate the hybrid shopping experience.
Fully integrated and seamless hybrid shopping channels.
Q. What do Gen Alphas want in the telecom retail experience — and what don’t they want?
A. Gen Alphas are more linked than any other generation, but they don’t trust themselves enough to handle everyday relationships with other people. This will require retailers to have better personalization in offers while using mediums that are viewed favorably. Gen Alphas will want to be able to find their way around stores on their own, with quick access to important information like plan prices, financial offers, and the availability of these deals, without having to have a salesperson explain it to them, which is something that other generations are used to. In telecom, we need to make the complicated really easy to understand. Those who are slow to adapt will pay the price when Gen Alphas drop their parents’ plans and pick their own companies and devices.