Generational Engagement

Life changes before our eyes and it is up to us to take note and look around.  If we do not have the time to look around and surround ourselves with the young and vibrant, we MUST force ourselves to carve out these moments in time to learn and understand what the next generation wants.  If not, well the answer is simple the unimaginable will happen and we are out of business.  It is inevitable what has worked for two or so decades will somehow cease to be successful.  Spending habits change because the holder of the wallet changes both physically and psychologically.

A Snapshot of who we are dealing with today

The Millennial was born somewhere between 1980 and the year 2000.  There are definitely some differences on the exact dates but this will definitely suffice for this article today.  Millennials grew up in an electronics-filled and increasingly online and socially-networked world. They are the generation that has received the most marketing attention. As the most ethnically diverse generation, Millennials tend to be tolerant of difference. Having been raised under the mantra "follow your dreams" and being told they were special, they tend to be confident. While largely a positive trait, the Millennial generation’s confidence has been argued to spill over into the realms of entitlement and narcissism. 

One reported result of Millennial optimism is entering into adulthood with unrealistic expectations, which sometimes leads to disillusionment. Many early Millennials went through post-secondary education only to find themselves underemployed and job hopping more frequently than previous generations. Their expectations may have resulted from the very encouraging, involved and almost ever-present group of parents that became known as "helicopter" parents.

Millennial factoids

• 50 percent of Millennials consider themselves politically unaffiliated.
• 29 percent consider themselves religiously unaffiliated.
• They have the highest average number of Facebook friends, with an average of 250 friends vs. Generations X's 200.
• 55 percent have posted a selfie or more to social media sites versus 20 percent of Generation X.
• They send a median of 50 texts a day.
• As of 2012, only 19 percent of Millennials said that, generally, others can be trusted.
• There are about 76 million Millennials in the United States (based on research using the years 1978-2000).
• Millennials are the last generation born in the 20th century.
• Twenty percent have at least one immigrant parent.

Millennials have grown up with computers, the Internet and the graphical user interface (GUI). This familiarity makes them adept at understanding interfaces and visual languages. They tend to adjust readily to new programs, operating systems and devices and to perform computer-based tasks more quickly than older generations. Although it’s been proven that constantly multi-tasking is not usually an effective way to work, Millennials may be the employees that are most likely to pull it off.

Millennials can also be very dependent on the Internet in learning how to do things. When their computers or devices don’t work they often need some form of assistance to troubleshoot and correct these issues without the aid of the Internet. In contrast, the technically-inclined members of Generation X may have started when electronics were hobby kits.  That starting point often meant Generation X has a deeper understanding of programming and hardware issues altogether.

Millennials are definitely concerned about social justice, and refuse to support institutions in conflict with social and economic equality.  As such, they are exerting their influence on the world around them, as all prior generations have done.

How does all of this impact our business TODAY?

Through many different studies it has become obvious this group likes to travel and spend money on EXPERIENCES rather than materialistic items.  Even though the numbers are not here yet to support it, within the next five to ten years the Millennials will become the majority opening their wallets to feed our hungry economy.  In fact according to a study by Deloitte it shows that by 2025 approximately 75% of the overall workforce will be occupied by this Generation Y.  Hotels all over the world are competing NOW for their business in order to be the first to win their trust.

Because the Millennials are so active and have a loud voice on Social Media, this relatively small population of only 8 Million (according to the US Census) is being heard by some of the behemoths in the hospitality industry.  Here are some examples of how conformity is and will be the only way to survive and thrive in a new Generational world without having to deal with the proverbial "Gap".

• Upgraded high speed connectivity at no additional cost
• Utilizing the Generation's preferred channels of communication - such as Tweets, Texting, Social Media and other platforms.  Need extra towels?  Sure just text us.  Check in even before you arrive from your smart phone.  Virtual concierges instead of more waiting in lines and personal interaction.
• Employing a Social Media Managers to manage all of the on-line chatter and maintain customer loyalty by customizing their interaction with you.  How about providing an app. like Hello Tel (hellotelapp.com) where guests can interact with fellow travelers staying on property as well as hotel management.
• Millennials do not like standing in line and despise the traditional hotel lobby. Therefore many hotels have looked for sleeker designs creating more communal spaces where travelers are able to collaborate.  Certain hotels have successfully experimented with creating floors where guests can hang out and socialize.  For example the Hotel Irvine recently turned first floor into an interactive social center eliminating the traditional lobby, with a front desk, bar, restaurant and lounge. "We've integrated all those areas and transformed the hotel so all those spaces work together," explained Ralph Grippo, president of The Irvine Company Resort Properties. This created a more communal space, the hotel also added a 9-foot TV, high-speed Internet and even a signature scent to provide a sense of place.
• A different look at room service.  Many hotels are taking the "brown bag" approach.  Instead of receiving a tray, you get a brown paper bag outside your door at the time you requested; there's no need to fumble for your robe or tip money!
• Although Millennial like to spend their money they are also cost conscious at the same time.  They do not like spending extra money on resort fees for additional amenities.  Water programs are vital and should come in an environmentally friendly package.  Mini bars are out!  Several companies are looking at set snacks made available to the guests at no additional charge and can be gotten at the "market place" in one of the communal areas of the hotel.  For example the Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort inn Aruba provides guests with an air dehumidifier, air purifier, cellphone charger, microwave, mini-fridge and a complimentary iPad during their stays.  Then there are more specific life style concepts like the HRC Hotel touting the "Sound of your Stay" program.  With this the traveler is allowed to rent (of course at no additional charge) a Fender electrical guitar during their stay along with  professional music gear to customize their experience.
• Health and exercise are important to millennials, and both chain and boutique hotels have taken notice, upping the ante on their fitness programs and facilities. Many properties offer house bikes that guests may borrow to explore the area, while other brands, such as Kimpton, provide yoga mats in every room.

Making Millennials happy means rethinking and retooling traditional processes and procedures, but it's likely to pay off for hotels that make the time to look around and learn what the new Generation expects.

Winning their loyalty and their referrals means you got it right.

Conformity is the last refuge of the unimaginable.