We believe Tenants want to talk differently

I’m sure you’ve spotted them. Walking slowly around town, in shopping centres, university campuses and summertime gatherings — those packs of people with their heads down and eyes glued to their smartphones. Even in groups, rarely do they make eye contact or talk about anything other than what that person is wearing on instagram, or to check out a viral video. They might even be sending a WhatsApp to someone nearby… Whether you like it or not, this is a very real reality, and this millennial generation will prove to be the most influential, distracted and fastidious demographic in history when it comes to tech. Businesses in particular, need to realise this if they are to prosper.

What does the millennial generation mean for technology makers? In a nutshell, it means that interactive technologies, from smartphones to websites to mobile apps to SaaS apps, need to provide the most usable, self-guided, hiccup-free, efficient user experiences in history. Contrary to the belief that millennials can make anything work, their expectations for slick user experiences are the highest ever. Although millennials can often figure out how to use an app or site that is clunky, they probably won’t take the time to do so. They are experts at finding alternatives and they simply won’t put up with bad user experiences that get in the way of accomplishing their tasks NOW. It is no coincidence that Apple evokes the strongest overall brand loyalty for this demographic. Apple products thrive on fluid user experiences that allow millennials to accomplish their goals with ease.

What does this millennial generation mean for us technology builders? The belief that millennials can make anything work is inaccurate, as expectations for frictionless user experiences are higher than ever. Interactive technologies, such as ours, need to be highly usable, efficient, and self-guided in order to cater for this behaviour. User Experience is everything. It is not a question as to whether or not they can use clunky technology, but more a fact that they won’t take the time to bother trying. They are masters of finding alternatives, and simply won’t put up with bad user experiences getting in the way of them achieving something instantly.

Instant gratification is the need to experience fulfilment without any sort of delay or wait. Waiting can be really hard, and when millennial’s don’t get what they want, the psychological reaction is anxiety. To capitalise on this desire, businesses are embracing consumer anxiety, offering same-day delivery services, eliminating the need to wait for a taxi and providing the ability to stream full seasons of TV shows within seconds.

This brings me to communication. Millennials won’t hang around long if they don’t find what they need. 55% of millennials expect a response to a query within 10 mins. Their commitment to Social Media extends into brand engagement, with social media having become a vital customer service channel in recent years. 47% of 18–34 year olds have used social media to complain about a brands service, meaning they will be a brands greatest advocate or worst critic in real time. Most of what causes millennials to refer to brands either positively or negatively in social media is centred on the online experience that brand offers the consumer. This is why great user experiences will pay for themselves many times, and why investing in creating an awesome user experience is so worthwhile.

This is why Tenants want, and will continue to want to talk differently with their property managers. Online forms and searching for phone numbers / emails to report issues within their properties is dead. Clogging up personal inboxes with property information and searching for documents is entirely inefficient. Responding to tenant queries with an automated email saying you will be in touch within 24–48 hours just doesn’t cut it anymore. Things need to change, and it starts with User Experience.

Here are things property management businesses should keep in mind to provide millennials with the technology experiences that they expect:

• Mobile is the platform of choice for the millennial generation.
• Less tolerance for poor user experiences means that the importance of creating great online experiences is higher than ever.
• Millennials generally prefer to be in control, so favour tech self-service solutions over assisted service; give millennials the power to resolve their own problems instantly.
• A Social Media ‘type’ of user experience is what they require

Although the millennial generation has a unique, evolving set of needs around interactive technologies, the ability to examine millennial behavior online gives companies the power to evolve with this crucial generation.

Tom Townsend

Co-Founder HeyLandlord