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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Customer service expectations vary by generation in some survey results, but there is no simple split between young people who want automation and older people who want only phone support. Across age groups, customers report using several channels, and human help remains important. The practical answer for businesses is to make self-service useful, offer a choice of ways to get help, and let customers move to an agent without having to start over.
What the surveys say about generational differences
The clearest differences appear in how customers say they may respond when self-service does not solve a problem, and in the likelihood of using particular channels afterward. These are survey tendencies—not reliable predictions about an individual customer.
Some younger respondents were more likely to say they might give up
In a Gartner survey of 6,138 customers conducted in December 2022, 38% of Gen Z and millennial respondents said they were likely to give up if they could not resolve an issue through self-service. Gartner reported the same response from 11% of baby boomers. In that survey, Gen X and boomers were more likely than younger respondents to contact an agent after self-service failed. The figures reflect the survey’s question and sample, not what every member of a generation will do. Gartner’s October 30, 2023 Q&A summarizes those findings.
Gartner’s Michael Rendelman described the pattern this way: “The biggest shift we’re seeing when it comes to Gen Z and millennials is a strong preference for self-service.” That statement is about a reported cohort tendency; it does not establish that younger customers prefer a bot to a person in every situation.
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Phone remains relevant across age groups
McKinsey’s May 2023 Customer Service Survey asked respondents who had already tried self-service how likely they were to use different channels. Reported likelihood of using live phone increased across the age groups, from 71% for Gen Z to 94% for baby boomers. But the result does not mean younger respondents reject phone support: a majority in every cohort said they were likely to use it.
Chat and messaging were broadly appealing in the same survey
Likelihood of using live chat or messaging after trying self-service was 74% among Gen Z, 82% among millennials, 81% among Gen X, and 76% among baby boomers. That relatively narrow range challenges the idea that digital support is only for younger customers.
Social media showed a sharper age gradient
In that same conditional question, reported likelihood of using social media for help was 57% for Gen Z, 59% for millennials, 34% for Gen X, and 19% for baby boomers. This is a more pronounced difference than the survey reported for chat or messaging. It still describes likely channel use after self-service—not an exclusive preference or a measure of how well a company resolves issues through social channels. McKinsey published the chart on April 12, 2024, reporting results from its May 2023 survey: The human touch at the center of customer care.
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Channel likelihood after self-service, by generation
McKinsey’s figures below answer a specific question: after trying self-service for an issue, how likely was the respondent to use each listed channel? Because customers could be likely to use more than one option, these percentages are not mutually exclusive preferences.
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| Channel | Gen Z | Millennials | Gen X | Baby boomers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live phone | 71% | 81% | 86% | 94% |
| Live chat or messaging | 74% | 82% | 81% | 76% |
| Social media | 57% | 59% | 34% | 19% |
| Within a reported range of 75%–87% across the four cohorts; cohort-specific values not stated in the cited chart summary | Within a reported range of 75%–87% across the four cohorts; cohort-specific values not stated in the cited chart summary | Within a reported range of 75%–87% across the four cohorts; cohort-specific values not stated in the cited chart summary | Within a reported range of 75%–87% across the four cohorts; cohort-specific values not stated in the cited chart summary |
Source: McKinsey’s May 2023 Customer Service Survey, published April 12, 2024. The published summary establishes that email likelihood ranged from 75% to 87% across cohorts but does not specify which cohort corresponds to each endpoint.
Why a smooth handoff matters more than guessing a customer’s age
Customers do not necessarily stay in one channel from the start of a problem to its resolution. Gartner reported that 88% of self-service journeys in its December 2022 survey touched multiple channels. That makes continuity a core part of service design: a customer who moves from an FAQ or automated flow to an agent should not have to repeat the issue or redo steps already completed.
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Gartner also reported that customers who experienced a seamless transition were 74% more likely to start with self-service the next time. This is an association reported by the survey, not proof that a smooth handoff alone caused the later choice. It nevertheless points to a practical design principle: self-service is easier to trust when customers can reach a person if it fails and carry their context with them. Gartner’s survey Q&A discusses both the cross-channel journeys and the reported association.
How to design service for a mixed-age customer base
Make self-service effective, not a barrier
Use help content and automated assistance for straightforward tasks, with clear steps and a way to recognize when the answer has not solved the customer’s problem. The Gartner result on younger respondents giving up is a warning against treating self-service completion as the only successful outcome. Customers who cannot resolve an issue need a visible next step.
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Offer real channel choice
Provide appropriate routes such as phone, email, live chat or messaging, and social support where the business can handle them well. McKinsey’s results show meaningful likelihood of using phone and chat across all four cohorts, while social media varied more. Do not infer that one channel is unwanted based only on age.
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Preserve context when customers switch channels
When a customer moves from self-service to an agent—or from one assisted channel to another—pass along the issue, relevant account or order details, and steps already taken. This reduces repeated effort and makes escalation a continuation of the same service journey rather than a restart.
Use customer signals instead of age stereotypes
Let customers choose how to contact support when possible. Use the channel they selected, their stated needs, and the nature or urgency of the issue to shape the interaction. Generational survey averages are useful for planning coverage; they are not a substitute for listening to the person asking for help.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to interpret generational customer-service research
These studies cannot be combined into a single trend line. Gartner’s findings come from a December 2022 survey of 6,138 customers, described in a Q&A published October 30, 2023. McKinsey’s channel chart reports its May 2023 Customer Service Survey and asks specifically about channel likelihood after self-service. Different field dates, samples, and question wording mean that a difference between two published percentages is not necessarily a change over time or a direct comparison between studies.
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Generation labels also depend on the study’s definitions. Salesforce’s February 2021 summary of its fourth State of the Connected Customer edition, based on more than 15,000 B2B and B2C customers, displays birth-year boundaries that overlap at 1965. There is no need to treat one set of cohort cutoffs as universal when comparing reported results.
Older figures should be treated as historical context rather than current channel prevalence. For example, Zendesk’s December 2018 release described an October 2018 online survey of 2,571 consumers in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany. It reported that 46% of Gen Z and 47% of millennials had used social media for customer service in the prior year, compared with 26% of Gen X and 7% of baby boomers. Those numbers document what respondents reported at that time; they should not be presented as today’s usage rates. Zendesk’s 2018 release gives the survey context.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do younger customers prefer chatbots over talking to a person?
The cited surveys do not establish that broad claim. Gartner found a strong self-service tendency among Gen Z and millennials, while McKinsey found substantial likelihood of using both phone and live chat or messaging after self-service across every cohort. Self-service interest should not be treated as a rejection of human assistance.
Do older customers use live chat or messaging for support?
Yes, the McKinsey May 2023 survey reported that 76% of baby boomers were likely to use live chat or messaging after trying self-service. That is a survey response, not a prediction about every older customer.
Which generation is most likely to use phone support?
In McKinsey’s May 2023 Customer Service Survey question about channels respondents might use after trying self-service, baby boomers had the highest reported likelihood of live phone use at 94%. The survey also found phone support was a likely option for 71% of Gen Z respondents.
Can a company use age to decide which support channel to offer?
Age-group findings can help with broad service planning, but they do not reliably identify an individual’s preference. Offer suitable channel choices and make it possible to move to an agent with the issue context intact.
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