Don’t ignore the next generation

Disparity between generations is nothing new. While you and I learned from our parents, we certainly don’t do things exactly the same way. Outside circumstances like the economy, product innovations and societal norms continually shape and change a person’s perspective. While there will always be differences, it’s important to still take time to understand the variety of age groups you interact with. (Of course, the street goes both ways.)

Which means, if you haven’t already, it’s about time to pay attention to millennials.

According to Pew Research, 53.5 million millennials make up the U.S. Labor Force; or, one in every three Americans today is between the ages of 18 and 34. That’s roughly one third of the American population, and it’s growing.

What kind of affect will this have on our industry? We’ve already seen the start of this transition.

Native technology users, millennials have grown up with computers, tablets and smartphones. Some members of this generation weren’t even around at the advent of the Internet. Typing and texting have become second nature, as well as navigating anything involving screens.

They’ve embraced technology and shifted the idea of how people communicate, which translates to all aspects of our world – including the technology of a vehicle, and the tools used to fix it. (Think shop scan tools. I bet your younger techs have an innate ability to figure out some features of those scanners that older guys wouldn’t even begin to understand.)

More than any other generation, millennials have opted to wait until they’re 18, or older, to get a driver’s license. Many younger folks live in urban areas and can utilize public transportation, or request a pick-up through smartphone apps like Uber or Lyft. They don’t have the same interest in the inner workings and mechanics of a vehicle. It’s not a symbol of freedom so much as a hassle to maintain, and an extra bill to pay. 

In response, vehicle manufacturers have begun to focus on implementing tech-savvy features like infotainment systems that sync up a smartphone to the vehicle and safety features like parking assistance and lane departure systems.

It’s no longer necessary for consumers to know when and how to change the oil, check the tires, change the spark plugs – the vehicle tells them. On top of that, look at the boom in telematics, vehicle data and the move toward autonomous vehicles.

And this connectivity is what really drives this generation compared to the ones before it.

Millennials are the future (or newest) technicians in your shop; the engineers of vehicles, tools and equipment; the next-generation of distributors that are selling tools to you and your staff; and the customers that are going to walk into your shop and need their vehicles serviced at some point.