Q You have spoken a lot about generational differences and how they affect our world, can you expand on that?
A We exist at a unique moment in history where for the first time ever we are seeing four distinct generations around the world and each generation has its experiences that have shaped us in terms of preferences. What we do is study these issues, look at the major trends that are shaping those so that we can help organisations like the FIA learn how to better make informed decisions.

Q You’re here at the FIA Mobility Conference, how are these ideas relevant to clubs around the world?
A The relevance is hard to overstate actually. What we’re seeing happen is this huge divide between the Millennials or Gen-Y generation and older generations as a result of technology, economics and a bunch of other trends. What’s happening is the way this young, growing generation is preferring to interact so the way to engage them as members of clubs is totally different to any other generation. A lot of fear exists in clubs that this generation just wouldn’t be interested in being a part. [This is] not true, but if you don’t understand exactly how to engage and interact, then you end up being in a position where although you could get us as members, it’s not going to happen.

Q What advice would you give to clubs to engage younger audiences?
A There are several strategies that we recommend. The first one is recognition that Millennials view themselves as unique. It’s critical for clubs to adopt the phrase when it comes to marketing and any type of engagement that millennials are as ‘unique as you are’. If you make us feel like a number, we’re out. The other big one is understanding how technology has made us outcome driven. If you want us to work with you or become customers or members, don’t put in a bunch of steps or a bunch of words that we don’t have the attention span for. So it’s about how simple can you make the experience. And the simpler you make it, the more likely we’re going to not only work with you, but then share with everybody how great an experience we’ve had.

Q You’ve pointed out that young people are hitting milestones later in life, for instance owning cars at a later age, so how can the automotive world adapt to that?
A Millennials have this delayed adulthood experience and we need to recognise it for what it is. That every major marker, the age we graduate from school to the age we enter into the workforce, have our first marriage, house, kids, all of these things are happening later than ever before. But it’s still happening and the fear and anxiety from older generations that we’re never going to get a car, we’re never going to do these things, are just not true. Things are not happening at the same time as others, but what makes this particularly interesting is recognition that in the past if you didn’t get a 23-year-old to be a member of a club, that’s a problem. Well now, that’s fine. Just understand that they’re now 28 and this is the moment that you really need to be looking at them.

Q What kind of tools can organisations use to target new generations?
A You need to be on the platforms that they are on. Millenials have an expectation that organisations are going to be on social media in some regard. That is important, we expect an integrated experience from a simple mobile app that makes it easy for us to access social media channels. Also realise that old school ways, such as phone calls, that’s an invasion of privacy. We don’t want to get on the phone, so be in the places that we’re going to be and you’ll have far less problems connecting to us. This is an important moment for automobile clubs. On the one hand, the customer base they’ve had is shrinking in terms of baby boomers as the majority buyer to Gen-Y. On the one-hand that can cause a lot of fear and uncertainty because change is difficult, but understand that on the other hand it’s actually a wonderful opportunity. That the things that clubs are providing are desperately needed and wanted by Gen-Y, as long as you do some of the basics in terms of engaging. Don’t have the fears that Millennials have no interest in being a member of the club, or have no interest in actually having someone that can help them whenever they need it. It’s quite the opposite, you just have to be committed to being willing to make some changes if you want to be successful in moving forward.