Christmas Past: Traditions and Memories That Have Shaped the Season

It’s that time of year, and we’re getting into the holiday spirit! We’ve collected some fond memories and traditions from members of the Ellis family to share with you this Christmas season.

“Christmas past, you ask? The stockings for our boys were filled every day until Christmas, starting December 1.  We had purchased all kinds of odds and ends throughout the year and wrapped them without trying to disguise them.  To this day, I remember them dashing in from school to pour out the contents of their stockings to see what was new and see if they could guess what was in it.  It is a tradition they remember to this day and talk about how much fun it was… and they are both in their 40s now.”

“At Christmas time growing up, my family would drive around and look at Christmas lights together on Christmas Eve. My favorite Christmas song has always been Silent Night. Another tradition that I grew up with was opening one present on Christmas Eve from an out of town family member. “

“A Christmas tradition in my family was started because my mother’s birthday was on Christmas Day. We had a party at our house the evening of Christmas Day. The concept of the party was a simple get together of friends and family in a very relaxed atmosphere and a chance to unwind at the end of a very hectic day. First of all, no one had to RSVP to the invitation, all guests were told to come dressed as comfortably as they wanted and to not bring any type of food or drink – just show up and bring any family members they had visiting for the holidays. Guests were welcomed back every year as it was an open annual invitation. The whole idea was to have a relaxed, evening of visiting and sharing how the day had gone and to just enjoy a chance to unwind but still continue the joy and excitement of Christmas Day.”

“Every year since I was a young child, our tradition has been to make gumbo on Christmas Eve and go to midnight mass.  I remember as a little girl being in a play.  I was a singer and dancer who danced around Frosty the Snowman.  My little sister was Baby Jesus… she fell asleep in the manger! One of the best gifts I received was a blue and white bike that had monkey bars and a banana seat!  I was so excited because my Dad had picked it out just for me!”

“Decorating our Christmas tree every year always had us reminiscing, pulling out baby booties, silver baby cups,  and all the macaroni art the children made in their younger years… including all the ornaments from our loved ones who were no longer with us.”

“As a little girl, and being the youngest by far in a big family, Christmas was a big deal for me. I have very fond memories of gifts, decorations, and our family getting together to celebrate this one special day each year. As a teen, I became involved in the church, and for four years was the lead in our annual Christmas musical. Those were the best Christmases – feeling special and receiving a lot of gifts. Seeing my family close when we all lived so far apart was a blessing. It was always an anticipated time of year.”

“Last Christmas we took a trip on the Polar Express all dressed in pajamas to visit Santa.  To add an extra special touch, I made the kids gold Polar Express train tickets that had “Believe” punched out just like in the movie.  The kids were so excited that Santa sent them special tickets they still have them hanging in their rooms.”

“I remember before Christmas I always bugged my parents to let me open a present early. One year they finally caved in and let me open a present, except their stipulation was they got to pick out which one. I was so excited to open a present, but I was one of those kids who took my time and peeled back every piece of tape individually being extra careful! I felt the present, trying to guess what it was. The anticipation was growing. Finally, when I had peeled each piece of tape and pulled back each flap of paper I found a pack of batteries. I looked at my parents as they chuckled. What torture! Now I had batteries that went to some other gift but I had to wait until the next morning to find out what it was. From then on, we had a tradition of opening one present on Christmas Eve. Good memories!”

“Every Christmas, my dad always had to watch Miracle on 34th street and listen to “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”. He would say it was not officially Christmas time until he heard that song.”

“I was born and raised in Indiana but call Texas my home.  My brothers and I built many snowmen and tunnels and used our sled ever year!”

“Our family started making a gingerbread house every Christmas when our children were very young.  When our son was just a toddler, we would laugh as we watched the gingerbread house “decay” throughout the Christmas season. Every time he toddled by, he would slip a piece of candy off of the house and into his mouth.  By the end of the season, the house was quite plain, just covered in white icing with holes where the candy decorations had been.”

“Christmas time at Ellis has always been a treat, but one particular year will always stick out in my mind. Our management team was treated to a spectacular trip to New York City, which during the holiday season was amazing especially for those of us who were there for the first time. We had a great time with fabulous meals, limo rides, late night New York pizza, a Christmas Rockettes show, a Today Show visit, Rockefeller Plaza, Times Square, shopping all over NYC and then a snowstorm to top it all off! To see New York City decked out for Christmas truly was a treat!”

What memories do you hold dear from Christmases past? We would love to hear your stories!

Seek To Understand Part IV: Generation Y

Understanding the differences between our generations is a core building block to a successful multigenerational workplace. Each generation has unique life and socioeconomic experiences that have molded their values, beliefs, preferences, and expectations and impacted who they are as a group.

Generation Y: Born 1978-1995

Generation Y, also referred to as Millenials, has been dubbed by some as the ‘Echo Boomers’, due to the significant increase in birth rates through the 1980s and 1990s, and because many of them are children of Baby Boomers. Gen Y numbers around 80 million members. They are often more loyal to their peers than to their employer. Teamwork is important to them. They work because they want to make a contribution. When it comes to rules, they create their own. If you thought Generation X pushed the envelope of tradition, you haven’t seen anything yet! Growing up parcel to a “no-one-left-behind” generation, Gen Y is loyal, committed and wants to be included and involved.

Common Characteristics

Socially engaged

Technologically savvy

Creative

Achievement-oriented

Collaborative

Attention-seeker

Family-centric

Respectful

Multi-tasking

Generation Y grew up in a media-obsessed and technology-frenzied environment.  Their parents were optimistic Baby Boomers, who built an idealistic, empowering, and positive culture surrounding them as youths. They grew up in diversity and think of it as a natural occurrence, and their cell phones, laptops, and iPods are an extension of their being.  Classified as a “hero” type generation, Gen Y’ers are heavily dependent on team work, but as adults will emerge as compelling, resolute leaders. Often chided as narcissistic or self-entitled, Generation Y is civic- and socially- minded and many volunteer where they see a need and where they feel they can make a worthy contribution. Generation Y, never really “rebelled” against their parents, unlike previous generations, often enjoying the same movies and music, and holding their parents up as their very real and highly respected heroes.

Notable Generation Y Members

Chelsea Clinton

Britney Spears

LeBron James

Lindsey Lohan

Macaulay Culkin

Prince William

Christina Aguilera

Elijah Wood

We don’t have much historical evidence on Generation Y in the workplace, as their presence is only now burgeoning on the scene. Having grown up in an environment of multi-tasking, Gen Y doesn’t think twice about holding down multiple jobs at once, even in diverse fields.  Generation Y have been referred to as “Trophy Kids”, reflecting the trend in team sports during their youth where participation was rewarded in lieu of actual achievement. “Everyone is a winner!” This is not, however, the current corporate mentality. Studies predict Gen Y will switch jobs frequently and expect benefits immediately from new employers that historically are tenure-based. This generation prefers to communicate through email and text messaging rather than face-to-face which has weakened their interpersonal skill set to an extent.

Gen Y, unlike earlier generations entering the workforce, is being met with three older generations of workers as well, creating quite a conundrum for managers. In the coming years, however, the majority of the workforce will be comprised of Generation Y – we can only imagine what they will ultimately expect and come to command as part of such an influential conglomerate.

Seek To Understand Part III: Generation X

Understanding the differences between our generations is a core building block to a successful multigenerational workplace. Each generation has unique life and socioeconomic experiences that have molded their values, beliefs, preferences, and expectations and impacted who they are as a group.

Generation X: Born 1965-1977

Sometimes referred to as the MTV Generation, Generation X (or Gen X) was born after the baby boom ended. Often the children of two working parents, they spent much time alone at home and were forced to grow up quickly. Rather than follow the rules or challenge the rules, they like to change the rules entirely. They enjoy a life outside of work. It is widely accepted that Generation X was so named because they felt alienated by or disengaged with their cultural surroundings and thus were a “lost” generation. They did not know where they belonged, but they knew they were not their parents!

Common Characteristics

Skeptical

Direct

Self-reliant

Impatient

Value work-life balance

Goal-oriented

Hardworking

Recognition-seeker

Instant gratification

Generation X consist of approximately 51 million people, marginally greater than half the size of the Baby Boomer generation that preceded them. This generation was first to experience the personal computer, cable TV and VCR as part of their youth culture.  As a result, Gen Xers are technologically savvy but they were exposed to things like violence, AIDS, and drug abuse at an impressionable age. Generation watched their parents question their government, military, and corporate America, while they watched their own families disintegrate as their parents focused all their energy on their jobs. But Generation X is self-sufficient; a latchkey child whose parents were pursuing personal ambitions while it was forging its own unguided path into adulthood.

Notable Generation X Members

Lance Armstrong

Nicholas Cage

Charlie Sheen

JK Rowling

Michael Jordan

Angelina Jolie

Eminem

Halle Berry

In the workplace Gen Xers aren’t married to any job or employer, focusing on their individual skill sets to maintain a level of attraction to any potential employer who might show interest.  Generation X wants balance and flexibility in the workplace – they have children and a life to live and work is only a necessary means to that end. Growing up, they watched while their workaholic parents sunk their hearts and souls into a corporation and position they believed in and trusted, only to lose it all. As a result, Gen X will change jobs to get ahead if that’s what it takes. They’re as much chameleons in a work environment as they are in their personal lives, adapting extremely well to change. Generation X is ambitious!

Yes, they desire challenges and new responsibilities to keep things exciting, but they expect to accomplish tasks on their own terms without being micro-managed.

Seek To Understand Part II: The Baby Boomer Generation

Understanding the differences between our generations is a core building block to a successful multigenerational workplace. Each generation has unique life and socioeconomic experiences that have molded their values, beliefs, preferences, and expectations and impacted who they are as a group.

Baby Boomers: Born 1946-1964

This generation was born during the post-World War II baby boom and numbers about 78 million strong. While their parents unwaveringly adhered to rules, Baby Boomers are not afraid to challenge rules when necessary. Work is their life, however, and they are willing to keep the same job for many years.

Common Characteristics

Optimistic

Systems-oriented

Independent

Work-centric

Question Authority

Competitive

Socially Conscious

Idealistic

Resourceful

The Baby Boomer generation has had a tremendous impact on our social, cultural and economic scene. They are right now the largest economic group in the US. Baby Boomers are very well educated and quite affluent as a group. Not surprisingly, they are the generation who is reading our newspapers, keeping up with current affairs socially, politically, and economically, but believe it or not are also the generation who is watching more TV than any other. Boomers have money and they like to spend it!

Although the Baby Boomer generation name was derived from the overwhelming number of births during the timeframe attributed to their generation, they also grew up when the US economy was ‘booming’ right along with them and their collective voice ‘boomed’ as they rallied in support of social change and the human rights movement. This generation grew up wealthier and had an abundance of opportunities. They lived in a world distanced from financial worry. Growing up in an era of reform, Boomers tend to believe they can “change the world”, and they often try.

Notable Baby Boomer Generation Members

Ronald Reagan

David Letterman

Madonna

Tom Hanks

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Bill Gates

Bill Clinton

Bruce Springsteen

In the workplace Baby Boomers desire to have a worthwhile career and are defined by their job. They are many times said to “live to work” in contrast to the generation who followed them (Gen X) who is said to “work to live”. They use their resourcefulness and individualistic natures to pull ahead of the pack and strive for the “win”. They believe in a system of hierarchy at the office, and they don’t adapt well to current trends like the flexibility of working from home. This often leads to discord between Boomers and younger generations in the same office. Boomers are at the point now where they are done with the corporate “ladder climbing” and are happily running many of your companies. Most are set to retire soon. However, a number of the Baby Boomer generation are business owners, their personal identities tied so closely to their life’s work, that they may in fact never truly retire.

Seek To Understand Part I: The Traditionalist Generation

Understanding the differences between our generations is a core building block to a successful multigenerational workplace. Each generation has unique life and socioeconomic experiences that have molded their values, beliefs, preferences, and expectations and impacted who they are as a group.

Traditionalists: Born before 1946

Generally recognized as the children of the Great Depression, Traditionalists have great respect for authority, they strictly abide by the rules, and they want to be respected for their historical knowledge of their chosen industry. They are civic-duty minded and committed to hard work; over 50% of the men in this generation served in the military. This generation was comprise of about 50 million members, fewer in number than their predecessor and the aptly named successive generation of Baby Boomers.

Common Characteristics

Loyal

Respect Authority

Dedicated

Obedient

Take Direction

Leadership

Rule-follower

Respect Seniority

Team Player

The Traditionalist generation has also been labeled the “Silent Generation”. This generation was obedient; they grew up in with the ideology that children should be seen but not heard. They did not question authority, as it was a seen as a sign of disrespect. However, this label is seen as a misnomer by many, as the Traditionalist generation brought us leaders in civil and women’s rights, and many artists and writers who have changed the face of the arts.  Many great inventions and innovation came about, as this generation took advantage of more higher education available to them than the prior generation.

Notable Traditionalist Generation Members

Marilyn Monroe

Martin Luther King Jr.

Elvis Presley

John Lennon

Gloria Steinem

Clint Eastwood

Robert F Kennedy

Quincy Jones

In the workplace Traditionalists often built a lifetime career with one employer. They wanted to make their mark, build a lasting contribution, feel like what they accomplished had a lasting impact. As technology became prevalent over the years, it was this generation who took it the hardest – being less adept at technology, it was difficult for them to change their work habits. That being said, teamwork was a strong point for the Traditionalist, and they did not promote conflict in the workplace. Over 90% of Traditionalists are retired today.

Mystery Shopping and Customer Loyalty

The mystery shopping report is long established as the objective tool for measuring performance of your onsite leasing personnel… BUT in giving you that glimpse into an interaction with a potential customer you can also see behaviors that contribute to engaging and building the kind of trusting relationship that leads to loyal customers as well.

If you have a shopping program in place or are interested in starting one, consider the following:

• Does the mystery shopping report allow for the shopper to comment openly on their experience rather than just answering a number of Yes/No questions?
• Do you utilize audio and video recordings to observe the interactions between the mystery shopper (AKA customer) and leasing professional?
• Are you asking the “right” type of questions about the customer interaction?  A successful sales approach includes technical and emotional components.  Do your questions gauge the level of engagement by the customer?   Do your questions identify if and how the relationship between a customer and leasing professional is unfolding?  What about the “technique”?  Are these “technique” questions direct and focused on ensuring the leasing professional is taking specific action as part of the sales presentation?

The sales approach is about balance – balance in the sense of directing and persuading the customer to do business with you while also establishing the beginning of what is hopefully a long term relationship.  Just think, if the customer does not enjoy their experience, connect with the leasing professional,  or understand the value of living at this community, you probably ALSO lost their recommendation to a friend or family member!

Should I ask a mystery shopper for this kind of feedback – or – should I ask a real customer?

The answer is BOTH!

 

Your real customers may be inclined to give you their brief feedback on a limited number of touch-points, provided they don’t feel their time is wasted. The best practice is to keep things SIMPLE for them if you want to elicit their buy-in, and hence their support, to provide you with valuable information about their experience.

 

With a mystery shopper, you don’t have to worry about those considerations. You are paying for this service, and the shopper must provide you with all the information you request. With a shopping report built to mirror your internal sales training, the shopper can address whether or not your onsite staff are delivering according to company protocol and expectations to your telephone, onsite, and even Internet customers.

 

When you ask the shopper to share their feedback and accept their perspective as you would the real customer– embracing the shopping report as an opportunity to improve – then you get not only a tool to measure against your established training program and company expectations, but you gain insight from an objective and non-emotional perspective.  While the shopping report captures a moment in time, it allows a deeper understanding of how the sales process is being delivered to potential customers.

For almost three decades, Ellis has been the premier mystery shopping company for the multifamily industry, offering an array of shopping products that can be customized to fit your specific needs, and providing you with training and other references to help you build the best onsite leasing team possible. We also offer a resident feedback program that goes far beyond traditional surveys – helping you understand who your customer is, where you can improve at the property level to increase the perceived value of those customers, and ultimately increase retention and profitability.

Ellis wants to be your partner in success!

Mystery Shopping and Customer Loyalty

The mystery shopping report is long established as the objective tool for measuring performance of your onsite leasing personnel… BUT in giving you that glimpse into an interaction with a potential customer you can also see behaviors that contribute to engaging and building the kind of trusting relationship that leads to loyal customers as well.

If you have a shopping program in place or are interested in starting one, consider the following:

– Does the mystery shopping report allow for the shopper to comment openly on their experience rather than just answering a number of Yes/No questions?
– Do you utilize audio and video recordings to observe the interactions between the mystery shopper (AKA customer) and leasing professional?
– Are you asking the “right” type of questions about the customer interaction? A successful sales approach includes technical and emotional components. Do your questions gauge the level of engagement by the customer? Do your questions identify if and how the relationship between a customer and leasing professional is unfolding? What about the “technique”? Are these “technique” questions direct and focused on ensuring the leasing professional is taking specific action as part of the sales presentation?

The sales approach is about balance – balance in the sense of directing and persuading the customer to do business with you while also establishing the beginning of what is hopefully a long term relationship. Just think, if the customer does not enjoy their experience, connect with the leasing professional, or understand the value of living at this community, you probably ALSO lost their recommendation to a friend or family member!

Should I ask a mystery shopper for this kind of feedback – or – should I ask a real customer? The answer is BOTH!

Your real customers may be inclined to give you their brief feedback on a limited number of touch-points, provided they don’t feel their time is wasted. The best practice is to keep things SIMPLE for them if you want to elicit their buy-in, and hence their support, to provide you with valuable information about their experience.

With a mystery shopper, you don’t have to worry about those considerations. You are paying for this service, and the shopper must provide you with all the information you request. With a shopping report built to mirror your internal sales training, the shopper can address whether or not your onsite staff are delivering according to company protocol and expectations to your telephone, onsite, and even Internet customers.

When you ask the shopper to share their feedback and accept their perspective as you would the real customer– embracing the shopping report as an opportunity to improve – then you get not only a tool to measure against your established training program and company expectations, but you gain insight from an objective and non-emotional perspective. While the shopping report captures a moment in time, it allows a deeper understanding of how the sales process is being delivered to potential customers.

For almost three decades, Ellis has been the premier mystery shopping company for the multifamily industry, offering an array of shopping products that can be customized to fit your specific needs, and providing you with training and other references to help you build the best onsite leasing team possible. We also offer a resident feedback program that goes far beyond traditional surveys – helping you understand who your customer is, where you can improve at the property level to increase the perceived value of those customers, and ultimately increase retention and profitability.

Ellis wants to be your partner in success!

The Evolution of the Customer: Today & in the Future

We survived the first decade of the new millenium. Today is a whole new world in comparison to life 20 or 30 years ago. We’ve examined the evolution of the customer from the 1980s, through the 90s, and into the 2000s… but what about today’s customer?

With the new era still in its infancy, it will be another decade or longer before we can even begin to encapsulate it with a name that bears meaning, but if you fall into the Baby Boomer or Gen Xer category, you better hold on to your seat!

Things are about to change pretty significantly and quickly as the Gen Ys (aka Millennials) – the largest age group ever – enter the workplace. They are only a marginally smaller percentage of the workforce than Baby Boomers today, but in 10 years they are projected to make up 50% as Boomers drop to a mere 20%.

There’s no way to know what events will transpire, what we will accomplish or how our needs as customers will change over this period and the in the coming years. But let’s take a look at what we know… and a few predictions (using the term loosely) for the 2010s and beyond!

Technology and Science

The iPad has become the best selling tech gadget in history. By March 2011, more than 2 billion people had used the Internet. Mobile phone apps have exploded in popularity; people in the United States now spend more time using apps than they use the web. Officially past the PC era, Android devices, iPads, and others rule the consumer electronics market. Ross Dawson, in “The top 10 trends for the 2010s: the most exciting decade in human history” puts forth some interesting points of consideration. Dawson highlights information overload, a shift to even deeper globalization of culture, the domestic implementation of robots, and a larger gap between those who embrace technology and those who do not. Peter Norvig of Google, says search engines will continue to advance in technology, resulting a world with even less digital privacy than today’s, offering voice-entry and the capability of reading your brain waves!

Music

The early 2010s have musically been dominated by a variety of styles and artists, as fewer artists become big enough to be internationally famous due to the decline of the music industry. In terms of popular music, the heavy use of Auto-Tune – a device that corrects pitch and disguises off-key inaccuracies and mistakes – has dramatically changed the landscape of the Top 40 charts.

The elephant in the room?

Anybody – talented or not – will be recording and producing their own music by the end of this decade

… and we will find them all over sites like YouTube. Will we even still be buying music in 2020?

Fashion & Style

The early 2010s, so far, have seen recycled fashions including – skinny jeans, leggings, legwarmers, western shirts, ‘nerdy’ glasses, and hi-top sneakers. Neon colors and military-look apparel have also been popular.

Film & Television

In 2010, Avatar became the first film to gross more than $2 billion in box office receipts worldwide, and Toy Story 3 became the first animated film to gross more than $1 billion worldwide. 3D technology is moving into our homes, and 4D is moving right into the theatres in its place!

Lifestyle

In 2010, Apple launched its first tablet computer, the iPad, and already multiple competing tablet computers are on the market. Mobile phone apps, introduced in the later 2000s, have exploded in popularity; people in the US now spend more time using apps than they use the web. Environmentalism continues to gain mainstream interest. Baby Boomers are reaching the age of retirement, which has resulted in debate over the Medicare and Social Security programs in the US. ‘Fast casual’ restaurants, such as Five Guys and Chipotle, continue to see an uptick in popularity as Americans stray further from the traditional fast food conglomerates.

Apartment Industry

Research, communication and paperwork related to leasing apartments continue to transition online, and many prospects will want to use a mobile device for all of these by the end of the decade. The first time a client will see a community in person will likely be on their move-in day! Even now, some communities are utilizing iPads when conducting tours. Marketing and customer service backgrounds are becoming increasingly important, as the leasing professional takes on the role of a concierge in many ways. Residents are more accepting of smaller spaces but are seeking out urban properties with access to public transportation and high-end amenities. They are increasingly environmentally conscious. Their time is limited and they expect you to be considerate of that. Ramping up services that are geared to saving time, such as door to door dry cleaning pick-up and valet trash service will prove vital.

Leasing of the future is going to be all about engaging the customer!

Online leasing videos will move from a “sales” video to a “lifestyle” video that is more about the experience and style of living your community affords. Thanks to our industry friends, we took a little look into our crystal ball to see what the apartment resident of the future might be like.

 

 “I do not want to talk to anyone. I have been conditioned to transact solely online. You will need to create an entire new experience in order to get me to come visit you, including video tours.

I do not want to create user names and passwords or fill out forms just to find out if I am prequalified – frankly, I do not trust you! I like self-service, and I do not want you involved in the transaction until I am ready. I want lots of choices! Oh, and before I forget, please do not ask me to call for pricing when I am viewing your website; I will not call. I may text you or email you at some point – but I will choose when and why! Finally, why is your office only open from 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday? This is when I am at work. What if I have a question about your community? Is there someone available after hours for me to connect with – someone who truly understands your community?

 P.S. Please stop asking me to be your friend on Facebook. You are a building, not a person! I might be a fan but not a friend.”

In the future, apartment communities may start their own private social networks which will only be open to those who live there. If a resident wants to locate a babysitter, they can post it out on the social network and locate someone a few doors down. The future resident may bypass traditional apartment advertising sites and go directly to Facebook to see where their friends currently live!  Apartment websites of the future will give up the fluff, reduce clicks, and include a lot of video. In fact, YouTube might be the ideal place to get your leases. Imagine creating a resident contest where they make a video on their iPhone about what they like best about their apartment and community and post it to YouTube. User generated content by your residents is believable and comes at no cost to you!

Customer Service

Now and as we enter the future, it is critical to touch the customer at their most sensitive points and to earn their loyalty. ‘Likelihood to recommend’ is a powerful predictor of customer loyalty and is the basis for calculating the ‘Net Promoter Score’ (NPS). The greater a customer is inclined to recommend a brand – the easier it will be to retain them. Social media has become so important in communication and word-of-mouth recommendations play a vital role in the acquisition of new customers. Keep in mind, there is a direct correlation between customer satisfaction and trust, understanding your performance at specific ‘touch points’ in the relationship is critical.

• Seek knowledge about your customers, their needs and their wants.
• Be clear and keep things simple to help build trust and confidence.
• Provide ease of access to information, to services and to people.
• Make the most of every interaction and make each customer’s experience MATTER.

Brent Leary, partner at CRM Essentials, noted: “The customer has changed in a lot of different ways. But philosophy hasn’t changed a bit. Customers have always wanted to be valued beyond transaction. They also want to be listened to, and they always wanted you to act upon what they told you.”

Tomorrow’s technically savvy customers will be armed with instant, comprehensive information from the Internet to bolster their decision-making process! Social media will continue to constantly inform and influence their behavior. This new era of “experts” will become a permanent fix. The generations of customers who follow will have even more effective technology and they will be more adept at using it.

By the end of this decade, Gen Ys will be working at and even running your company and will be living in your apartments. Understanding their wants, needs, desires and what makes them “tick” will be critical to success.

Are you ready?

The Evolution of the Customer: The 2000s

The 2000s marked not only the start of the 21^st Century but also the onset of the 3^rd Millennium. Yes, in many ways this decade was about new beginnings and the race to make a new way and stand out from the decades, and the century and millennium, of the past. The 2000s perhaps are still too young to be named. But we’ve read everything from:

The “Haughty Noughties”

to

The “Decade of Hope and Change”, and

The “Oh-Ohs!”

However you view that era philosophically, we can all agree that it was a time of both progress and stagnation – advances and setbacks.

Technology and Science

In the 2000s the Internet grew to reach 70% of the population, and Google became its most visited website. Wireless Internet became prominent and could be accessed on mobile phones and video game consoles. Email became a standard form of interpersonal written communication. There was a boom in music downloading and the use of portable digital audio players: MP3s and iPods. The USB flash drive replaced the floppy disk. Blogs became a common method for disseminating information, and the online (user-generated-content) encyclopedia Wikipedia was launched and grew to be the largest and most popular general reference body of work on the Internet. GPS navigation devices became widely popular, After years of work, the human genome was sequenced to 99.99% accuracy. The world’s first self-contained artificial heart was implanted. DVR devices such as TiVo became popular, making it possible to record television broadcasts. DVDs replaced VCRs as the common standard in homes and at video rental locations.

Music

Popular music for teens in the 2000s was dominated by “dirty south’/crunk rap and emo music. Late 1980s boy band New Kids on the Block did make a successful comeback in 2008. But the best-selling artist of the decade was rapper Eminem, who sold 32 million albums. The best-selling female artist of the decade was Britney Spears. Nickelback, Pink, Akon, and Rihanna were popular new artists of the decade as well.

Fashion & Style

Fashion in the 2000s differed in many ways from fashion in the 1990s. The slacker fashion of the 1990s, with its understated look, was looked down upon by the early 2000s and replaced with more showy clothes. The body modification trend of the 1990s became far more popular still in the 2000s, with even cheerleaders and preppies adopting tattoos and non-traditional body piercings. Slim-fitting jeans remained popular through the decade, especially on women.  Crocs and Ugg boots were popular, and sneakers were still prominent – from Nike to Sketchers, Converse and Vans brands. Hair styles included a wing style for boys and semi-long straight hair for girls. Shirts that exposed the belly button and low rise baggy cargo pants were mainstream.

Body modification—augmentation, reduction, smoothing, straightening, whitening, tanning,

not to mention tattooing—became normative.

Choppy hair, heavily layered, either dyed pitch black, blonde, or in vibrant colors became popular with teenagers, while those in their twenties and above chose typically to keep a more natural look. The closing years of the decade gave us the word “manscaping” – enough said!

Film & Television

Websites like YouTube and Hulu became alternatives to TV broadcasts. By the late 2000s, many networks streamed their shows on the Internet. Documentary and ‘mockumentary’ films, such as March of the Penguins and Super Size Me, were popular. The highest-grossing film of the decade was Avatar. Oscar winners of the era included Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, Million Dollar Baby, and The Hurt Locker. We enjoyed film series like Harry Potter, Transformers, Xmen, and Lord of the Rings. Reality TV, with shows such as Dancing with the Stars, Survivor and Big Brother overtook popularity that once belonged to sitcoms and crime/medical shows. The 2000s even saw premium cable channels, devoted historically to movies and sporting events, delve into the business of serial dramas; The Sopranos and Deadwood being two prime examples.

Lifestyle

The economic growth of the 2000s, lifted millions out of poverty, but also raised demand for diminishing energy resources. The US recognized civil unions and partnerships for the first time. We had brushes with mad cow disease, bird flu, and swine flu.  World population reached 6.8 billion – 300 million in the US. Global warming became a household word.  The popularity of mobile phones and text messaging surged, as traffic collisions increased due to distracted drivers. More listeners started using MP3 players in their cars, satellite radio was on the rise, and many radio stations began streaming their content over the Internet. The PS2 was released in 2000 and became the best-selling gaming console of all time. The decade saw the rise of digital media and the steady decline of printed books in areas where e-readers such as Amazon’s Kindle had become available. Dan Brown’s “Robert Langdon” book series (consisting of The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, and The Lost Symbol) was a popular read. Social Media gained popularity and strength, and by the end of 2009, there were 350 million active users on Facebook; rather than replacing embodied connection as was once feared, our devices and technology only supplemented and extended it.

A larger percentage of older generations got “online” and LIKED it!

 There may never have been a society in history that was as culturally, religiously, and politically diverse as the US became in the 2000s. Men untucked their shirts; billionaires wore jeans; and the most powerful CEO in America was universally known as “Steve”. Indeed, informality was rampant… and accepted!

Apartment Industry

From the way a community was designed and marketed, to the leasing process, resident service and retention, it all changed.  Savvy was the best word to describe the renter of the 2000s. What were they looking for in their apartment in comparison with the renter of the 90s? They wanted the same and MORE! They still wanted the traditional amenities that made apartment life convenient for decades past. However, they also wanted to bring their large dogs and live in an apartment that was eco-friendly and compatible with all their modern technology. They needed more wall space for that large flat screen television and a solution for hiding those wires and cables.

Highlights from the 2000s

• Hurricane Katrina struck Louisiana, devastating New Orleans and the Mississippi coast
• The September 11 Attack resulted in the “War on Terror”
• A 9.3 Richter scale earthquake resulted in the Indian Ocean Tsunami killed 290,000
• Anthrax virus was distributed via US Mail against prominent or government targets
• Space Shuttle Columbia exploded upon reentry over Texas
• Pluto was demoted to a “dwarf planet” after being considered a planet for 76 years
• Saddam Hussein, former leader of Iraq, is captured
• The identity of Deep Throat, Watergate scandal informant, was revealed after 30 years
• Michael Jackson’s death transcended geography, culture and age in emotional impact

The 2000s was a time of ups and downs; as we exited that era, gloom and disappointment still largely dominated economic headlines with words such as “high unemployment” and “home foreclosures”.

But time as always continues to march forward!

As we come full circle in our examination of the last 30 years let us take a moment to reminisce about what life was like way back then!

• Before the Internet…we conducted research at libraries
• Before instant messaging…we spoke to friends on a phone with a cord
• Before blogging…we handwrote letters, passed, notes, and kept diaries
• Before search engines…we paused the tape repeatedly to write down lyrics to a song
• Before Facebook…kids hung out at arcades, malls, and roller rinks

The Evolution of the Customer: The 1990s

As we left the “awesome” 80s, we jumped in with both feet to the new decade. The 1990s were about growth and change, and we persevered some hefty bumps along the way.

The 1990s: The Decade of “Discovery”

Technology

The 90s saw the growth of the World Wide Web, which grew dramatically from its inception in 1992. The 90s truly were the electronic age.  The Internet was changing the way we communicated, conducted business, and how we were entertained. Only 15% of American households had a computer in 1989, but this more than doubled in the 90s. Terms like SPAM and ISP found their way into our vocabulary, and we said things like “See you online”.  We often signed off with a 🙂  (smile), a 😉  (wink), or a :-* (kiss).

And everyone had a cell phone!

Scientists discovered how to clone animals, and we released the Hubble Telescope.

Music

There were more music choices available than ever. Latino music grew in popularity, Country became more mainstream, and Grunge appeared.  Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men led the charts, and  Selena was the top Latin singer until her untimely death in 1995.  Other popular artists included Hootie & the Blowfish, Alanis Morissette, Nirvana, Garth Brooks, and The Backstreet Boys. CD burners became commonplace and threatened the music industry, as did free online file sharing services like Napster. Of course, we can’t talk about music in the 90s without mentioning a published study of the decade that showed college students (and lab rats, no comparison intended) improved test scores by as much as 30% after listening to music.

Fashion & Style

For youth, the fashion began with either a grunge or preppie look. In true hip-hop style, boys’ jeans were much larger than what their bodies could hold up, worn low on the hips, and girls looked to have fallen out of the 70s in bellbottoms and peasant tops.  Designers included Liz Claiborne, DKNY, and Tommy Hilfiger.  Casual Fridays became commonplace at the office, and then gradually developed into a more casual work dress code altogether.

53% of companies allowed casual dress by 1998

This was up from 7% in 1992.  The wide-shouldered power suit fell out of fashion and women’s jewelry was much more minimalistic. With the end of the 80s came the end of crazy, pumped-up hair. 90s hair became more natural again: wash-and-wear, messy up-dos and basic ponytails were the order of the day. Although there was a big auburn-hair phase for a few years in the 1990s, and there was the “Rachel” – so named and styled after Jennifer Aniston’s character on the hit TV show FRIENDS.

Film & Television

Televisions were in 98% of the households in the US by 1998, with the average viewer spending seven hours a day watching ‘the tube’, and 3/4 of homes had cable TV.  News and news magazine shows like 60 Minutes, 20/20, and Dateline NBC were popular.

How many of us stayed up late to hear Letterman’s ‘Top 10’?

Home Improvement, Seinfeld, E.R., and yes, FRIENDS, took their fair market-share, too! Mega-movie houses sprouted up with up to 24 theaters in each.  Videos started releasing almost immediately when a move left the theatres. Films that won Academy Awards in the 90s included Dances with Wolves, Forrest Gump, Titanic, Schindler’s List, and Silence of the Lambs.

Lifestyle

After the excessive spending of the 1980s, we entered the new decade in a slight economic recession. Rates of alcoholism and drug abuse increased as did rates of depression. Oil prices were on the rise, and there was a sharp increase in interest rates and declining availability of credit. As the 90s progressed, the economic boom that followed led to record low unemployment and minimum wage being hiked to a whopping $5.15 per hour. We all learned to trade stocks on the Internet, and affluence in the US was on the steady uptick. The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit the 11,000 mark in 1999, adding substantially to the wealth of many Americans. The US experienced its longest period of economic expansion during this decade. We traveled 40% more. Interest in health and nutrition increased, but obesity was at a record high.

We just “had to have”

Beanie Babies, Furbies, and Tickle-Me Elmo!

‘Hot topics’ in education were distance learning, uniforms, year round school, and vouchers. An increasing trend in the 90s was for our film stars and successful entrepreneurs to try their hand at politics – including the likes of Jesse Ventura and Ross Perot. The number of multiple births increased five times between 1980 and 2000, and the 1990s saw the first set of surviving septuplets. Audio books became the rage and sales for online booksellers like amazon.com soared. We were reading Sue Grafton, John Grisham, and Michael Crighton. There was a noticeable “retro” trend in pop culture, which showed up in the rebirth of the Volkswagen Beetle (and other cars) and in movies, such as the release of the prequel Episode I: The Phantom Menace in the Star Wars series. Working from home became more popular towards the end of the 90s.

Apartment Industry

Property management in the 90s had to adapt to the growing number of affluent individuals and families who were choosing apartment living over ownership. These “lifestyle renters” made up a large segment of the market. In response to this burgeoning group of prospects, characteristics such as 9-foot ceilings, garages, upscale appliances, business centers, in-home offices and multiple phone lines came to be expected in new construction. Community amenities like resort style pools, organized social activities and elaborate athletic facilities were also commonplace. Larger apartments were built to meet the demands and needs of this new renter; two- and three-bedrooms gained popularity. Development locations were planned in proximity to major employers, shopping, schools, and major highways and public transportation. In the leasing office of the 1990s, many days were spent “outreach marketing” (i.e. visiting local business owners and major employers). The 90s was the decade of the REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust); by the end of the decade REITS passed Pension Funds as the largest single institutional owner of real estate.

Customer Service

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) history shows that the 90s witnessed great improvement in this area. Companies began to see the benefits of offering perks to customers and potential ones in exchange for relevant customer information or for repeat purchases.

“Can I get your email address, so we can send you coupons?”

Companies also began to regard customer service as a continuously evolving skill rather than a stagnant service to be picked up and used whenever necessary.

Highlights from the 1990s

• Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and the US was thrust into the Gulf War
• US President Clinton was accused of sexual misconduct
• “Don’t ask, don’t tell” directed the military enlisted to keep their sexuality a secret
• Major League Baseball players went on strike and the World Series was cancelled
• LA citizens rioted when 4 white policemen were acquitted of assault on Rodney King
• David Koresh’s Branch Davidian cult compound in Waco, TX was raided by the ATF
• Football hero O.J. Simpson was tried but not convicted for murder
• The US hosted the Summer Olympics in Atlanta
• The Federal Building in Oklahoma City was bombed
• 15 were killed  and 23 wounded by gun-toting teens at Columbine High School in CO

The 90s were both a turbulent and triumphant era – surely a decade we will not soon forget!