How millennials make running a business a tough challenge
When my girlfriend and I teamed with a partner to open Madame X in the West Village in 1997, millennials weren’t old enough to drink. Now, these 21- to-37-year-olds comprise the heart of our bar business — both as patrons and staff — and it’s clear we couldn’t survive without them.
Despite my being 55, the age of their parents, I accept them as colleagues, peers, friends. And that’s a good thing. Even so, they’re particular in a way that’s different from earlier generations. They abide by their own rules, which you need to keep in mind.
Click Here: Sports Water Bottles
For one thing, they’re healthier than my contemporaries, which means they drink less alcohol. When they do go to a bar, they prefer fancy drinks — craft beers, infused vodkas, high-end mezcals. And they expect impeccable service.
They’re quick to post on Yelp and Instagram about their experiences, often even before tasting their cocktails. So drinks must look good. Camera-friendly is key.
Trigger-happy posting is great if they’re enjoying themselves but bad for us if they’re not, so we have to be mindful not to offend. And they know they have the power to impact the business.
They’re very keen about social justice and environmental issues, along with using words that are deemed appropriate and acceptable to marginalized groups, something we wholeheartedly support.
Yet their admirable advocacy can backfire if an issue comes up and they feel wronged. Like all customers, young and old, some are tough to please. The difference is now the stakes are higher. They can instantly air any grievance and influence others. They might seek to rally support for their view.
Meanwhile, getting our customers to speak on the phone is an ongoing battle. They use their phones for texting, e-mailing and posting. Booking a room for a party? They want fast, efficient communication — and a record to refer to later. The problem for us is that details need to be discussed and arranged. Talking things out is the best way to get a good result.
Their preference to go online to find a good place to eat or drink has hidden costs. Third-party services like Peerspace and Seamless can help a business, but they also take a hefty cut and that can hurt our bottom line. They also put a layer of distance between us and our customers.
Milliennials’ aversion to using cash has led to added expenses because credit-card companies and processing services keep charging more — and continue to make things difficult with ever-changing demands and fees. Customers don’t see that.
As employees, millennials have helped us become more aware of what’s important to the generation. Our elimination of plastic straws, for example, to be more eco-friendly. Some of our older customers complained when we took them away.
The need to be constantly connected prompted one bar-owner friend to install electrical outlets along the bar, after his staff grew weary of charging devices of customers. He said some millennials would silently hand their phones to his bartender as if to say, “You know what to do with this.”
see also
How millennials taught me to be a better boss
I’m 47, and the majority of my 100-plus staff was…
If you don’t have a millennial handling your social media — and we’re lucky to employ a really good one — it’s almost like not having anyone in that position. They understand how to promote your business to their generation, an indispensable asset. The downside is accepting that millennials know more than we do on this important front, which means we have to cede some control over how we’re presented online.
Our staff expects a harmonious working environment and an emphasis on collaboration. They need to feel safe and supported. Fortunately for us, fostering that type of culture has always been a priority. We welcome their voices.
Even so, they don’t automatically accept authority. You have to earn their respect. As a manager, you might not always feel compelled to take the time to explain your decisions. But it’s important to millennials to trust that you know what you’re talking about and to understand why you want something done.
Saying “Just do it” is no longer acceptable.
That’s not how I came up in the working world. Or what my generation experienced.
It’s a point known well to Andrew Rigie, who represents thousands of eating and drinking establishments as head of the New York City Hospitality Alliance.
“A generation ago, it was a tougher life,” he said. “Work tended to be more grueling. They’re not buying into just put your head down and do the work. They want to change the world.”
He recalled working with his grandfather as a boy when “I rolled rugelach with one hand. He said, ‘What’s the matter with your other hand? Doesn’t it work?’ Now, I would need a safe space to go to.”
