Millennials to Management: We Don't Want Your Old Office Phones

The Baby Boomer generation was big, but the Millennial generation is even larger. Businesses need to cater to this demographic.

Millennials, those born between 1982 and 2000, represent 83.1 million people in the U.S. and more than a quarter of the total population at this point, according to U.S. Census data. As a point of reference, the Baby Boomers represent only 75.4 million.

This group of workers has already overtaken Baby Boomers as the largest group in the workforce today, and businesses need to understand the demographic and adjust accordingly.

While most of the attention is paid to how businesses can sell to this demographic, it also shouldn’t be overlooked that businesses are staffed by young people in this group.

One area where firms should take note is virtual PBX. Millennials are tech-savvy and tied to their smartphones, and aging desk phones just won’t cut it.

Millennials have grown up around VoIP and smartphone technology, and they expect phones that include chat, call-forwarding and can be accessed in the office or on the road. Business phone systems that can’t match what Millennials find in consumer technology today will be ignored by this age cohort.

Of particular importance is mobile access. For many Millennials, the idea that their communications is tied to a desk is simply outdated. Phone systems must have a mobile option, preferably one with a mobile app so Millennial employees an take their office phone with them on their BYOD or company-issued smartphone.

Virtual PBX solutions such as Nextiva help businesses meet this Millennial need—and save money in the process since virtual PBX systems are less expensive and easier to manage than traditional PBX systems.

This is a win-win for businesses, even if the change is brought about by those young whipper snappers who are so fast when texting on their phones.

Edited by Maurice Nagle