Why traditional CX metrics don’t work for Gen Z (and what to track instead)
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Legacy CX metrics like NPS and CSAT are failing to capture what matters to the most powerful generation of consumers today: Gen Z. Here's how to adapt, what to measure, and which brands are getting it right.
The CX language of GenZ is different, are you fluent?
As someone who’s part of Gen Z and works in customer experience, I see firsthand how our expectations are reshaping the way brands need to show up. With around 2 billion of us globally, making up over 25% of the world’s population, we’re not just another demographic.
By 2025, we’ll make up 27% of the global workforce, and our spending power is on track to surge to an estimated USD 12 trillion in the coming years, a force no brand can afford to ignore.
We’ve grown up in a world that’s mobile-first, fast-moving, and highly personalised. So for us, it’s not just about buying something, it’s about how well a brand understands our values, how quickly they respond, and whether the experience feels smooth, relevant, and even joyful.
Even though we prefer self-service and avoid phone calls, that doesn’t mean we don’t want to be heard. We’re just expressing ourselves differently, through tweets, DMs, comments, even memes. Our sentiment is out there, loud and clear, if brands know where and how to listen.
However, despite this shift, many CX teams continue to rely on long-form surveys and outdated rating scales and that gap is precisely where many brands are falling short.
New CX indicators and who’s leading the way
To meet Gen Z where they are, CX teams need to shift from transactional KPIs to experience signals that capture emotion, speed, and social resonance. Here’s what to track:
Social listening: Brand mentions, tone, meme engagement
Why it matters: Gen Z speaks in likes, shares, and emojis. They won’t email support. They’ll post a meme.
Who's doing it right: Brands like Nike, Zomato, and Netflix respond in real time on social using humour, empathy, and cultural fluency to keep Gen Z engaged.
Trust and transparency indicators
What to track: Opt-in rates, data permission settings, cookie interactions, feedback on data usage transparency
Why it matters: A majority of Gen Z say data ethics affects their loyalty to a brand.
Leading brand: Apple, with its clear permission prompts and privacy-first branding, earns trust without compromising user experience.
Real-time sentiment over post-interaction surveys
Use AI tools to analyse tone of voice, chat sentiment, emoji use, and language choices across customer service touchpoints.
Example: Spotify tracks in-app feedback, not just survey scores, to improve its personalised recommendations dynamically.
Digital behaviour as a CX signal
Instead of asking what Gen Z wants, observe how they use your product.
Example: Revolut and Mozo lets users personalise app layouts and even debit card nicknames, gathering insights on behaviour without asking a single question.
Understanding the Gen Z shift
Gen Z are digital natives. From ordering meals and booking rides to handling finances, they expect seamless, mobile-first experiences that save or enrich their time:
In 2023, 30% of banking customers resolved issues entirely via digital platforms
Gen Z prefers self-service with delight, not just resolution
They crave experiences that feel worth their time, be it time saved (efficiency) or time well spent (joy and engagement)
As Pine and Gilmore put it in the Experience Economy:
“Time is the currency of value.”
Why Traditional CX Metrics Are Falling Short
Most traditional CX tools were built for a different era. Here’s why they’re no longer enough:
Metric
Why it’s outdated
CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score)
Focuses on generic satisfaction, not emotional impact or alignment with values
NPS (Net Promoter Score)
Doesn’t capture real-time emotion or reasons behind advocacy. Too slow for a digital-first world
CES (Customer Effort Score)
Ignores personalisation, speed, and ethical alignment, just measures friction.
These metrics fail to capture what Gen Z truly values: personal connection, digital fluency, and cultural awareness.
What Gen Z really wants from CX
They don’t want to just “get something done”. They want to enjoy the process. Top CX drivers for Gen Z include:
Speed and personalisation over just “ease of use”
Gamified, intuitive UX
Digital trust and control over personal data
Value-aligned branding, purpose matters
Recognition and individuality, not one-size-fits-all experiences
Examples from brands:
Gamification
UOB’s TMRW app allows users to build a virtual city as they save money in real life. It turns saving into play.
Customisation
Monzo neobank lets users nickname cards and colour-code savings “pots” with emojis, blending finance with creativity.
Reward programs
Trust Bank’s stamp and coupon system enhances daily purchases with value and excitement.
Financial education with fun
FamPay India mixes quizzes, budgeting tools, and games to make teens financially smart while keeping parents in the loop.
These aren’t gimmicks. They’re engagement engines designed around Gen Z’s desire for control, identity, and joy.
It’s Time To Redefine CX Success
If Gen Z won’t tell you how they feel in a form, how do you know if your experience works?
By shifting from asking to listening. From scoring to sensing. And from transactions to trust.
Modern CX metrics must include:
Real-time behaviour data
Sentiment across digital conversations
Social engagement tone
Emotional alignment with brand purpose
Data permission and trust signals
UX friction points captured via heatmaps and click flows
The future of customer experience is alive, real-time, and emotionally aware.
And Gen Z? They’re already living there.
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