Gen Z and Millennials are abandoning brands fast: Discover what’s behind it
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As of 2025, more than a quarter of the global workforce is estimated to be Gen Z and they will fundamentally alter the B2B landscape with their unique expectations, ideas, and values. This generation isn’t one to hold back their opinions or demands. What’s the Gen Z effect on wholesale distribution?
Companies will have to consider the Gen Z decision-makers they employ and do business with because Gen Zers aren’t in high school anymore—they’re in management. They’re more than happy to tell you what they want, and companies can use their outspokenness to their advantage.
There are three distinct trends emerging in what young customers look for in their B2B interactions: personalization, omnichannel interactions, and self-service. Here’s a closer look at each trend.
Personalization in wholesale distribution: the Gen Z effect
Personalization has been a growing trend in the B2B industry in recent years, and now Gen Z customers are accelerating it. While it’s a great tool to differentiate your business from other offers, customization is no longer a nice-to-have–it’s crucial.
Whether it’s personalized products and services or interactions, tailored experiences make customers feel seen. GenZ insists on individuality and diversity, meaning they don’t want to feel like they’re disappearing in a sea of customers. They appreciate being recognized as an individual in business interactions, but have little patience for unrelated communications.
This emotional approach, used widely in B2C, can help humanize wholesale distributors. They need to know their customers well to provide relevant, individualized interactions, or they risk losing Gen Z’s attention.
In alignment with their expectations for convenience, GenZ also isn’t willing to sift through a catalogue of products until they find a match. They demand tailored offers that actually suit their needs and have low tolerance for irrelevant suggestions.
For distributors, this is an opportunity to leverage their data to generate AI-driven insights. Data is the buzzword that takes personalization to new heights in both communications and products.
Luckily, GenZ is willing to share data with businesses in exchange for a better customer experience. Let AI collect useful information and process it for mindful, targeted deployment that cuts to the core of your customer’s wants and needs.
Digital natives demand omnichannel CX
As “digital natives,” Gen Z grew up with the convenience of online shopping and virtual interactions more than any other age group. While digital services are the preferred mode of engagement overall, it may be surprising that what GenZ really values are omnichannel services.
They expect more than email and chat functions. Gen Z is a deeply connected generation across multiple platforms, apps, and channels, and they want the same convenience in business. In fact, 90% demand companies to be active on social media or to have their own app and will choose these channels for communication and product discovery.
However, don’t make the mistake of disregarding in-person interaction. In a reversal of pandemic habits, Gen Z highly values personal and on-site contact.
They seek the enjoyment that in-person experiences offer, but expect the benefits and convenience their digital-first mindset is used to. Sales visits shouldn’t be neglected since they can activate an emotional pathway into buyer interest and loyalty.
The Gen Z effect is making omnichannel capabilities a must for B2B businesses. Gen Z customers want the same levels of support and interaction on all channels, which requires seamless omnichannel integration that allows for efficient data flow. No matter which platform they access, customers expect to find accurate information, real-time updates, and fast and efficient support.
Gen Zers want to do it themselves
Gen Z is more interested in self-service solutions than any generation before. It’s no surprise, seeing as they grew up in a culture of convenience and instant gratification. They don’t want to wait for results, and they’d rather help themselves than deal with delays. You won’t catch them waiting in a hotline loop or emailing back and forth with a service rep.
They’re re-defining the business concept of convenience: it doesn’t rely on someone else doing the work for you anymore. It’s self-sufficient and uses the full breadth of online resources.
Gen Z knows the digital landscape and where to find support if your company doesn’t provide it fast enough, often looping in third parties to get what they want. This is key in customer support interactions: A Gartner survey found that 38% of Gen Z customers will give up on getting help with an issue if they can’t resolve it through self-service. Instead, they’ll move on and find a better offer.
Distributors need to keep this tendency in mind and focus on providing customers with self-service options. Whether it’s general questions, payments, returns, or refunds, customers want to see solutions ASAP, which means not having to wait for a rep to read their message or pick up the phone.
Investing in a chatbot, a data-rich knowledge base, or accessible search functions enables “always-on” engagement, which will serve customers when and how they want.
Customer experience will need to cater to generation-specific needs since GenZ feels less company loyalty and is faster to switch to a better offer than older generations. Customers expect the same level of service in their B2B interactions as they would in B2C, meaning distributors will need to up their game. Companies need to work twice as hard to convince Gen Z that they are their best option.
Digital self-service and AI: Streamlined service, happy customers, real-life results
Success! A top utility provider implemented self-service + AI chatbots to boost customer service, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.
Wholesale distribution: Make the most of the Gen Z effect
Gen Z may sound like a demanding generation, but that’s why they present distributors with an exceptional opportunity. They know exactly what they want, and they’re not afraid to tell you, giving companies the perfect “in” to optimizing customer experiences.
Margins are tight and the economy is uncertain, making it the right time to invest in updating your technology stack. Let software do the work for you.
Modern customer experience solutions don’t just offer the capabilities needed to satisfy Gen Z’s demands, but help distributors excel at them. They help you outshine the competition and convince the new generation of customers that you’re the right partner with the right offers.
