You may have read our previous post on why millennials love Beekeeper and wondered if our platform was developed for a specific generation. The answer is no. Beekeeper was created especially for non-desk workers of all ages. Find out why so many baby boomers trust Beekeeper as their preferred mobile communications solution.
As time goes by, population pyramids are reshaped and the very first generation to adopt personal computers represent a larger proportion of our communities. I am talking about the baby boomers. Fifty years ago, baby boomers were called the “youth quake” to describe how they were shaking up popular culture. Today, we’re living in the early stages of a “grey quake” that sets specific consumption, marketing, and operational standards around the world.
With economists’ forecasts about older consumers’ growing impact on the business landscape, we can explore three reasons why the baby boomer generation has embraced Beekeeper as their mobile communications platform.
- Their adoption rates are growing. Baby boomers may not have been the early adopters of the internet, nor the first group to sign up for a social network, but according to Forbes, their growth rate in adoption and use of information and communications technology is higher than that of younger generations. Don’t be surprised when that uncle of yours who didn’t know what an email was a few years ago shoots you a friend request tomorrow.
- Tech is not unfamiliar, not at all! Modern technology is something baby boomers are very familiar with. This is the generation that used CP/M, DOS, or Unix and then jumped to Macs or PCs. Boomers are no strangers to new tech.
- They understand value and loyalty. Unlike younger generations, baby boomers don’t pogo stick from one app to another. They would rather have fewer apps and make the most out of the ones they know. According to Pew Research Center, 25% of baby boomers between the ages of 47-56 download new apps, compared to 56% of millennials. We’ve identified that baby boomers who use Beekeeper are heavily active on the platform because they don’t use as many other social media platforms as their younger co-workers.
Case Study: Globus
One of our clients, Globus, a Swiss department store company, initially approached Beekeeper with the goal of improving low engagement among their employees. Soon after adopting Beekeeper as their mobile communications solution, they saw firsthand how the app resonated with employees of all ages.
In the beginning, a 64-year-old employee was afraid of downloading Beekeeper to her smartphone. Two weeks later, she approached the head of communications — she was so proud that she had to shown the app to her grandchildren. Now she’s one of the most active users! Another 60-year-old employee bought himself a smartphone just to be able to participate on the app. Beekeeper was able to connect the vast network of Globus workers regardless of age.
Baby boomers represent a considerable 29% of the US workforce, so it’s important for organizations to include them in their communication strategy. Companies need to be prepared for the upcoming “grey quake” by having an innovative, friendly tool that helps baby boomers feel engaged and communicate easily at their jobs.
