What Gen Z and Millennials Expect from Payment Experiences in Contact Centers—and Why Contact Center Managers Can’t Afford to Ignore Them

Contact center leaders face a stark reality: 38% of Gen Z and Millennial customers will give up entirely if they can't resolve issues through self-service and over 80% say all businesses should offer digital payment options. These aren't distant trends—they're current expectations from generations that already represent the largest consumer demographic. Understanding and adapting to their payment preferences isn't just about improving customer satisfaction; it's about preventing customer defection and future-proofing your revenue streams. 

Who are Gen Z and Millennials? 

Before we dive in, it's helpful to define the groups we're talking about. Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which makes them late 20s to early 40s today. Gen Z includes those born between 1997 and 2012, now aged roughly 12 to 27. 

These aren't just "the kids" anymore—Millennials are well into their careers, many are homeowners and parents, and they now represent the largest segment of the workforce. Gen Z, meanwhile, is entering adulthood with strong digital expectations and increasing buying power. 

"But our customers are older…" 

It's easy to think this doesn't matter if your current customer base skews older. But even for businesses serving Gen X or Baby Boomers, expectations are changing across the board.  

Younger generations are tomorrow's customers. Building payment systems that meet their needs is an investment in long-term relevance. 

Tech expectations trickle upward. Digital convenience benefits everyone. No one enjoys long hold times or clunky IVR systems—omnichannel, intuitive payment options improve CX for all.  

We’re starting to see this reflected in the changing expectations of older consumers too. 45% of Gen X consumers (broadly, people in their late 40s to early 60s) say that flexible payment options are a high priority for them too.  

Sticking with outdated systems may feel comfortable, but it risks alienating the younger consumers who will drive your revenue tomorrow, as well as a significant proportion of your core older customers today. 

Gen Z and Millennials expect payments to be instant, seamless and mobile-first 

For Gen Z and Millennials, payment is no longer a transactional afterthought—it's part of the overall experience. Both generations are deeply mobile-first. The data is striking: 91% of Gen Z consumers are adopting digital-first payments, while 82% of Millennials prefer contactless digital payments. Whether they're resolving a billing issue or updating account details, they expect the payment process to be just as smooth as ordering a ride or streaming music. 

Contact centers must deliver: 

• Mobile-optimized payment journeys that work within chat apps, SMS and email.
• Secure links that open in mobile browsers—no app downloads required.
• Digital wallet integration (Apple Pay, Google Pay) as standard. 

With Eckoh’s suite of secure digital payment services, including ChatGuard and Digital Payments, organizations can offer exactly this kind of frictionless, PCI DSS-compliant experience across all digital channels, without sacrificing security or control. 

Self-service, not self-struggle 

This is a generation that prefers doing it themselves, and fast. The statistics reveal just how critical this preference has become: 38% of Gen Z and Millennial customers are likely to give up on resolving a customer service issue if it cannot be resolved through self-service channels. Even more concerning for businesses, 52% of Gen Z and Millennial customers say they would not buy from a company again if their issues could not be resolved through self-service. 

Gen Z in particular is more likely to abandon an interaction entirely if it's not intuitive or fast enough. 75% of Gen Z customers (and 62% of Millennials) report using non-company guidance like Reddit, Google, or YouTube to self-resolve issues, even when official customer service is available. 

They want: 

• Intelligent virtual agents that can take payments in real time.
• Clear, guided self-service flows that don't require talking to a human.
• The option to escalate seamlessly to a person if needed—without starting from scratch. 

This is why Eckoh’s preferred AI-powered virtual agent solution is built to handle everything from routine queries to secure payments, making it easy to meet demand for fast, intelligent, always-on self-service. 

No more hold music, please 

Time is currency. Gen Z customers will abandon calls after just 45 seconds of wait time, while 80% of Millennials expect immediate response when contacting customer service. Waiting on hold, repeating card details, or navigating complex menus doesn't align with how younger generations operate. They expect convenient, asynchronous support where they can start an interaction, step away, and pick it back up later without losing progress. 

Solutions like: 

• Secure web screen pop-ups triggered from chat or email
• SMS payment links that expire after a set period for added security 

Eckoh enables all of the above through omnichannel digital engagement tools that allow payments to be taken securely, quickly and with zero disruption to the customer journey. 

The role of trust and transparency 

Though digitally fluent, both Millennials and Gen Z are highly aware of security risks. They want transparency around how their data is used and expect seamless security, not clunky password prompts or suspicious redirects. 

Contact centers must ensure: 

• Visible security measures without interrupting the experience.
• PCI DSS-compliant tools that feel familiar and trustworthy.
• Consistent branding and UX from call to payment screen. 

With Eckoh’s ChatGuard, Digital Payments and CallGuard solutions, secure payments can be taken without sensitive data ever entering your contact center or network environment, building confidence and reducing compliance burden in the process. 

Why omnichannel payments matter 

Ultimately, delivering what Millennials and Gen Z want means meeting them wherever they are and letting them pay however they prefer. The research shows that 88% of customer service journeys starting in self-service eventually touch multiple channels including phone and live chat. This makes seamless omnichannel experiences essential, not optional. 

Omnichannel payments—offered via voice, web chat, email, SMS, mobile apps, or social platforms—allow contact centers to: 

• Reduce friction across all touchpoints
• Boost first-contact resolution rates
• Improve CSAT scores with younger demographics
• Cut costs by minimizing agent involvement 

For contact centers, aligning with the expectations of Millennials and Gen Z isn't about chasing trends, it's about staying relevant. These generations already represent a large and growing share of your customer base. By prioritizing mobile-first design, seamless self-service, and secure omnichannel payment options, you not only enhance the customer experience, you future-proof your business. 

Eckoh helps global brands do exactly that—get in touch to find out how our secure digital engagement solutions can transform your customer payments experience.