Giving Voice to America’s Fastest Growing Consumers
By Julia Boyle
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
From e-mail to exercise, older adults are often sited as the fastest growing demographic in almost any market. They also have a larger disposable income than all age groups combined.
Yet, while they may be the irrefutable demographic juggernaut of our culture, the voices of older adults are too often overlooked.
Old Habits Die Hard
Marketers and manufacturers continue to design products and services for adult males in the 18-to-34 age group. Most Web pages are created with small type and technically complex design. Automation is quickly taking over personalized, high-quality service. And installing or configuring any new technology frustrates and confuses people of any age.
Recognition and Resolve
John Erickson, president and founder of Erickson Retirement Communities, not only recognized this problem, but is taking steps to resolve it. This month, the company unveils the Erickson Award of Excellence, a project that will give a voice to America’s older adults.
“Erickson has over 20 years of first-hand experience with this market, and the most valuable thing we’ve learned is to listen,” says John Makowski, Erickson’s director of new media. “By tailoring our product to our customers’suggestions, wants, and needs, we’ve become the industry leader.”
Erickson hopes to guide other companies with its approach to help improve product quality and customer satisfaction for this important demographic.
“This project is about people saying, ‘I’m frustrated with the way products are made. I’d love to embrace technology, but it’s never tailored toward me,’ which is the most important part,” Makowski says.
How It Works