How old is your “typical” customer?
For most organisations, the answer is somewhere between 25 and 50 – and your marketing, your website, and your new app are probably built around that person.
But you might be noticing signs that don’t fit that picture:
- Older customers calling to complain they can’t find what they need online
- Staff spending more time helping people fill in forms
- Adult children calling on behalf of their parents
- A long-standing client moving to a competitor who “just made it easier”
These are the customers who slip through the cracks – and there will soon be many more of them.
According to the 2026 Intergenerational Report, the number of Australians aged 85 and over will triple in the next 40 years. They’ll live longer and healthier lives, and they hold much of the nation’s wealth. Many will keep working, too: Participation among people aged over 65 has risen almost 10% since 2002.
If you still design your products and services for a 35-year-old, you make life harder for that other group. Every time an older customer gives up on your app or sits on hold for 40 minutes, you risk losing the relationship, the referrals, and often the trust of their entire family.
Other organisations have recognised this issue – for example:
- In Japan, retailer Aeon redesigned its Tokyo Kasai store for shoppers over 55, with slower escalators, lower shelves, more seating, and staff trained in dementia support.
- In the UK, Barclays Bank’s Digital Eagles volunteers help older customers bank online with confidence.
- In Singapore, “Silver Zones” with lower speed limits and longer crossing times have cut road accidents involving older pedestrians by about 80%.
They all started by understanding how older people live, move, and make decisions. You can do the same, in small steps:
- Determine how many of your customers are over 65 today, and how many there will be ten years from now.
- Walk your customer journey in an older person’s shoes: Use your website with the text enlarged, call your contact centre, and try filling in forms without your glasses.
- Keep clear, respectful alternatives to digital channels.
- Train your frontline staff to support customers who are hard of hearing, living with dementia, or accompanied by family.
