Imagine this: You walk into a store, ready to drop some serious cash. But the second you ask a question, the salesperson gives you a blank stare. Frustrated, you head online, only to navigate a customer service maze that feels designed by Kafka himself. Does it sound like a customer service nightmare? For Millennials and Gen Z, it’s an all-too-common reality.

These digital natives aren’t waiting around for a subpar experience. They’re a force to be reckoned with, wielding a combined spending power of over $360 billion in the US alone. And guess what? They expect a flawless customer journey, every single time.

Hitting the Gas Pedal on Customer Experience

So, what exactly does a “flawless customer journey” look like for these generations? Here’s the thing: it’s not a one-size-fits-all situation. But some core themes keep popping up.

They crave speed and convenience. Think instant gratification on steroids. Millennials grew up with the internet at their fingertips, and Gen Z never knew a world without it. Waiting on hold for an eternity? Not gonna happen. According to a Zendesk study, 74% of Millennials and Gen Z expect a response to their customer service inquiries within 24 hours
They speak the language of omnichannel. Seamless transitions between online and offline channels are a must. Whether they start their research on a mobile app or finish a purchase in a physical store, the experience should feel unified. 67% of Millennials and Gen Z expect consistent brand messaging across all channels.
Tech is their BFF. Chatbots, self-service portals, and AI-powered recommendations – Millennials and Gen Z embrace technology that empowers them to solve problems on their own terms. But it’s not just about the tech itself; it’s about using it effectively to streamline the customer journey.

Value-Driven Decisions

Beyond the Clicks: Building Loyalty in the Digital Age

It’s not just about speed and efficiency, though. The current generation also values authenticity and transparency. They want to do business with companies that share their values and stand behind their products. A study by Forbes revealed that 88% of Millennials are willing to pay more for brands that are committed to social responsibility.

Savvy Yet Skeptical

These generations are savvy and skeptical. Traditional advertising is often met with distrust, and they are more likely to rely on peer reviews and influencer endorsements. Authenticity is key. They can quickly detect insincerity and are not afraid to call out brands that fall short.

The Data Speaks: Industry Insights

Here are some crucial statistics that shed light on these evolving expectations:

Mobile Commerce: A report by eMarketer shows that 58% of Gen Z and 53% of Millennials use their smartphones for shopping.
Social Media Influence: According to GlobalWebIndex, 68% of Gen Z and 54% of Millennials have purchased a product they discovered on social media.
Customer Experience: A PWC survey revealed that 73% of consumers point to customer experience as an important factor in their purchasing decisions, with Millennials and Gen Z placing the highest importance on this aspect.

Meeting Their Demands

To keep up with these demanding consumers, businesses should optimize the mobile experience, leverage social media for engagement, provide seamless omnichannel integration, emphasize personalization, and demonstrate authenticity through transparent practices.

The Verdict? Millennials and Gen Z are the future, and technology is the key to unlocking their loyalty. By embracing a tech-fueled customer journey, you can ensure your business stays ahead of the curve and thrives in the digital age.

Tech-Powered Success

Ready for a CX transformation, just like Luminaire experienced? Learn how Mantra Labs addressed the challenge of crafting an experiential online catalog for an offline, experience-driven sector. Explore our groundbreaking solution: a bespoke 3D Augmented Reality platform, that facilitates seamless interaction with lighting equipment on any surface, sans markers. Immerse yourself in the Luminaire case study to witness how our innovative AR modeling and interactive product database revolutionized their customer journey. Click here to embark on your CX transformation journey!

If you are building a mobile app or want to enhance your CX for an existing one, you would want to learn more about how at Mantra Labs we can help you leverage technology to cater to Millennials and Gen Z? Click Here to read the full Luminaire case study!

Smart Manufacturing Dashboards: A Real-Time Guide for Data-Driven Ops

By : Divyanjali Gupta

Published on Jul 31, 2025

Data Science Manufacturing Analytics Smart Manufacturing

Smart Manufacturing starts with real-time visibility.

Manufacturing companies today generate data by the second through sensors, machines, ERP systems, and MES platforms. But without real-time insights, even the most advanced production lines are essentially flying blind.

Manufacturers are implementing real-time dashboards that serve as control towers for their daily operations, enabling them to shift from reactive to proactive decision-making. These tools are essential to the evolution of Smart Manufacturing, where connected systems, automation, and intelligent analytics come together to drive measurable impact.

Data is available, but what’s missing is timely action.

For many plant leaders and COOs, one challenge persists: operational data is dispersed throughout systems, delayed, or hidden in spreadsheets. And this delay turns into a liability.

Real-time dashboards help uncover critical answers:

What caused downtime during last night’s shift?
Was there a delay in maintenance response?
Did a specific inventory threshold trigger a quality issue?

By converting raw inputs into real-time manufacturing analytics, dashboards make operational intelligence accessible to operators, supervisors, and leadership alike, enabling teams to anticipate problems rather than react to them.

1. Why Static Reports Fall Short

Reports often arrive late—after downtime, delays, or defects have occurred.
Disconnected data across ERP, MES, and sensors limits cross-functional insights.
Static formats lack embedded logic for proactive decision support.

2. What Real-Time Dashboards Enable

Line performance and downtime trends
Track OEE in real time and identify underperforming lines.

Predictive maintenance alerts
Utilize historical and sensor data to identify potential part failures in advance.

Inventory heat maps & reorder thresholds
Anticipate stockouts or overstocks based on dynamic reorder points.

Quality metrics linked to operator actions
Isolate shifts or procedures correlated with spikes in defects or rework.

These insights allow production teams to drive day-to-day operations in line with Smart Manufacturing principles.

3. Dashboards That Drive Action

Role-based dashboards
Dashboards can be configured for machine operators, shift supervisors, and plant managers, each with a tailored view of KPIs.

Embedded alerts and nudges
Real-time prompts, like “Line 4 below efficiency threshold for 15+ minutes,” reduce response times and minimize disruptions.

Cross-functional drill-downs
Teams can identify root causes more quickly because users can move from plant-wide overviews to detailed machine-level data in seconds.

4. What Powers These Dashboards

Data lakehouse integration
Unified access to ERP, MES, IoT sensor, and QA systems—ensuring reliable and timely manufacturing analytics.

ETL pipelines
Real-time data ingestion from high-frequency sources with minimal latency.

Visualization tools
Custom builds using Power BI, or customized solutions designed for frontline usability and operational impact.

Smart Manufacturing in Action: Reducing Market Response Time from 48 Hours to 30 Minutes

Mantra Labs partnered with a North American die-casting manufacturer to unify its operational data into a real-time dashboard. Fragmented data, manual reporting, delayed pricing decisions, and inconsistent data quality hindered operational efficiency and strategic decision-making.

Tech Enablement:

Centralized Data Hub with real-time access to critical business insights.
Automated report generation with data ingestion and processing.
Accurate price modeling with real-time visibility into metal price trends, cost impacts, and customer-specific pricing scenarios.
Proactive market analysis with intuitive Power BI dashboards and reports.

Business Outcomes:

Faster response to machine alerts
Quality incidents traced to specific operator workflows
4X faster access to insights led to improved inventory optimization.

As this case shows, real-time dashboards are not just operational tools—they’re strategic enablers.

(Learn More: Powering the Future of Metal Manufacturing with Data Engineering)

Key Takeaways: Smart Manufacturing Dashboards at a Glance

Aspect	What You Should Know
1. Why Static Reports Fall Short	Delayed insights after issues occur Disconnected systems (ERP, MES, sensors) No real-time alerts or embedded decision logic
2. What Real-Time Dashboards Enable	Track OEE and downtime in real-time Predictive maintenance using sensor data Dynamic inventory heat maps Quality linked to operators
3. Dashboards That Drive Action	Role-based views (operator to CEO) Embedded alerts like “Line 4 down for 15+ mins” Drilldowns from plant-level to machine-level
4. What Powers These Dashboards	Unified Data Lakehouse (ERP + IoT + MES) Real-time ETL pipelines Power BI or custom dashboards built for frontline usability

Conclusion

Smart Manufacturing dashboards aren’t just analytics tools—they’re productivity engines. Dashboards that deliver real-time insight empower frontline teams to make faster, better decisions—whether it’s adjusting production schedules, triggering preventive maintenance, or responding to inventory fluctuations.

Explore how Mantra Labs can help you unlock operations intelligence that’s actually usable.

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Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: Why Millennials and Gen Z Demand a Flawless Customer Journey