Guarantee

When Customers Live to 100

John Bradley "JJ" Jackson

04 Oct 2009 • 1 min read

Imagine this: half the kids born today could live to 100. That’s not sci-fi. Researchers have been predicting it for years. Even if the exact number’s debatable, one thing’s clear: people are living longer, healthier lives.

Back in 1955, American life expectancy was just under 70. “Lifetime guarantees” made sense back then since the product usually outlived the buyer. Now we’re adding 30-plus years to that equation. A “lifetime warranty” might mean servicing the same customer for seven decades!

For marketers, the implications are huge:

A customer you meet at 25 could still be buying at 85.
“Senior” doesn’t mean what it used to — 70 is the new 50.
Health-span (how long we live well) matters more than lifespan.

So, if your customers will live to 100, what does that mean for your business?

Maybe it’s time to rethink what “lifetime value” really means — not as a metric, but as a mindset.