Voice technology is becoming central to our lives personally, and increasingly in business, too. There is so much potential for your business when you consider the various use cases that developers have been showcasing or look at what’s already happening in homes and businesses around the world. Have considered ways you could use voice tech in your business? In various iterations, it can be used for customer facing interactions and can be used in the back end to make operations smoother. As the early adoption phase of voice technology matures, we expect to see over 56 million ‘smart speakers’ shipped in 2018 alone. The public are increasingly learning how to integrate the tech into their daily lives, including online shopping. While capturing sales is one area you should be focussing on, it’s good to know that you can make voice tech work for your business behind the scenes, too. Here are 10 ideas to get you started.
Make supplies ordering simple
Order business supplies on the go using voice tech. If you are tied into the Amazon universe you can orders simply using the complementary voice assistant, Alexa. Google also offers smooth options including price comparisons from various retailers. As more businesses incorporate this technology you may see wholesalers and established accounts working smoothly together to make voice ordering simple.
Shipment tracking
If you use Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant, you can easily ask for updates about your Amazon shipments and packages without needing to stop and check your device or interrupt the flow of your work. Ideally, you will be able to enquire about any incoming packages as your voice assistant will be able to access shipping data from within your tracking software and email.
Bookkeeping
Depending on the level of integration, you may be able to command your accounting and bookkeeping software to produce data for you, on demand, or direct it to search out information to input and record (such as invoices stuck in an email inbox or digital receipts). Asking voice assistants for explicit data can be faster than navigating software to find it yourself or asking someone to do it for you, which can lead to greater overall efficiency in the business.
Create reminders
Business owners and managers and staff have many different streams of information coming in, often at all hours of the day and night. If something comes up that can’t be addressed immediately, ask your voice assistant to create a reminder for you to follow it up at a certain time. This can be very helpful, particularly as you can address the reminders and sort them for urgency when you get back to the office or have some uninterrupted time. Integration with other software such as calendars, email or messaging apps makes this seamless.
Streamline data input
Your sales team should have access to voice activated search if they are using a mobile device. If you can make CRM data easily accessible for them while they are on the move, there should be more time for them to invest with clients. Additionally, being able to call up information quickly can streamline meetings and provide the most up to date information which keeps your business relevant and competitive.
Enhance the customer experience
Making your website compatible with voice assistant technology will help customers navigate it more naturally. As many as one in five voice tech users have made purchases using the technology, and this number will continue to rise. Work on optimising your digital store front and any third-party sites such as Amazon to take advantage of this development.
Using Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology can also make a significant impact on inbound customer service calls. Natural voice technology has advanced thanks to companies like Google that are intent on delivering software-based AI interactions that are indistinguishable from real human conversations. This type of software hasn’t been widely deployed across businesses to improve customer experience so there is a lot of scope for integration.
Manage client expectations
Technology is moving quickly. As voice assisted living becomes more of a feature in homes and businesses, it will become expected that businesses can provide reasonable accommodations to use this technology. Those who cannot provide services through voice activation alone, or heavily supplemented by voice may find themselves on the outer.
IT problem solving
Making use of voice technology coupled with AI and diagnostic reporting should help IT support streamline their resolution timelines. If an IT support team member can ask a device to report on its known issues, it may save the time of both the support team and the staff involved. Commanding devices to undertake certain actions such as updates will also lead to greater efficiencies over time.
Security and remote management
If you need to be away from the office from extended periods, you can rely on remote monitoring services to maintain security and accountability. Remote viewing can often be accessed via secure apps. These apps are often able to be commanded by voice, which means actions can be implemented quickly should the need arise.
Increase accuracy of forecasts
Using voice commands reduces behavioural barriers that can delay data inputs. When manually-entered sales information or other critical data updates are delayed, inventory records cannot be relied on, and means the accuracy of the system can be compromised. When data can be added to the system quickly and painlessly using voice, it will happen more frequently. As the flow of data becomes consistent the overall forecasting ability of your software will be improved, leading to better purchasing decisions and reduced costs.
About Mustard IT, your voice technology partner
Mustard IT provide the design, build, installation and maintenance of secure business computer networks, along with voice technology integration. Our trusted team are experienced able to explain complex issues to you in a language you’ll understand. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.
