Is Voice Search Transforming the Future of Business?
From our earliest scratching of cave-dwelling drawings to the complexity of our modern technological interfaces, human language is full of meaning and context. The cry of every song written, poetry penned, or a masterpiece created is the desire to be understood and to understand. It is very human of us to expect personality, complexity, and the ability to feel from the devices we have created to serve us. As anyone who has tried to order fries from a fast-food broken kiosk knows, being misunderstood is frustrating. So, as our relationship with modern technology undergoes a significant upheaval, the question remains, how do we communicate with these inanimate objects? In other words, how do we make what is not “alive” act “alive”?
Voice Search or Voice Assistance
In sum, voice search finds something for you involving a query. Voice assistance, however, is managing human interaction to engage in a task with some sort of intelligent technology. Let’s take a look at the above illustration of the drive-through take out order. The voice search would be the voice selection of the item desired. The voice assistance would represent the cashier at the end of the line with whom you interact on a more personal level. Digital assistants tap into a knowledge repository to provide a response and answer. Quicker consumer interaction means a faster product or service fulfillment for businesses.
Disruption of Touch as a Primary AI Interface
We would be amiss without addressing the current situation of a global pandemic. The coronavirus crisis continues to generate awareness of the importance of washing hands and refraining from touching public surfaces. Consider how often a day you touch your keyboard, phone, or mouse. Speech interaction with our devices becomes a business necessity to preventative measures against the excessive spread of disease. As normalizing AI speech as an intricate part of business interaction, touch screen interfaces will begin to seem outdated. Are we really ready for a world where Alexa is to be our new executive assistant?
Personalization of AI Voice
Like it or not, we are self-centered in our thinking and expectations. As our personal devices become trusted allies in our workspace, it is no wonder that businesses are leaning towards a more personalized experience. A published study from the University of Texas at Austin states, “that subjects do indeed perceive greater media enjoyment when exposed to a customized online environment as compared to a standard online environment.1” Or, In the words of the pop song by Destiny’s Child, please, say my name.
Ready for the Future?
Trust and keen communication are the keystones to any significant relationship. The usage of voice search will only continue to climb as AI assistants become more pervasive. With voice search, customers inform you what they are searching for. Voice assistance runs reports on frequent words searched such as user-friendly, employee training, and recent transactions. Less frustration on the part of consumers means greater loyalty to your business. Using voice assistance mitigates the rabbit hole of waiting through non-relevant options to finally find the option needed. By carefully fostering trust through exceptional customer service throughout the entire life cycle of the client experience, companies can stay ahead of the burgeoning AI speech technology curve. In conclusion, our B2B customers are talking, and we need to listen.
To learn more about how TelWare can help optimize your business and be prepared for Voice Assistance technology, contact us at 800.637.3148, email sales@telware.com—or visit our website at www.telware.com. TelWare is a five-star cloud phone provider, with unified voice, data, and video solutions.
1 Frances, L. (2008, December 1). Consumer control and customization in online environments: an investigation into the psychology of consumer choice and its impact on media enjoyment, attitude, and behavioral intention. Retrieved April 20, 2020, from https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/handle/2152/18054
