When the Amazon Echo was released in a limited capacity in November of 2014, the early adopters flocked to it. The wide release in the summer of 2015 brought strong sales in the first several months that were then bolstered by steep discounts on Amazon’s Prime Day and Black Friday. However, the true benchmark of successful adoption of the Amazon Echo may inevitably end up being credited to the time tested technique of a well placed Super Bowl advertisement. In this case, it sent Amazon’s flagship IoT device straight to the top of its electronics best sellers list (a good indicator considering Amazon does not release sales data). In January of 2019, Amazon announced that over 100 million devices had been sold with Alexa onboard. With integration across everything from speakers and thermostats to lights and security systems, Alexa doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. This popularity makes Alexa a perfect way to improve your reach to your customers.
The Echo dot marked the most affordable Echo option yet and helped launch Alexa as a commonplace addition to many households. Now that she's become more mainstream, forward-thinking companies must now consider how Alexa can help transform the way they access their customers. Much like the transition of mobile devices from consumer must-haves to business enablement devices, this process is as dependent on the acceptance threshold of the consumer as it is on the enterprise’s appetite for innovative business practices.
As is common in new technology waves, the enterprise early adopters of the Echo technology have shown that using the Alexa Skills Kit (the development platform for the Echo) is allowing them to accomplish some interesting use cases. Below are five that we believe will stand the test of time and may be a starting point for your company to begin experimenting.
One of the key benefits that voice assistants offer users is their ability to engage without the need to use their hands. This could apply to a home or professional chef while they are cooking [link to Nestle case study or Future of Cooking blog], an insurance adjuster at the top of a ladder [link to insurance voice application blog from June 1, 2019) or for a user who may have challenges using tactile interfaces due to an injury or disability. Research has also shown that speaking can be a much more intuitive interaction versus smart phones or computers and it’s gaining traction among older consumers.
The ability of Alexa to act as a personalized and customized concierge is one of the attractive values that drives consumers to purchase one for their in-home needs. Therefore, it’s not a big leap of faith to imagine that these same features would be leveraged for round-the-clock customer service. In fact, much of it is already available in the Echo, right out of the box. For example, getting weather reports and local information, calling an Uber, ordering food, listening to the news and many other service-industry related tasks can be accomplished with ease using Alexa. And building these services into customized skills for specific business needs can improve customer and employee experiences at restaurants, hotels and tourist destinations worldwide. Depending on how smart your hotel room is, you can even have Alexa available to take care of tasks like adjusting the thermostat, closing the blinds and locking the door. Guests can enjoy the lap of luxury with a voice assistant like this.
As adoption of voice-enabled services progress, the sight of an Echo to a shopper in need of assistance away from home may become as reassuring as the sight of a store employee. WIth so many people now comfortable with hearing Alexa in their homes, the process of getting help can feel that much more intuitive. In addition, the Echo Dot and its smaller form factor has expanded the reach and efficacy of the Echo. This reach will now allow store owners to create a fully interactive voice experience for their customers who can check inventory, ask questions about sizing or receive help from a store associate, regardless of their location in the store.
From automated appointment check-in to the delivery of customized messaging and customer interactions, the Echo provides an opportunity for small and large business owners alike to come up with creative solutions to engage their customers in new channels and new settings. Alexa can handle waiting room interactions that range from welcoming patrons to setting the room’s ambiance with music or lighting adjustments. Imagine a future where you are waiting for your doctor’s appointment, and instead of being one of many, checking off boxes on a piece of paper, you are off to the side, answering questions interactively, while also listening to soothing music.
One significant concern with this application is patient safety, but Alexa is even beginning to offer HIPAA-compliant healthcare skills, suggesting that more privacy-centric solutions are on the horizon.
While most examples of consumer interactions are outside of the home, arguably the most effective play will be for businesses to understand how to connect to consumers inside their home. From ordering groceries and pizza to tying in home security and climate control, companies should begin experimenting with new access channels that start at their consumers’ front door. Amazon maintains a growing list of compatible devices that can be controlled by the Amazon Echo, and services like IFTTT are adding more recipes and connections between products and mobile applications daily.
Smart home devices are becoming more and more popular, and finding ways to integrate your product with them can help you meet your consumers where they're at. Playing podcasts and videos, changing the lights and setting custom alert tones are just a few of the ways you can bring your brand to these smart speakers.
The Smart Home is spilling over to the Smart Office. Alexa can also voice alerts whenever someone leaves the home or office, setting the location to an armed status and lowering the heat or AC. With smart locks, Alexa can even unlock an office door via voice recognition for the right people.
Smart home products that connect to voice assistants have become commonplace, and with the ease of integration, there's no reason to skip this sort of connectivity.
Alexa is a fantastic travel buddy. Aside from her extensive knowledge of things like business hours, locations and offerings, she can also help travelers as they're heading out the door by providing information, triggering smart home events or setting the home to "away mode." Using a voice assistant can often be the fastest way to order tickets,[link to Atom tickets cast study] check travel schedules, wait times and other crucial planning metrics. Smart light bulbs can now change color according to certain signals, like an incoming storm or to indicate that a ride is approaching or a train is delayed.
The future is wide open for what you can do with smart speakers like the Echo and voice assistants like Alexa. Amazon has added a myriad of new devices to its lineup, like the Show, Plus, Studio, Glow, Buds, Wall Clock and Auto. More recent voice assistant products have Amazon exploring smart glasses, rings, car attachments and even microwaves and toaster ovens. The Alexa Skills Kit is constantly expanding too, along with other peripherals that it will allow you to control. The Alexa Skills Kit alone has grown from rudimentary tasks to enabling you to pay bills and check your account balance, play games, check the status of a prescription, order food, and of course, use whatever easter eggs you happen to discover.
The possibilities become endless when considering the application of Echo’s technology outside of the device itself. As adoption and capabilities have grown, voice recognition has become an easier and more promising method of reaching your customers. Today's applications and corporate ventures are showcasing new, transformative interactions and offerings for people and organizations of all types.
