For the modern small business, voice technology is a great way to streamline processes and boost customer service. However, according to recent statistics from Globant, while 45% of senior employees use voice-activated technology personally, only 31% use the technology at work. Further, only 55% are getting ready to implement these tools into their business operations.
How Your Business Can Use Voice Technology
Small Business Trends spoke with Diego Tartara, CTO Latin America at Globant, and Brent Leary, Co-founder and Partner of CRM Essentials LLC, for 10 ways your business can use voice tech.
To Simplify the Customer Experience
“I think the main thing is providing the customer with the opportunity to use their natural language to get what they want,” Leary says.
The right technology does away with the typing, clicking and swiping through other types of customer service platforms. Voice technology is faster than other types and an enhanced client experience makes for more sales.
To Cut Down on Data Input Time
Voice technology like Apple’s Siri streamline the process for busy salespeople too. When they can find the forecasts, top sales figures and other data simply by using their voice, they can spend more time in the field cultivating contacts and making money. The technology brings all the important CRM info under one roof and makes it quickly accessible.
To Remotely Manage the Office
Google Home and other technologies like it can help small business owners keep an eye on things while they’re on the road. Security cameras, alarm systems and even smart locks can be voice controlled from your smartphone.
To Increase Forecast Accuracy
Small business management sees a definite advantage to using voice technology. Once everyone like their sales teams and inside staff are on board, data gets entered more quickly and more accurately.
“When there’s more data and more accurate data in the system, management can do more accurate and complete forecasting,” Leary says.
To Create Reminders
A successful small business owner is pulled in several directions daily. Knowing what meeting you’ll need to be at next and which emails should be flagged for immediate contact can be challenging. The right voice technology like Alexa can help you to categorize everything and bring it up quickly at your convenience.
To Track Shipments and Packages
Alexa can be integrated with UPS to track packages over the Amazon platform. Once again, simple voice commands get you all the information that you’ll need.
Diego Tartara, CTO Latin America, Globantm, sees these types of technologies carving out an even big niche soon.
“I expect voice, gestures, sentiment and thoughts to be standard ways of interacting with an experience at some point, the same way I expect keyboards and mice to become obsolete,” he says.
To Streamline Customer Ordering
Leary points out that the bigger players who are successful using voice technology are always looking for a way to remove any friction that prevents their customers from buying things. Amazon Echo is a great example but there’s nothing to stop small businesses from implementing voice ordering too.
“Voice technology is just another way of removing friction and making it easy for customers to order,” he says.
To Manage Your Books
Small businesses can use Alexa like an voice activated book keeper. You can get information on everything from orders to inventory simply by asking.
To Order Business Supplies
You can also use voice-activated software to buy business supplies for your enterprise. Google home offers some good options that include alternate prices so you can comparison shop.
To Stay on Top of Client Demand
Tartara stresses staying on top of changing customer preferences means keeping an eye on this evolving technology.
“Investment in voice technology must be viewed through the eyes of the end user without losing perspective,” Tartara says. “This means that small businesses need to make these investments with their customers in mind throughout the entire development and implementation process, but also keep an eye on the future.”
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This article, “10 Ways Your Small Business Can Use Voice Technology” was first published on Small Business Trends