Voice is one of the most natural forms of communication out there – which is why users find voice assistants (VAs) accessible, intuitive and easy to use. So much so that they’re fast becoming the go-to interface for the Internet of Things (IoT) – and it makes up the most widely used AI technologies today, with 41% of people using voice-activated assistants only having started doing so in the last six months.
Leading this surge are popular AI assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri – many of which have found success in mobile apps, streaming boxes, and smart speakers. A staggering 56 million smart speakers are expected to be shipped this year, making them one of the fastest growing consumer technologies today.
A lot of brands are already taking advantage of Vas and chatbots to engage with their customers. But many more are using the same tech in the office too. In the enterprise, voice AI bots will boost your productivity, improve your communications, and engage your employees. Let’s take a look at how.
Voice assistants increase productivity
One of the key benefits a voice assistant offers is automating all of your employees’ low-value tasks. Execs see the main benefit of artificial intelligence in the workplace as getting rid of these inefficient processes, with 82% of those surveyed citing reduced paperwork as the biggest benefit of AI, followed by timesheets and scheduling.
By taking care of these tasks, AI bots will increase the efficiency of your business and reduce the number of mistakes made by your employees. But most of all, voice assistants will free up your staff to focus on their more high-value tasks. This lets them make more of their day, improving both their productivity and their morale.
For example, AI assistants like Alexa are set to transform your meeting room. With them, your employees will no longer have to worry about reading out agendas or taking down transcripts. They can just say their command phrase out loud and your VA will take care of the rest. Once the meeting is underway, the voice assistant will automatically transcribe everything – and your employees can ask their AI assistant to take note of any important items, automatically adding them to an ongoing to-do list. Afterwards, a summary of the meeting notes can then be emailed to every participant.
A well-placed voice assistant empowers your staff with all the tools they need, removing their everyday frustrations and helping your employees to make the most of their time. Thanks to artificial intelligence, the UK is forecast to see a 25% boost in productivity by 2035, and a 10.3% higher GDP by 2030. Failing to recognise this opportunity today will mean your productivity suffers in the long term.
Improve communication and information sharing
But the benefits of voice assistants don’t stop there. Artificial intelligence will also streamline your internal processes too, helping your employees to communicate better and streamline information sharing.
An AI assistant means no more searching for long-lost contact details. Instead, your employees can ask their VA. Similarly, they can order new supplies, report a maintenance issue, or request IT support much faster. With voice bots, requesting information is also so much more streamlined. They give your staff the info they need instantly. Your employees can quickly check inventory levels or get training advice. This helps new starters to settle in quicker and empowers all your employees during their day-to-day.
Records of all these communications and info requests are then saved to a central system for future reference – and all this happens no matter where the employee is interacting with their assistant from. Whether it’s their phone, desktop or through a workplace smart speaker, there’s always a digital history which makes it so much easier to review your internal issues.
In-depth insights into your employees
By analysing this in-depth digital history, you can identify exactly what it is your users need. This is because voice assistants are such a natural way of communicating – which means employees are much more conversational with them. Users will even give up to 66% more info with conversational platforms than through any other interaction.
This provides you with much more contextual data on your employees, meaning voice assistants are great for user research. Artificial intelligence gives you an in-depth insight into your employees, helping you to understand them on a deeper level. So you can pinpoint your employees’ common questions and map out their day to day patterns. With AI, you can quickly identify inefficient processes, pain points, and common problems.
Where to start with voice assistants
Voice assistants and chatbots can have a huge impact on your business. They increase your productivity, improve your communications and provide you with valuable data on your employees. Many businesses see the potential of voice assistants in their offices – but it can be hard to know where to start with them.
The first step, no matter what the business, is to speak to your employees. Mapping out their day-to-day is crucial for finding where VAs can have the biggest impact. Whether that’s through automating low-value tasks or streamlining essential processes. Without this crucial stage, you’ll risk your investment and your employees’ wellbeing.
Artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things is already an essential part of your employees’ day-to-day, with 19% of iPhone users interacting with Siri every single day. It’s fundamental to the future of your business – and if you don’t take advantage of it today, then you risk missing out on a £232 billion economic opportunity.
Interested in hearing industry leaders discuss subjects like this and sharing their use-cases? Attend the co-located IoT Tech Expo, Blockchain Expo, AI & Big Data Expo and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo World Series with upcoming events in Silicon Valley, London and Amsterdam and explore the future of enterprise technology.
