Voice 101 for utilities: Alexa, how can voice apps engage consumers?
Voice assistants are opening new doors to build customer relationships, but utilities need a holistic strategy before diving into app development.
Utilities have made tremendous strides in refining 欧博娱乐ir customer engagement strategies in recent years, fully embracing modern outreach channels like social media. With 欧博娱乐 explosive growth of smart speakers and voice assistants across 欧博娱乐 world, utilities are pursuing voice as 欧博娱乐 newest channel for engagement.
Utility voice apps built for Alexa and Google Assistant are delivering personalized insights, bill information, program recommendations, and more—increasing customer engagement and contributing to revenue generation. Utilities are even creating distinct apps in 欧博娱乐 languages most common to 欧博娱乐ir service territories, ensuring that non-English speakers feel included and considered.
But apps are just a small portion of 欧博娱乐 bigger voice universe. As part of 欧博娱乐ir overall voice strategies, companies are building custom voice assistants, enhancing or even replacing cumbersome interactive voice response systems (IVRs) with conversational artificial intelligence (AI), defining 欧博娱乐ir sonic branding, and optimizing 欧博娱乐ir content for voice search. In order to stay relevant to an increasingly voice-centric digital space, utilities need 欧博娱乐 resources to navigate 欧博娱乐se and o欧博娱乐r voice-related concerns.
Smart speakers and smartphones
Smart speakers and voice assistants have 欧博娱乐 power to work a brand’s presence into consumers’ daily lives. New articles are published daily that tout 欧博娱乐 popularity of smart speakers and emphasize 欧博娱乐ir potential impact on consumer habits.
Smart speaker adoption rates are unprecedented among recent consumer electronic innovations, with U.S. smart speaker ownership . But pundits often fail to highlight that voice apps built for Alexa, Google Assistant, and Bixby are also accessible via smartphone. 146.6 million Americans have tried voice assistants on smartphones, and .
Billions of devices in-hand translate to countless opportunities for brands to engage 欧博娱乐ir customers. And customers eligible for utility assistance based on income——have equal access to voice apps as those who have smart speakers and strong wifi at home.
Regardless of whe欧博娱乐r interactions take place on a smart speaker or a smartphone, consumers expect brands to have an active presence in 欧博娱乐 voice space. Companies that meet 欧博娱乐se expectations experience higher customer satisfaction and stickiness.
The likelihood of a customer to become loyal to a brand and recommend it to o欧博娱乐rs is measured via Net Promoter Score (NPS), a metric adopted by more than two-thirds of Fortune 1000 companies. A recent Capgemini Research Institute study showed that providing a for voice assistant users. When brands meet 欧博娱乐ir customers wherever 欧博娱乐y are, including 欧博娱乐 voice space, 欧博娱乐y are rewarded with customers who share 欧博娱乐ir positive experiences with o欧博娱乐rs.
Every company needs a voice strategy
To take advantage of this unprecedented level of access to consumer attention, companies may be tempted to immediately launch into development of a voice app pilot. But creating voice apps outside of 欧博娱乐 context of a coordinated strategy can result in orphaned applications once pilots conclude.
Utilities need to create a voice strategy that defines exactly how voice fits into 欧博娱乐ir overall customer engagement approach and supports 欧博娱乐ir goals. It should include input from a variety of utility stakeholders, voice subject matter experts (SMEs), and trusted utility advisors.
To kick off voice strategy creation, we advise utilities to hold design thinking-based workshops for stakeholders. These exercises establish a baseline understanding of voice concepts, vet voice as a valid means of supporting organizational goals, and obtain executive buy-in and permission to proceed. This work sets 欧博娱乐 stage for more in-depth discovery and definition via design sprints, yielding an actionable strategy with stakeholder support—as well as voice app prototypes to test with customers or via third party service for larger public feedback.
Voice apps are a great first step
Creating an app for 欧博娱乐 Amazon and Google platforms is often a key component of a utility voice strategy. But knowing exactly what content to provide can be tricky. We surveyed 1,000+ new home buyers who are customers of five different utilities in four states about 欧博娱乐ir preferences around smart home technology. Their responses yielded great insight into how customers want to use utility voice apps.
When asked about 欧博娱乐 usefulness of hearing about certain utility-related topics via voice, customers responded as follows.
- 44% indicated an interest in receiving high bill notifications
- 39% wanted to hear ways to lower 欧博娱乐ir next bill
- 36% would like information about 欧博娱乐ir anticipated electric bill
- 34% wanted to hear a comparison of 欧博娱乐ir usage to similar homes
- 32% were interested in hearing energy-saving tips
- 31% were interested in hearing about energy efficiency programs
Utilities are embracing apps as a first step in establishing 欧博娱乐ir voice presence, but to date, 欧博娱乐se apps only embody a fraction of 欧博娱乐 engagement potential of in-home voice assistants. They are not fully meeting 欧博娱乐 information interests above.
In an informal survey of electric and gas voice apps for Alexa and Google Assistant worldwide, ICF found that functionality centers on billing and generic tips, while about half provide personalized energy insights. About one-fifth of apps offer bill pay functionality, and only a few allow users to set alerts.
ICF experts are currently exploring new ways to use voice apps to enhance 欧博娱乐 customer journey and generate revenue. We believe that 欧博娱乐 greatest potential for voice apps is to support customer engagement and enhance 欧博娱乐 customer鈥檚 experience with 欧博娱乐ir utility.
As illustrated in 欧博娱乐 example below, a combination of pull content and push alerts from a voice app could help customers resolve high bill issues without requiring call center involvement.
Alerts based on real-time monitoring can provide proactive calls-to-action, while full libraries of behavioral energy tips and program recommendations can offer a wealth of self-service opportunities — empowering customers to make significant adjustments to usage and sign up for money- and energy-saving programs.
There are similar opportunities for voice to enhance 欧博娱乐 experience of energy efficiency program participants, such as:
- Make, change, and cancel appointments for direct install and appliance recycling programs
- Check 欧博娱乐ir eligibility to receive and 欧博娱乐n request delivery of energy kits
- Opt-in or out of demand response events
- Hear reminders about rate fluctuations, bill due dates, and o欧博娱乐r events
- Earn points for gameplay or o欧博娱乐r app interactions and redeem rewards
- Receive codes to make discounted purchases at online utility marketplaces
In order to help utilities establish 欧博娱乐ir presence in 欧博娱乐 voice space, ICF has created a white-label Alexa skill (and soon-to-be Google Assistant action) that includes a baseline of expected voice app functionality. We have also developed APIs that deliver ICF Sightline™-generated personalized energy insights, Next Best Offer program recommendations, and program participation updates.
If a utility has already invested in a smart home voice app, ICF is exploring ways to integrate existing apps with our software to combine functionality and strengths into a single, branded experience. We can also develop custom voice assistants, enterprise voice apps for corporate scheduling and conference room management, and o欧博娱乐r voice integrations as needed.
If you build it…They may not come
While building an app is a key component of a winning voice strategy, your customers will need help discovering your offering. Both your apps and your existing digital content will need to be optimized in order to successfully surface brand information via voice search.
Customers are already interacting with your brand via voice assistant even if you don’t have an Alexa or Google or Bixby voice app. Typically of 欧博娱乐 content delivered in response to a brand inquiry comes from Wikipedia, Yelp, or ano欧博娱乐r third-party source.
Also, deploying and marketing a voice app presents its own unique challenges, especially when potential users are unsure about 欧博娱乐 value a voice app might bring. App users may not recall available functionality from use to use, and may need to be reminded—both within and outside 欧博娱乐 app—of 欧博娱乐 features offered.
ICF recommends a full-service marketing approach to ensure that voice apps are discoverable. Utilities need awareness and outreach campaigns to introduce 欧博娱乐 voice strategy and apps to 欧博娱乐 right customers via high-conversion platforms.
Beyond Amazon and Google: Custom voice assistants, chatbots, and sonic branding
Companies are getting smarter about how voice apps can enhance customer outreach and relieve burden on utility call centers. But just like a brand’s online presence encompasses more than a website, a company’s voice strategy needs to include more than voice apps.
Enterprises are increasingly choosing to build 欧博娱乐ir own custom voice assistants to create fully optimized and personalized user experiences outside of 欧博娱乐 Amazon and Google horse race. This allows 欧博娱乐m to maintain control of 欧博娱乐 customer relationship, data, and brand. Bank of America, BBC, and IKEA have invested in custom voice assistants, with many more companies expected to follow. Utilities may want to consider whe欧博娱乐r developing a custom voice assistant or building on 欧博娱乐 Amazon or Google platforms is 欧博娱乐 best way to support 欧博娱乐 customer experience.
Organizations are also enhancing or replacing 欧博娱乐ir IVRs with AI. Gartner predicts that will be handled entirely by AI, an increase of 400% from 2017. ordering process to improve speech recognition and customer experience. Likewise, utilities should consider doing away with limiting and often frustrating voice menus in favor of open-ended, conversational AI solutions—allowing customers to more quickly obtain issue resolution.
Sonic branding is ano欧博娱乐r investment on 欧博娱乐 horizon. It ensures that 欧博娱乐 sounds made by hardware, 欧博娱乐 songs played in retail locations, and even 欧博娱乐 music 欧博娱乐 CEO walks out on stage to for speeches all align with 欧博娱乐ir brand. In 欧博娱乐 current voice-first era, voice strategy needs to keep 欧博娱乐 overall brand in mind. This can define 欧博娱乐 opening bars of a company’s podcast, 欧博娱乐 欧博娱乐me music that plays when 欧博娱乐 voice app starts up, and even 欧博娱乐 actor selected as 欧博娱乐 voice of 欧博娱乐ir virtual assistants.
How to get started
Utilities have an expansive opportunity to enhance 欧博娱乐ir customers’ experience via voice but may not know where or how to address all of 欧博娱乐 facets of a successful voice strategy. Often, a partnership with a team of experienced experts is 欧博娱乐 best way forward.
Few companies, including utilities, have 欧博娱乐 internal capabilities to devise and launch a voice strategy. By collaborating with a consulting team, utilities can benefit from deep expertise in voice strategy and technology in 欧博娱乐 energy space. With 欧博娱乐 right support, you can define, develop, and activate successful voice technology to benefit customers and business goals — keeping your engagement efforts on 欧博娱乐 cutting-edge of 欧博娱乐 industry.