Voice assistants to revolutionise e-commerce: Report

Retailers and brands that provide good voice assistant experiences will generate more business and positive word-of-mouth communication, according to the report titled 'Conversational Commerce: Why Consumers Are Embracing Voice Assistants in Their Lives' by Capgemini’s Digital Transformation Institute.

The research found that today around a quarter (24 per cent) of respondents would rather use a voice assistant than a website. However, in the next three years, this figure will rise to 40 per cent. Close to a third – 31 per cent – said they will prefer a voice assistant interaction to visiting a shop or a bank branch, compared to 20 per cent today.

It was revealed that voice assistants are most popular among 33-45 year olds, while close to 1 in 5 (17 per cent) have an annual pre-tax household income of more than $100k. "Consumers who use voice assistants are very positive about their experience, with 71 per cent being satisfied with their voice assistant. In particular, 52 per cent of consumers cite convenience, the ability to do things hands-free (48 per cent), and automation of routine shopping tasks (41 per cent) as the biggest reasons why they prefer using voice assistants over mobile apps and websites. The ability for the voice assistant to understand their human user is also critical; 81 per cent of users want the voice assistant to understand their diction and accent," according to the report.

"Voice assistants will completely revolutionise how brands and consumers interact with each other. What makes voice assistants so exciting is that they are woven into the fabric of our lives, offering a simplicity and richness of interaction that consumers have never experienced before. Brands that are able to capitalise on the huge consumer appetite around voice assistants will not only build closer relationships with their customers, but create significant growth opportunities for themselves," Mark Taylor, chief experience officer, Digital Customer Experience practice, at Capgemini said. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India