New research from marketing technology company Wiraya, in partnership with YouGov, has revealed that 71 per cent of consumers think voice will be used for one or more daily tasks in 10 years’ time.
Companies are increasingly betting big on voice with new services such as Alexa and Siri increasingly being promoted by brands and adopted by consumers. The survey also revealed that over a quarter (26 per cent) of Brits are already interacting with day-to-day tech using voice.
Other key stats include:
- When it comes to being contacting by service providers such as a bank and building society, insurance or utility company, the number one reason respondents would want to speak to a company was to get a question answered quickly.
- Helen Mirren is Brit’s favourite voice they would like to hear on automated calls (17 per cent) followed by Ewan McGregor (11 per cent) and Tom Hardy (9 per cent)
- Two thirds (66 per cent) of Scottish people would prefer to hear a Scottish accent, a third (33 per cent) of Londoners would prefer a London accent and 35 per cent of Welsh consumers would prefer Welsh when receiving an automated call.
Companies are betting big on voice with new services such as Alexa, Siri, Cortana and Watsonincreasingly promoted by brands and adopted by consumers. The surveys revealed that over a quarter (26 per cent) of Brits are already interacting with day-to-day technology using voice and 71 per cent think it will be used for one or more daily tasks in 10 years’ time.
When it comes to being contacting by service providers such as a bank and building society, insurance or utility company, the number one reason respondents would want to speak to a company was to get a question answered quickly (45 per cent, 43 per cent and 48 per cent respectively), followed by not understanding a change to a contract (33 per cent, 32 per cent and 34 per cent respectively) or to make a complaint (32 per cent, 30 per cent and 33 per cent respectively). The report highlights the importance of voice in providing efficient interactions for customers and building loyalty with brands.
Sam Madden, UK Director at Wiraya commented, “The report reveals a growing acceptance of personalised automated calls from utilities, insurance and financial service providers in a range of key engagements. In a post PPI world the results show the real value of voice in delivering an enhanced experience for customers.”
Personalisation of any voice system used is clearly key, with 64 per cent of total respondents preferring a female voice on this type of system when asked to choose. This figure rises to 71 per cent when we look at male respondents. The survey also suggested the importance of regional accents matched to consumer’s locations, for example, when asked to pick from a given list, two thirds (66 per cent) of Scottish people would prefer to hear a Scottish accent, a third (33 per cent) of Londoners would prefer a London accent and 35 per cent of Welsh consumers would prefer Welsh when receiving an automated call.
The prospect of using the voice channel appears to appeal across the age demographics. Younger people show a clear appreciation of adopting voice technology yet, perhaps surprisingly, almost half (48 per cent) of over 55s believe voice will be used for typing on a laptop or smartphone in 10 years’ time compared with only 39 per cent of 18-24 year olds.
A third (33 per cent) of over 55s think voice commands will be used to shop online, and 31 per cent think these will be used to bank online (31 per cent), compared with just 16 per cent and 15 per cent of 18-24 year olds respectively. The most popular choice amongst all respondents was working out a journey route, i.e. speaking to a Sat Nav with almost two thirds (57 per cent) selecting this option.
Madden continued, “Things like PPI have given automated calls a bad rap, leaving marketers with a difficult hurdle to overcome when trying to use this channel. This report has shown two clear themes, firstly the acceptance by consumers for the use of voice calls for a whole range of business services, and furthermore the need for a personalised approach to optimise the process, be it Helen Mirren, preferred sex or regional accent.
While voice in the context of a one way conversation is grabbing many of the headlines, consumers are clearly also interested in having more two way interaction with brands. Marketers need to understand the most effective way of communicating using voice and the most appropriate uses of that channel.
There is a strong argument for the power of voice backed by this report. I believe highly effective marketing can really dispel enduring stigmas to reinvent our perception of automated calls to drive a significantly enhanced experience for consumers.”