How can voice interfaces improve customer service and engagement?

1 Convenience and accessibility

One of the main advantages of voice interfaces is that they can provide convenience and accessibility for customers who want to communicate with a brand or a service. Voice interfaces can reduce the need for typing, clicking, or navigating complex menus, and enable hands-free and eyes-free interaction. This can be especially useful for customers who are on the go, multitasking, or have limited vision or mobility. For example, voice interfaces can allow customers to order food, book a taxi, check the weather, or get directions with simple voice commands. Voice interfaces can also support multiple languages and dialects, and adapt to different accents and preferences, making them more inclusive and user-friendly.

3 Efficiency and productivity

A third benefit of voice interfaces is that they can improve the efficiency and productivity of customer service and support processes. Voice interfaces can automate and streamline common and repetitive tasks, such as answering FAQs, booking appointments, updating information, or confirming orders. Voice interfaces can also handle multiple requests and customers simultaneously, and escalate complex or sensitive issues to human agents when needed. This can reduce the waiting time, errors, and costs of customer service and support, and increase the satisfaction and loyalty of customers. For example, voice interfaces can help customers troubleshoot problems, track deliveries, or cancel subscriptions, with minimal effort and hassle.

4 Best practices and challenges

When designing and implementing voice interfaces, it is important to consider the benefits, challenges, and best practices associated with them. Voice interfaces should use clear and simple language that avoids jargon and ambiguity. They should also provide feedback and confirmation to the customer, anticipate and handle errors, interruptions, and misunderstandings, and provide help and guidance when needed. Additionally, voice interfaces should adapt to the context and situation of the customer, provide relevant information, options, and actions based on their needs, goals, and preferences, ensure the security of their data, identity, and transactions, disclose the purpose of the interaction, obtain consent when required, support diversity in language culture and identity, avoid bias or discrimination, and promote equality and fairness.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?