Thames Valley: How businesses can benefit from smart speaker tech

One of the newer additions to the ever-growing smart technology family is the smart speaker. This year, it is estimated that 34% of Brits, and 33% of Americans have access to a smart speaker in their household. Though they are more commonly known for their use in the home, smart speakers can also be beneficial in business.

What is a smart speaker?

A smart speaker is a speaker which has a virtual assistant which can be operated by voice commands. You can activate these speakers hands free by using a certain word or phrase. These are usually the name of the speaker, for example ‘Alexa’, or the name of the business, like ‘Okay Google’. Smart speakers operate via the internet and by Bluetooth. They can also be synced up to music and video streaming apps, web browsers, and even set timers and alarms.

How can this benefit businesses?

The first benefit is that it allows you to input data hands free. You can allow your smart assistant to take over repetitive tasks such as setting reminders, taking notes, and even giving things a quick Google. This can help businesses to stay organised and focused, allowing employees to work more productively with their time.

Conference meetings

As smart speakers can be connected to everyone’s work phones, this means they could revolutionise conference meetings.  By connecting your smart speaker to your smart device, your speaker will be able to access your calendars, allowing you to easily plan for your next call and set reminders. You can also operate conferencing equipment via the smart speaker, operating it hands free of course.

Conference calls

Instead of a clunky phone system, a smart speaker can really simplify conference calls. You can place the smart speaker in the middle of the conference room, sync it to your business phone systems by Gamma, and use it as a loud speaker. As well as allowing everyone to hear, you can also simultaneously ask your smart speaker to set reminders and schedule tasks during the meeting. This can allow all your staff to set themselves targets which will be relayed to them whether they are at home or in the office.

Voice analytics

Analytics data can be super helpful for monitoring and training purposes within businesses. To keep a business growing, it is crucial to keep learning and adapting based on feedback and self-reflection. Smart speakers can gather and track information which can give you a useful guideline on the quality of your performance. You can then use this data to figure out how your performance might be able to be improved.

Smart speakers can be really beneficial in the workplace. They can make small repetitive jobs quick and simple, smooth out interactions with customers and colleagues, and allow you to interact regardless of where you are. Once you try it, the smart speaker will for sure become a permanent addition to your boardroom, allowing you to present and discuss impressively, whilst simultaneously never let you forget to set your reminders.