Not only has the next generation arrived — they have arrived with a loud bang. Businesses have been forced to listen to their voices and needs like never before. Over generations, different aspects of our social lives have been affected by new innovations and have been incorporated as daily necessities. Electricity, machines, automobiles, etc., played a part in revolutionizing society and the way business is conducted. Today, it is voice technology’s turn.
How the voice technology revolution is changing business
No longer do you have to physically input commands into a device. Now almost everything can be voice-activated. Using a simple command, you can switch on your TV, lights, fans, or air conditioner, and the limit is almost endless. How did this voice revolution come about? Other than the obvious reason that it makes life simpler, the subtext lies in the much wider availability of smart devices.
No manufacturer would be stupid enough to market a smart device without voice command capability. Even the employees would not buy such a product. Alexa, Siri, etc., have become ubiquitous at homes and workplaces, so much so that we take them and their capabilities for granted. More than 70% of owners of smart devices say that they use voice commands routinely to activate or deactivate their voice-powered devices.
By incorporating voice technology into all available digital assets, voice searches will become easy and routine. Even though today traditional text search is still popular, it is slowly giving way to voice search as a means to find information on the internet. About half the routine searches conducted on the internet are voice commands, and it is an even larger figure when searching for local businesses. This underscores the importance of voice search features, not only for businesses but also for multifamily units.
Some advantages of voice technology in the multifamily industry
The multifamily industry has been quick to realize the advantages of incorporating voice technology into the development of multifamily units. This technology can be leveraged as a selling point since it adds more facilities and other convenient features to be offered to investors and/or renters. The multifamily industry will be positively impacted in many ways on a day-to-day level as well as in the long term.
- Voice technology can be integrated to make marketing the lease easier.
- Renters’ FAQs can be handled by chatbots, especially during after-office hours.
- Installing chatbots and using natural language processing will help reduce labor costs while ensuring queries get answered.
- Apartment residents will benefit from voice-tech-activated smart appliances such as thermostats, lighting, etc.
- When this technology is incorporated, even mundane things like heating up dinner become simple and convenient.
- The on-site property manager can utilize voice tech to ensure prompt rent payment, stay on top of maintenance issues in real-time, and more.
Incorporating voice technology into your multifamily properties
Speak the users’ language.
Developers of multifamily units have been strategizing the needs of the end-user. Voice commands during internet searches tend to be longer than text searches. End-users generally build up a rapport with their smart devices and talk to them like a family member or friend. When introducing voice tech, it is better to incorporate various forms of speech that tend to reflect the type of interaction between friends. It will be informal commands to a large degree and the incorporated voice technology should be able to accept this in stride.
Create a more inclusive environment.
Voice tech, being inclusive in nature, will make for an easier and more accessible leasing process. It helps those with impaired vision and motor skills, which is an important advantage. Due to its usefulness, voice tech has become routine and a necessity for most consumers. Such technology, incorporated within the multifamily unit, contributes greatly to ease of living.
Optimize your website for voice search technology.
Voice searches in multifamily units also tend to be almost totally local. To ensure the search throws up relevant material, the community details should be accurately and consistently displayed on your website. Since such local searches tend to be reflected in social media platforms, ensure your pages are in total sync with such platforms. Update your profile with relevant and important details, which will ensure that search engines give prominence to your listing. It will score a big plus with consumers.
Voice tech is here to stay, and multifamily developers have a very valuable tool in their hands to positively impact their bottom line.
About the Author:
Veena Jetti is the founding partner of Vive Funds, a unique commercial real estate firm that specializes in curating conservative opportunities for investors.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as an offer to buy or sell any securities or to make or consider any investment or course of action.
