One of the most important objectives for any brand is share of voice, but when it comes to smart speakers, brands may be losing theirs. According to just-completed research from comScore, smart speakers represent a new threat to brand loyalty.
Among the findings: smart speakers recommended a brand other than the one the consumer was trying to order through the device.
When asked “which best describes the process of your order?”:
- 58% said “when ordering I ask my smart speaker to purchase the brand (e.g., Tide).”
- 42% said “when ordering I ask my smart speaker to purchase the item (e.g., laundry detergent).”
“They might also be negatively influencing brand loyalty,” Ryan Williams, head of client insights-retail, travel and CPG at comScore, forewarned during a preview of the measurement firm’s “2018 State of the U.S. Online Retail Economy.”
He said only 30% of smart speaker owners have actually used them to order a product online, and most haven’t even begun leveraging them for obvious uses such as communicating with brands, ordering food through delivery services or even banking.
He cited a number of impediments common with the adoption of many new technologies, including concerns over data privacy and entering financial information to place orders. Additionally, he said the smart speaker interface itself isn’t always that stable and is prone to misunderstanding voice commands and placing incorrect orders.
Another major fault is something that could be a factor for other voice-based interfaces: the lack of a screen to provide a visual reinforcement and confirmation for consumers selecting brands and ordering products of services.
“You can’t see product details. There’s a lot of risk for incorrect orders or misheard voice commands,” Williams noted.
Mandese, J. (2018, March 14). comScore: Smart Speakers Represent New Threat to Brand Loyalty. MediaPost.