Since the launch of Amazon’s Alexa-enabled devices in late 2014, the popularity of voice technology has exploded.

Now, more than half of households will have at least one voice activated technology device, with these numbers set to increase in the next five years.

Though they have been popular for personal use, many businesses have failed to see this technology as an asset they can utilize.

This is something Amazon was determined to change, which is why they launched their Alexa for Business tool in April 2018.

Costing 7 dollars a month for each device registered at your workplace, and 3 dollars for each user, this tool isn’t free. You also have to buy the devices you plan to use separately.

Despite that, this is an exciting investment that is likely to have high ROI’s and could change the way your business operates for good.

Amazon itself describes Alexa for Business as “an intelligent assistant to stay organized and focus on the work that matters”.

If this sounds like something you want to implement in your business, here are all the things you should know about how it can help you.

It Can Speed Up Productivity

One of the main reasons Alexa invested in their business tool is to help the employees that keep businesses running.

Digital Authority Partners explains that Alexa for Business does this by creating micro improvements that will inspire productivity across the board.

This includes the ability to use the Alexa-enabled devices to speed up the process of searching for documents, which employees would otherwise spend an average of 4 hours a week looking for.

Amazon’s Smart Scheduling Assistant is also useful here, as it can be used to keep track of employee to-do lists and set reminders about upcoming meetings and conference calls.

Alexa for Business Syncs With Office 365, Microsoft Exchange, and Google G-Suite Calendars

You may think that this technology will add something new to a long list of to-do’s, but this isn’t the case.

Using Alexa for Business, you can sync your skill and/or devices with already-made calendars.

This can be done in Office 365, Microsoft Exchange, or through Google G-Suite, providing many options that cover the most popular calendar choices in the business world.

In May last year, Amazon also added a feature to Alexa that allows business users to use Alexa voice commands to control many aspects of their calendar.

With this, you can use your voice to manage your schedule, move appointments and change availability depending on the needs of those attending specific meetings.

You Can Create Personalized Skills That Help You With Your Businesses Pain Points

The main reason most people use the skills available on Alexa devices, for personal or professional reasons, is to make life a little easier.

This has contributed to an extreme rise in the amount of skills available, from just 1000 in June 2016 to 80,000 in December 2018.

Despite this rise, many of these skills are very generalized.

You may need several to perform all the functions you need, which defeats the object and may even make things more complicated for your business.

The good news is that this doesn’t have to be the case, with Alexa for Business allowing you the option to build your very own custom skill, specifically for your business.

With this skill you can help employees by making it easier for them to find open meeting and conference rooms, order new supplies, and report on building or equipment problems.

You can also make it easier for customers or visitors to your business by providing them with directions from a variety of locations, and information about the availability of certain items before they arrive at your establishment.

Allows People To Communicate From Anywhere

The U.S. has seen a significant increase in the amount of people working from home, with recent statistics showing that this could collectively save companies as much as $44 billion a year.

Some industries, however, are more cautious than others when it comes to sharing information between the office and someone’s personal technology.

With HealthcareWeekly confirming that there is a “Health & Wellness” division within Amazon’s research team, however, it’s clear to see that confidentiality is a big deal to them.

This means that you will be able to share information through someone’s personal Alexa device and one’s in the office provided they have access to the Alexa for Business skill you’ve created.

It Collects Business Related Data

One of the great things about Alexa for Business is that is collects data about many aspects of your business and presents them in easy to understand analytics.

These metrics include the number of calls taken per month, average time on hold, and the number of calls in the queue at one time, just to provide a few examples.

Using your personalized skill, you will be able to customize the analytics you receive to best suit your business needs.

This part of the tool is extremely important for marketing purposes, as it will help you understand your consumers better.

According to ComboApp, 64% of executives agreed that data-driven marketing provides a competitive edge when deciding how to compete with other companies in the same field.

This means that not only will you have opportunities above those of your competitors by being one of the first to try Alexa for Business, but by collecting that data, you will also gain a competitive advantage where marketing is concerned.

Summary

Although Alexa for Business might be one of the newer technologies in the business world, it’s clear to see it shouldn’t be underestimated.

With qualities that inspire creativity and productivity within team members, and personalized skills that eliminate CEO pain points, there’s a lot to love with the latest in the latest Amazon’s Alexa technology has to offer.

Whether you are a CEO looking for ways of utilizing flexible working for clients, or simply want an easy way to organise your team, this tool could be your answer.