Is Alexa the Baby Boomer’s New BFF?

Is Alexa the Baby Boomer’s New BFF?

According to Think with Google, baby boomers see voice-activated speakers like the Amazon Echo or Google Home (or even the AI smart assistant embedded in their phones) as more than a device — some see it as a companion. They can hold a conversation with this companion, ask it questions, purchase items, and obtain services from it. Compare this to the ever evolving challenges of navigating a website or smartphone and you can see why conversational AI is gaining fast adoption with this demographic.

Turning voice companions into a can’t-live-without-you BFF (Best Friend Forever)

Much like a BFF, who you’d trust to ask questions, help seek out the best items and services, and get advice from, voice speakers are becoming an everyday tool for this older generation.

As baby boomers age, we know that they want to maintain as much independence as possible. Having a tool that requires minimal effort on their part to help them with everyday tasks is an invaluable resource that their parents didn’t have, and it’s changing the way the world works. 

Wait, aren’t millennials the ones using tech? Not baby boomers

While some of you might be questioning how much baby boomers are actually using this tech, research from one source reveals that 57% of users over 50 years old are “heavy” users of voice assistants, unlike their younger counterparts who are statistically using their voice assistants less. With the baby boomer demographic clearly comfortable with voice-activated speakers, companies should be adding voice to their digital customer experience strategy, if they haven’t already.

I’d challenge you to think about how Alexa is being implemented in cars and homes to help consumers do everything from turn the heat down when they leave the house to pumping gas into their cars. It’s the population 30 years and older who tend to have the expanding bank accounts, increasing responsibilities and busy lives that necessitate the convenient solutions voice can solve. 

What industries will benefit from implementing voice in their strategy? 

There are many industries that can benefit from implementing voice into their greater strategy for better digital customer experiences. Here are a few that I’ve seen make great strides with voice:

• Food Companies: Butterball is one example of a company that has welcomed voice into their digital strategy. Butterball’s skill provides access to recipes, customer support, and how-to instructions, eliminating the need for users to use their messy hands to type their questions into a computer or their phone. This type of service can also be helpful for older folks who have trouble with their fine motor skills. In addition to helping at-home chefs, many restaurants have adopted voice skills to enable hands-free efficiency for their staff.
  
  
• Financial Services: Lessen the burden on older people who may have trouble leaving home by removing the need to physically go to the bank. Similarly, help adults who have trouble hearing by eliminating the need to call their insurance provider and instead allow them to use a voice command to get what they need. By giving them a combination of voice and computer/internet resources, you will help them achieve their goals faster. U.S. Bank, Ally Bank, and Capital One are great examples of how industry leaders are reshaping the way they communicate with their clients.
  
  
• Healthcare and Life Sciences: As baby boomers age, getting to and from their doctor’s appointments, picking up and taking their medications, and maintaining a healthy care regimen can become a burden. Healthcare and life science organizations have the ability to integrate voice into their programs to make life easier. Giant Eagle Pharmacy has realized the benefits, enabling customers to talk to Alexa about prescription refills, manage their medications, and set alarms to remind them when it’s time to take their medicine.
  
  
• Retail: “Alexa, add avocados to my Whole Foods cart.” This is now a real request that you can make. Retailers have vast opportunities to boost their sales while also making customer experience better. And again, for baby boomers who desire easier experiences, this is a great tool.  

How will you improve baby boomer engagement with voice at your organization?

Voice is on the rise. In one article, Salesforce chief digital evangelist, Vala Afshar, went as far as stating that, “Voice will have a bigger impact on the consumer journey than search did in 2000 and smartphones in 2007.” With so much opportunity at stake, why would you not consider adding voice into your digital strategy?

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