AI in Retail – The Power of Voice

In a world where apps and websites dominate retail, a company's "voice" is more critical than ever. Historically, your voice as a retailer was literal—store staff greeting customers, answering questions, and creating connections. Today, as digital interfaces dominate, voice technology provides an opportunity to reclaim and amplify that personal connection. How your company sounds, both literally and figuratively, can define your customer experience.

AI voice technology is now reshaping retail, offering efficient, scalable solutions that enhance engagement, reduce costs, and streamline operations. It's not just about automating tasks; it's about creating meaningful, real-time interactions that represent your brand authentically.

Adopting voice AI offers tangible benefits:

• Enhanced customer experience: Personalise interactions, resolve issues faster, and delight your audience.

• Cost savings: Automate repetitive tasks, reducing labour costs.

• Global scalability: Multilingual capabilities open doors to international markets.

• Improved data insights: Gain actionable feedback from every interaction.

At Razor, we specialise in crafting intuitive, impactful AI solutions that balance cutting-edge innovation with human-centric design. When it comes to voice technology, our expertise lies in creating custom solutions that integrate seamlessly into your existing systems. Our work on VIRA is a testament to this commitment.

In early 2023, we developed VIRA, an AI-powered telephone booking service for a taxi company. The client had 20,000 telehandlers who were spending most of their time making amendments and changes to bookings, creating inefficiencies. They needed a smarter solution to streamline the process and free up staff for more valuable tasks.

VIRA combined advanced text generation models with voice technology to create a real-time, conversational experience. Customers could book taxis without enduring outdated, robotic systems, enjoying a seamless and human-like interaction.

One key challenge was ensuring a natural conversation flow. Early AI models often produced delays or missteps. To counter this, we implemented real-time interruption capabilities and filler phrases, maintaining a smooth dialogue even during processing lags. Today, we build on these learnings with faster, more capable AI models, delivering superior conversational experiences tailored to specific retail needs.

The future of voice technology in retail is rich with possibility. Imagine multilingual assistants guiding international shoppers, voice-powered order tracking, or virtual personal shoppers customising recommendations in real-time. Innovations like sentiment analysis and adaptive tone modulation are pushing voice AI closer to human-level understanding, making interactions more personalised and effective.

AI voice technology is also transforming operational efficiency, enabling real-time inventory updates, automated customer support, and enhanced quality control. Retailers investing early in these capabilities will gain a significant edge, delivering superior customer experiences while optimising internal processes.

Voice technology isn't just a tool; it's a strategy. How your brand sounds reflects who you are, shaping how customers perceive and trust you. As AI voice tools continue to evolve, the opportunities to innovate, connect, and grow are limitless.

Ready to give your business a voice? Let’s make it happen.