IF you’re thinking about buying a new Kia Seltos but need a few questions answered before you make your decision, then the Korean car maker and search giant Google may have the answer – Google Assistant.
For the first time in Australia, an automotive brand has teamed with Google to develop a Google Assistant action to allow an interrogative conversation based around a new model.
The use of voice technology is not new, more than 500 million people a month in 90 countries turn to Google Assistant to get things done through smart technology. Millions more use similar technology in devices such as Siri and Alexa.
With voice assistant technology and acceptance growing at an exponential rate, and a billion connected devices across the world, the potential as a connective marketing tool is enormous. This explains why Kia has jumped on board.
According to users, the three key benefits of voice assistants are that saying something is quicker than typing it, it becomes part of a daily routine where sending text messages, playing music and finding useful information are all easily to hand.
In the case of Kia, the Seltos ‘action’, which you can talk to directly, has become an entity waiting to respond to and engage with somebody seeking answers during the purchase consideration.
By triggering the conversation through the Google Assistant app with a phrase as simple as “Ok Google, I want to speak to Kia Seltos” or “Ok Google, ask Kia Seltos” a conversation is instigated where questions can be asked.
Anything from safety to specifications, colours, design and much more are on the table. It will also offer users the ability to find their nearest dealership and schedule a test drive through simple voice commands.
And while Seltos is the first to join the voice technology conversation, Kia is working towards similar opportunities for other new models.
