Hey Google, what time is my cycle class?
In 2017, about 13% of U.S. households owned a voice-activated smart speaker. That number is expected to rise to 55% of American households by 2022. The voice technology space is rapidly gaining more and more users as capabilities increase.
Our CEO, Lindsey Leemis, recently sat down with Page Wood, CTO and Partner at Storyware to discuss voice technology opportunities for the fitness industry.
Lindsey: How is voice changing the landscape of technology within the fitness space?
Page: With voice comes an entirely new way to access fitness content, particularly events. Instead of having to thumb through a website or mobile app, someone could use a facility’s custom skill to inquire about fitness classes or even book them without touching a screen or keyboard.
How do you feel clubs need to adapt to incorporate this experience into Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant?
Clubs need to make sure they’re using booking platforms that offer robust APIs which can be used to design meaningful and easy-to-use voice experiences.
Is it possible for health clubs to integrate with a group exercise schedule so AI assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant can help with class lookup by types and register us for classes?
Of course! That’s what we’re very excited about when we think about bringing voice to the fitness space.
How does being more integrated into the life of the club member increase use and brand loyalty?
The easier you can make a task for someone to accomplish, the more likely they are to do so. I would love it if I could say “Hey Alexa, can you book me a yoga class this evening?” and have Alexa do so based on an integration with my own personal calendar and my gym’s fitness schedule and booking system. I’d far rather do that while making my coffee in the morning than having to thumb through a website or an app.
What can’t you do with voice?
Not much, really. Check out our website for more information on voice trends, capabilities, and our own voice design experiments at Storyware.
