Voice Assisted Picking for Online Grocery Software

Voice assisted technology is used for a wide variety of applications these days and when implemented correctly they can add functionality to a great many things. Think of the safety implications for voice activation of a vehicle’s smart system when driving. Alternatively, there is the sheer ease-of-use when creating daily to-do lists or setting reminders & alarms on a smart phone. 

We have grown used to voice assisted technology in recent years, but the software developers at Naveo Commerce we are constantly on the hunt for ingenuity. We wanted to further improve our Connected Commerce product and considered how voice assisted technology might aid this. 

Our Grocery Software Development Cycle 

The Naveo Connected Commerce team, based in Helsinki, work by a concept of innovation and planning iterations. By this, we mean that the team stick to an eight-week cycle, in which the final two weeks are set aside for innovation sessions, code breaks and planning for the upcoming working cycle. 

These sessions are headed up by our Heads of Department. As Nathan Holland explains in the webinar, below, we recently embarked on an innovation session around voice assisted picking. The idea came from one of our Android Developers, Tomasz, who states that he wanted to implement a voice assistant into the Naveo Connected Commerce picking app after experiencing clunky user-interface (UI) in his day-to-day life. 

Tomasz gives a great example of trying to operate a TV keyboard onscreen with an awkward remote controller as opposed to a computer-style keyboard. As we all know, it can take twice as long to enter a few characters using one of these TV controllers. Whereas, by using the inbuilt microphone, the voice assistant can convert speech to text in seconds.

Naveo Connected Commerce In-Store Picking Application 

The picking application mentioned above comes as part of the Naveo Connected Commerce end-to-end software solution for grocery retail and grocery eCommerce. The app’s main function is to empower store staff and help them to pick items from an online order in the most efficient way, thus improving overall customer experience. 

For example, dry goods would be displayed to the pick operator first. Then, fresh vegetables and meat, and then frozen items. Once the items and picked and packed for dispatch, they will all remain as fresh as possible before delivery to the customer. 

A grocery store can save on the overall cost of delivery groceries to its customers by reducing errors and improving overall picking accuracy. This kind of efficiency can have a huge impact on profit margin.

– In-store picking isn’t as expensive as you might think: Download the case study 

How Voice Assistant Will Improve Grocery Picking App 

We are always listening to feedback from our grocery customers. One detail that they pointed out to us, as described by Otto Virta in the video, was that staff using the app had limited physical ability to pick. 

This was because one had been used to hold a mobile phone with the app downloaded on it. Whilst the other may be used for a handheld scanner, leaving a person with little room to manoeuvre. 

However, if a person were to use a voice assistant paired with a headset, then they could simply speak instructions into a microphone and communicate with the app. This frees up both hands to continue picking and packing, enhancing the efficiency of the overall task.

What’s next for Naveo Connected Commerce? 

We recently discussed our plans for Scan & Go technology within our Connected Commerce solution and have an upcoming solution for one of our excited customers. As for the future, our software developers will continue with their eight-week cycles and fulfil our roadmap of features and upgrades for new and existing customers. 

Naveo Connected Commerce improves the overall online grocery shopping experience by providing a tailored end-to-end solution for the grocery market. Our 5-step process covers every aspect of eGrocery retail, from eCommerce store front and back-end order management, to in store applications and delivery provisions.

For more information from our blog or to request a demonstration please contact us today.