EDITOR’S COMMENT Jack Cheeseman


February 2023 ertonline.co.uk


Gazing into my voice- 10


controlled crystal ball, it seems as though the smart speaker category is in a bit of a lull; the market is expected to decline this year as ownership of talking tech is close to saturation. This is according to industry experts, who


say that whether it’s Alexa, Google, Apple or similar, the simple fact is that most households have at least one of these digital assistants… although in many cases it’s usually more. I’ve got three at home, and they’re handy to have! So the future may look a bit uncertain; instead of consumers excitedly jumping in and discovering all the uses of their first smart speaker, it’s now more a case of everyone upgrading to newer models. These come packed with additional features and benefits, such as video calling capabilities; the latest Amazon Echo Show, for instance, is a screen almost the size of a small TV!


The problem – and I think why popularity has waned a little – is because ultimately the basic skills such as playing music, setting timers and getting web search results are samey and somewhat limiting. So even though users can make purchases using the speaker itself, for example using Amazon Prime on the Alexa, the reality is people just don’t. Personally I’ve never attempted this, and I don’t think I’m alone in wanting to research and compare products on the app before parting with any money. In this month’s issue of ERT, experts suggest that voice-controlled gadgets are just one aspect of the vast ecosystem and they need to advance to being truly conversational so they anticipate the user’s needs – as well as offering command and control options.


The idea of creating


automated scenarios across the home is certainly an appealing prospect, and of course these smart assistants are the perfect gateway to do this. And for retailers displaying and demonstrating these kinds of solutions instore it could be the difference between a simple product purchase and a whole installation project. The margin potential of this can be very attractive indeed, and some independent retailers have moved into this sector in a big way. There’s no doubt that smart homes will be the homes of the future and hands-free technology will definitely play its part. It’s hard to guess how the market will evolve over the coming years, but one thing is for sure – while most people are on board with the concept of voice- controlled devices, there will always be plenty of add-on opportunities for retailers that sell almost any kind of electrical product. Turn to page 24 to read our report on the latest compatible kit.


Elsewhere, big news!... The ERT Awards is returning this October! And entries are open for both retailers and manufacturers in all areas of the electrical retail industry! I really hope you are able to get involved this year, to not only share your success from the past year, but to join with others to celebrate everyone’s hard work and determination during what’s been quite a turbulent time. More details will emerge soon about the event itself later this year – which will be another sustainable event – but we are planning a few changes this time and I cannot wait for you to see what we’ve got in store. Not that I’m wishing the year away… We’ve got ages yet!


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