According to WordStream, 50 percent of all searches will be voice searches by 2022. Are you wondering how to profit by leveraging Amazon Alexa for online ordering?

Think about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) for restaurants for a moment. If 50 percent of all searches will be voice searches, that means many people who are searching for specific restaurants and menu items are also going to be using voice search to find what they’re looking for.

The time to start entering the voice search market is now. That way, you won’t get left in the dust.

Voice-Activated Ordering Is The Future

Ordering a meal has become increasingly convenient in the last couple of years. You can order in person, over the phone, online, and in some cases even via text.

It wouldn’t be too much of an exaggeration to say custom developed voice-activated ordering will be the next big development.

And, we all know the force Amazon has become in e-commerce and beyond. Amazon’s Alexa voice-activated ordering for restaurants is a big deal.

Voice ordering is going to make online ordering even more convenient, as people will simply be able to use their device to order their favorite foods and have them delivered to their door.

And, if your restaurant has voice-activated ordering options, you’re going to drive more business overall.

Grow Your Market Share

As is the case with most technology services for restaurants, there are going to be innovators, early adopters, the early majority, the late majority and laggards.

So, restaurants aren’t all going to be implementing an Alexa Skill simultaneously. But doing so could help you increase your business fast. And, who doesn’t want more of the market share overall?

Now, keep in mind that voice ordering can be complicated. Users needs to be able to relay exactly what they want, not just in terms of the exact menu item they’re ordering, but also how they want the meal prepared (i.e. “I’d like that burger with a lettuce bun instead of bread” or “I want the vegetarian pizza without the tomatoes please”).

They’re also going to need to be able to order sides, add any special instructions they may have, review the order and then place it – all in one go.

So, custom app development and implementation is going to play a crucial role in the success of your voice-activated ordering software.

How Important Is Online Ordering?

You’ve already discovered that 50 percent of searches are expected to be voice searches by 2022.

But exactly how important is online ordering for restaurants? Is it all that it’s cracked up to be?

In case you’re skeptical, here are a couple of stats via Revel Systems that offer some insight into the situation:

79 percent of Millennials aged 18 to 34 have ordered takeout via a website or app, which is 29 percent more than the older U.S. adult population (ages 45+).

Further, 67 percent of customers who have placed an order online will visit the restaurant more frequently versus those who have not.

As you can see, online ordering is rarely a “one and done” proposition. It can encourage repeat business.

And, with voice search set to take a huge leap, you don’t want to be a laggard as this movement develops.

You want to be an innovator, ready to ride the next wave of change.

Final Thoughts

Per Marketing Land, Amazon Echo owns 75 percent of the global smart speaker market.

That means it’s more critical for you to enable voice ordering with Alexa than any other medium.

Is it time you started thinking about the future?

Do you need help setting up your custom voice-activated ordering?

Are you interested in taking advantage of Alexa to grow your restaurant business?

Your restaurant can benefit from AI implementations, from chatbots and mobile apps to smart kiosks to Amazon Alexa voice-activated ordering.

Seek out a technology partner capable of custom app development to get your project started, so your brand can increase orders and overall share of the marketplace.