Differences of a Standard Alexa Vs Alexa Smart Properties

What additions does Alexa Smart Properties provide?

Shannon Lynch

Marketing Manager

Many care homes and hotels installed Alexa devices long before Alexa Smart Properties launched. These early adopters are equipped to realise the many benefits that voice technology could have to their properties and services. Many of these early installations are done with standard Alexa devices, matching the way a device in your own home may be set up.  

However, using an Alexa device in a senior living location, or more importantly in a hotel, there are added considerations around the individual’s privacy and data.  

Standard Alexa device installation requires you to log into an Amazon account. This means that your conversations with Alexa and your requests are stored on your Amazon account (this can be turned off), therefore it is possible that multiple guests over a period of time sessions could overlap. For example, a user can set a reminder with personal information, and leave the hotel and that reminder would still remain for the next guest. 

This is one of the many reasons why Alexa Smart Properties have been set up with privacy built in the core.  

Two key principles are;

  • Users do not need to log into their personal Amazon account or one central login to an Amazon account.
  • By default, no voice data is saved and made accessible to Amazon, the solution provider or the hotel.

The benefits of Alexa Smart Properties do not stop there. If the devices are on a fleet management system, this allows us to have more control when people interact with Alexa than with a standard Alexa device. We are able to take control of commands and reply with specific responses that are in relation to the property or hotel. For example, by asking Alexa at home what the Wi-Fi password is, the at-home Alexa device will not be able to respond with the answer to the password. However, with Alexa Smart Properties we can control the reply to this command with our own answer. 

This benefit could extend to when users ask for a recommended restaurant. Rather than Alexa listing the top three local restaurants from Yelp or Yell listings, we can recommend the restaurant in the hotel and the Alexa device can then ask if the user would like to make a booking. 

 

Promotions

Another feature that is exclusive to Alexa Smart Properties which wouldn’t be possible with the standard at-home Alexa device, is displaying promotions. The devices with screens we able to display visual adverts and they appear on the Alexa screen. There is the flexibility to display different ads for various rooms and the hotel or property can schedule them and allow the user to engage with them by clicking them open and using voice interactions. None of this is possible with a standard Alexa installation and is solely integrated within Alexa Smart Properties.

 

Reporting

Another key feature of Alexa Smart Properties is the ability to report on usage across all devices. This can be done by either each device in a room or a holistic view of all devices in the property. This level of detail in reporting is not possible with a standard at-home Alexa device.

 

If you are interested in how you could implement Alexa Smart Properties, read more about our services here or reach out to our team here to discuss your requirements.

 

Shannon Lynch

Marketing Manager

Shannon has joined TIPi Group in October 2021 as Marketing Manager, overseeing and putting into action marketing aspects and projects for TIPi Group, as well as the brands within. Shannon started her marketing career in 2015, gaining experience in a range of elements from social media to print advertising and events. Passionate about marketing and what it can achieve, Shannon is excited to be part of the digital world and challenging herself to learn more!