I find myself on my home’s third dishwasher, third refrigerator and fourth stove. It might be that manufacturers aren’t making appliances as they used to, or maybe I’m just tough on them. Either way, when my dishwasher stopped working last month, I began the search for a replacement.
I came across various options, including Wi-Fi-connected models, smart models with AI features and traditional dishwashers. I didn’t set out to purchase a connected or smart dishwasher, but the price was right, so I ended up with one that is both connected and smart.
Now, armed with a dishwasher that tracks cycle progress, allows me to start, stop or pause cycles remotely, notifies me when maintenance is needed and alerts me when I’m running low on detergent, I began to explore the features of my new dishwasher.
Consumer benefits
Manufacturers of smart dishwashers set out to address several consumer needs spanning convenience, efficiency and sustainability:
- Convenience: Using an app or voice control, like Alexa or Google Assistant, I can tell it to start or check if it is still running.
- Energy efficiency: Adjusts water and energy usage based on the load and how dirty the plates are.
- Connected and smart: Its internet connection allows for remote control, monitoring, easy maintenance and data collection.
- Sustainability: Some dishwasher models are ENERGY STAR certified and meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA.
I haven’t used the dishwasher’s voice control features yet, but I appreciate its energy efficiency and sustainability features. Given my history with appliances, I know I will have at least one maintenance problem. When that happens, the connected and smart features will let me use the app to see what the notifications and alerts mean.
Innovative appliance manufacturers have great potential to improve customer experience (CX) and business outcomes with connected and smart appliances. Here’s where the future is heading.
Personalization, predictive maintenance and relationship building
Connected and smart appliances allow brands to collect valuable data on customer behavior, appliance usage and performance. This data opens up numerous opportunities for personalization, predictive maintenance and targeted marketing efforts.
Brands are looking at smart technology through a broad lens. They are building long-term customer relationships and using the data collected to optimize products, services and overall CX. The most significant opportunity is to use connected and smart appliances to foster ongoing dialogue with customers. Brands hope this moves consumers beyond one-time purchases and drives brand loyalty.
For example, if my new dishwasher’s features are useful and help me address maintenance issues, I will happily purchase another appliance from the brand. This would be a change in my behavior, as I haven’t cared much about whether appliances — like my washer and dryer — were made by the same company.
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Enhanced service and maintenance through data
As mentioned, one key advantage of connected and smart appliances is real-time monitoring. When a dishwasher is likely to fail or requires a part replacement, the system can alert consumers and technicians before the problem escalates. The goal is to reduce service costs, improve CX and build consumer trust.
These alerts are also opportunities to suggest appliance care and upsell service packages and upgrades. Ultimately, the goal is to keep consumers engaged with the brand, even after their purchase.
Collecting data, like how often consumers use their dishwashers or what settings they prefer, lets brands tailor marketing campaigns and product recommendations. This level of personalization makes the brand’s communication feel more relevant and timely, which can lead to higher customer satisfaction.
The data can also help identify when the appliance is nearing the end of its lifecycle. This information lets brands target consumers with personalized offers, increasing the likelihood of repeat purchases.
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Customer engagement and retention
Features like remote controls and app notifications are expected to increase engagement with the product. The plan is that consumers interacting with the app will become embedded in the brand’s ecosystem. Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomeKit have proven that consumers like it when smart devices easily connect if it results in a useful feature. Appliance makers are starting to do the same thing. However, it remains to be seen if the result will be as useful to consumers as it is to marketers.
Monitoring energy usage is very helpful to consumers. It lets them identify ways to save on their energy bills. This feature is increasingly important. Brands can use this data to highlight the sustainability of their products.
The data collected by connected and smart appliances is invaluable for businesses. However, to build trust, brands must be transparent about what data they collect and how they use it. According to a study by Perficient, only 19% of consumers knew the data was collected. Consumers are justifiably suspicious about corporations gathering personal data. Brands must be upfront with customers if they want to maintain trust and foster long-term relationships.
Integrating smart technology into everyday products benefits businesses, but it must also be useful to consumers to be a selling point. By leveraging data collection, predictive maintenance and personalized engagement, brands can improve the customer experience and gain valuable insights to guide product development and marketing efforts.
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