Aussie digital experience and design agency Deepend and US voice experience (VX) agency RAIN have teamed up to launch the first enterprise-level VX agency Down Under.
VERSA is headed by Deepend’s ex-business director, Guy Munro (pictured above, far right), and has a technology-agnostic team comprising of creative technologists and speech coders, as well as voice scripting and experience experts, who will come together create bespoke solutions across devices including Google Home and Amazon Alexa.
Kath Blackham (pictured above, second from the right), managing director of Deepend Melbourne, said the agency has been planning for the rise of conversational user experience for the past 12 months.
“You only have to look at global growth predictions for an indication of what’s to come – in less than two years, there will be 33 million voice-first devices in circulation,” she said.
“Working in partnership with RAIN over the last year has enabled the team to have access to a unique skill set – one that truly understands the complexity of VX at the enterprise level.
“It’s not simply about the technology, but more about adding the human element – the true voice interface component.
“If you get that wrong, you are likely to lose your customer. As with any digital interface, screen, voice or VR, a human-centred design approach is the key determining factor for success.”
Andrew Howlett, founding partner and managing director of RAIN (pictured above, centre), said: “It’s a truly exciting time for brands, as voice activation is about to revolutionise Australia.
“With the recent launch of Google Home and Amazon set for its Australian debut, it’s clear that voice experience will be key for connecting with customers over the next five years – it’s where consumers will shop, eat, travel and engage with your brand.”
