From utility technicians to electricians to engineers in energy and utilities, workers can take advantage of voice technology to quickly access key information, communicate with their team, and input data without the use of their hands. From custom headsets to mobile devices purpose-built to withstand changing weather conditions, voice assistants can be embedded into nearly any sort of hardware, or layered onto the software these professionals already use.

Here are three ways the energy and utility companies can transform their operations with voice technology today:

1. Data On-Demand Via Voice AI

To prepare for the installation of new equipment or the repair of broken parts, utility technicians need to access key information from documents, records, and company databases. With their hands busy controlling tools and equipment, voice user interfaces can provide the data necessary to complete the procedure with a few simple queries by the technician.

For example, a core responsibility of utility companies is to regularly inspect utility poles to determine safety and operational issues. A utility worker might ask the voice assistant, “When was the last time this utility pole was repaired?” or “Pull up inspection history” to determine if there are any specific issues that need to be addressed.

In addition, voice technology can help technicians record data without the use of pen and paper or the swipes and taps of a touchscreen. During a utility pole inspection, the foreman performs several tasks, including visual assessments, using drills and tools to determine wood decay, and recording pole measurements to ensure the structures adhere to safety standards.

Instead of taking the time to write up a report and input the data into the company’s systems once the inspection has taken place, voice AI offers these busy technician an easy way to record information during the inspection without diverting their focus or requiring them to take handwritten notes and transcribe them later. Recording the information as it’s collected ensures important data and measurements are recorded correctly as they are collected. 

More advanced use cases that involve task automation, including placing orders and managing machinery, are also possible. For example, when certain data is inputted into an inventory management system that realizes supply of a given part is running low, it can trigger a suggestion like placing an order or flagging it to a colleague.

Similar to controlling smart home devices with voice, an employee arriving at a site can efficiently initialize machinery to precise modes of operation with spoken commands.

Industrial software companies are already implementing voice solutions to enhance the workday of employees. mCloud integrated a voice solution into a headset that allows employees on the jobsite to instantly find documentation and look up asset data.

2. AI-Enabled Maintenance and Repair

In an industry exposed to the whims of nature, damage is unavoidable and unpredictable. Solutions and repairs require following a precise series of steps and following specific safety guidelines.

Voice-guided workflows can walk a technician or engineer step-by-step through specific installation, inspection, or installation processes that require their complete attention and focus. For example, during the utility pole inspection process, a utility foreman completes several steps in a specific order to evaluate the status of the pole on different fronts. The employee may say, “Walk me through an inspection of the utility pole” to an assistant for a comprehensive review of the task without constantly needing to reference a tablet or pick up and put down tools.

Guided workflows can also work in tandem with data retrieval and input capabilities, allowing technicians to ask queries about the specific processes and record measurements and input other data into the system. While inspecting a utility pole, the technician can efficiently record numbers and measurements without losing focus on the task at hand. Voice solutions can also operate efficiently through local on-device computing, ensuring that if the electricity and connectivity are down, there’s no issue with accessing the information necessary to get the job done safely.  

3. Voice-Enabled Field Communications

Voice technology can play a key role in enabling speedier and more streamlined communication between field technicians and other team members. Groups of employees deployed across a wide area still need to remain in close contact with each other for efficient coordination of resources. A voice assistant can send out alerts, status updates, and other notifications to keep field workers on schedule and make adjustments for tasks that require extra time.

For example, in the event of a severe storm that downs several power lines across a city, a utilities company may need to send teams to hundreds of locations to assess damage and estimate restoration times.