Research Insights: “Alexa, lock my front door”

Voice conversation agents (VCAs), which allow users to interact with smart technologies using natural language, have become increasingly popular, including with home security systems. Marketers of these systems must consider what motivates consumers to use them and what those users value in VCA-controlled smart technologies.

In her article, “‘Alexa, lock my front door’: An empirical study on factors affecting consumers’ satisfaction with VCA-controlled security devices,” published in Psychology & Marketing, Emi Moriuchi, associate professor of MIS, marketing, and analytics in Saunders College, examines the elements of user satisfaction by way of two cross-sectional studies and a netnography. Moriuchi surveyed users of VCA-controlled security devices regarding technology acceptance, motivation to use, and perceived value. In the netnography, she collected data from an online forum for users of smart technologies.

Among other things, Moriuchi found that customers look for ease of use and usefulness, and a balance between benefits and security risks—hacking—when using VCA-controlled door locks and indoor web cameras.

View paper published in Psychology & Marketing, October 2022: Alexa, lock my front door’: An empirical study on factors affecting consumers’ satisfaction with VCA-controlled security devices.