By Vixen Labs / April 7, 2022
Grabbing a takeout cup or mixing up some instant is pretty appealing when faced with the apparent complexity of home brewing. Workshop Coffee reached out to Vixen Labs to see how an interactive Amazon Alexa skill could demystify the art of making coffee at home.
Workshop Coffee Alexa Skill Developed by Vixen Labs

Whether you’re new to homebrewing or excited to try out a new technique, the Workshop Coffee Alexa Skill takes you from bean to brew with five simple step-by-step audio guides. As well as guiding users through the crucial steps to brewing that next-level morning cuppa, the skill has built-in timers, which means no more awkward fumble for your phone’s clock app.

TWO HANDS ARE BETTER THAN ONE

With nearly 1 in 4 homes in the UK featuring a smart speaker, voice enabling everyday tasks has become a hugely valuable endeavour. 

The Vixen Labs team knew that coffee making suits audio content — it takes two hands to perfect that pouring technique, after all. We also understood why brewing your coffee at home can seem like such a daunting process. Taking on the challenge to further demystify the art of handling that MoccaMaster or V60, we worked with Workshop Coffee to adapt their five useful coffee guides to a more intuitive medium: Voice.

CREATING A SKILL FOR ALL COFFEE LOVERS

As London’s go-to for everything from beans on subscription to a roastery masterclass, Workshop Coffee are always looking to help people brew the best coffee. Since an audio experience provides space for coffee enthusiasts to immerse themselves in those fruity, nutty, and caramelised flavours while learning new brewing techniques first-hand and hands-free, they came to us to help create one. From the get-go, our intention has been to add value — to loyal subscribers, coffee enthusiasts who are only just settling into their home barista role, and the Workshop Coffee brand. With this in mind when designing the Voice User Experience (VUX), we focused on three key areas: the guides, an About Us section, and Tasting Tips for a perfect cup of coffee.

To wrap up in style, Workshop Coffee’s Head of Quality James Bailey also offers a treat at the end of each guide: a customised promo code with some exciting rewards for both subscribers and non-subscribers that can be claimed on the official Workshop Coffee website.

“Vixen Labs have been invaluable in bringing these audio guides to fruition”, said Richard Frazier, Workshop Coffee’s CMO.

“THEIR KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF VOICE TECHNOLOGY HAVE MEANT THE END RESULT IS WONDERFULLY INTUITIVE AND AS GOOD AS IT CAN POSSIBLY BE.”

Man brewing coffee in a V60 while listening to the Workshop Coffee Alexa guide

BREWING COFFEE: FROM HARD TO DELIGHT

Brewing coffee looks complicated when you don’t know how to do it. Pouring techniques, specific weights of coffee, different aromas, endless types of kit to choose from… It’s no wonder users opt for a simple instant at home, or pick up an expensive takeout cup. 

We knew the best way to make this easy for everyone would be through audio. Combining our voice expertise with Workshop Coffee’s reputation in coffee excellence, we set out to satisfy both loyal subscribers and curious hobbyists with five essential coffee brewing guides: AeroPress, Clever Dripper, French Press, MoccaMaster and V60.

Although familiar to those who have scrolled through their website before, these guides come with the excitement of a hands-free experience. They also feature built-in timers, so users never have to worry about interrupting their process to reach for their phones. It’s a smooth experience from start to finish.

To help raise awareness of the brand and its offerings, an About Us section provides information on Workshop Coffee’s processes, location, and shoppable products.

Man brewing coffee in a V60 with the Workshop Coffee Alexa Skill.

RAISING BRAND AWARENESS WHILE BRINGING JOY

Our Results:

    • Convenience: offering guides via an Alexa Skill leaves users hands-free to perfect their technique without having to worry about scrolling down a webpage. 
    • Brand awareness: first-time listeners who completed a guide are rewarded with a freebie offer, introducing Workshop Coffee to new customers in an increasingly crowded market. 
    • Building loyalty: brand awareness and loyalty are further enhanced with an About Us section, which discusses how the company sources, roasts and produces coffee, along with practical information on locations and subscriptions. 
    Workshop Coffee Alexa Skill avatar

    “Alexa, Open Workshop Coffee.”

    Ready to give it a try? Brew yourself the perfect cup of coffee at home simply by following these simple steps on Alexa. Say: “Alexa, open Workshop Coffee.”

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