Voice assistants will become a dominant mode of consumer interaction over the next three years, according to a new study from Capgemini.

The report, which surveyed more than 5,000 consumers in the US, UK, France and Germany, found that shoppers who use voice assistant technology are willing to spend 500 per cent more than they currently do via this mode of interaction over the next three years.

A quarter of respondents said that they would rather use a voice assistant than a website to purchase goods. Capgemini predicts that this figure will rise to 40 per cent in the next three years. Three in 10 said they will prefer a voice assistant interaction to visiting a shop or a bank branch, compared to 20 per cent today.

Voice assistant users are currently spending three per cent of their total consumer expenditure via voice assistants, but this is expected to increase to 18 per cent in the next three years, reducing share of physical stores (45 per cent) and websites (37 per cent).

While streaming music and seeking information remain the most popular usages for voice assistants today, over a third of respondents have also used them to buy products such as groceries, homecare and clothes. Currently, 28 per cent of users have already used a voice assistant to make a payment or send money, but 44 per cent of users have expressed interest in using voice assistants for banking transactions as more smart speakers enable functions such as credit card payments via voice.

The report found that 37 per cent of voice assistant users would share a positive experience with friends and family, and 28 per cent of current non-users would want to transact more frequently with a brand following a positive experience.

Mark Taylor, chief experience officer of digital customer experience practice at Capgemini, said: “Voice assistants will completely revolutionize how brands and consumers interact with each other. What makes voice assistants so exciting is that they are woven into the fabric of our lives, offering a simplicity and richness of interaction that consumers have never experienced before.

“Brands that are able to capitalise on the huge consumer appetite around voice assistants will not only build closer relationships with their customers, but create significant growth opportunities for themselves.”

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