Flic, the Smart Button for Smart Retail

Voice commands VS Physical controllers: Can a simple push be more convenient than voice commands?

Voice assistants are gaining more and more ground over the years, especially within the smart home industry. And it’s not a surprise. The convenience of not having to use your hands to activate a device or issue a command is a game changer. However, what happens when someone is in a noisy environment or simply cannot speak? How can you rely on a specific type of technology that is still not perfected? 

The answer may not seem like it, but thousands of customers and companies are benefiting from it. As the title implies, physical controllers or more simply, smart buttons are a simple yet effective way that can function from physical shortcuts simplifying everyday routines to an extra revenue stream for businesses.

A push. It’s that simple.

Imagine you develop an app that you invest a lot of time, training, and money in a reliant system for your employees. To use it you need to go through a process. Count the steps: You need to remember where your phone is, unlock it with a code of face recognition, scroll around to find the app, open it and then finally trigger for example, product stock update or call for support. Valuable time is lost. Why can’t this process be simpler you might ask? 

All these steps can be avoided by simply pressing a button. Yes, you read correctly. Discreetly placed on your clothes thanks to a rigid metal clip, you simply push the button. And that’s it! Completely wireless and you can program up to three desired triggers: One push for staff needed, double push for stock update, hold for panic alert, for instance.

Physical shortcuts are so versatile that they can be adapted and used for various sectors. Companies belonging to industries like Healthcare, Personal safety, Sports and even Facility management integrated Flic buttons to trigger functions in their apps or systems. For example, a lone worker who needs to contact someone can simply push the button attached to the uniform and a predefined message can be sent to the monitoring center. The best part is that technology allows your developers to make integration as easy as possible. Software Development Kits have been tried and tested for free along with libraries and even an example app. Developers of our partners have an easy and quick workload, since they only have to set the desired functions that the buttons will trigger. Plus, the buttons can also be customized with the company logo, adding brand awareness without extra cost.

Seeing how a small button can help both people and businesses indicates how a simple push can be more convenient and practical in several contexts. Visit our booth WL484 during Smart Retail Tech, we would love to tell you more about Flic and smart buttons. For more information email: dirk@shortcutlabs.com