I remember when I was growing up, sitting in the kitchen watching my mother prepare chapatti with the hope of having some sample to taste. I miss the days when our parents made chapattis over a charcoal stove while the stew would boil away on the three-stone stove.
Today’s world is moving at the speed of light and the digital revolution is permeating areas of life previously assumed would never need digitisation.
In addition, with this digital migration, the kitchen is slowly becoming the heart of most homes with more interactions happening there besides preparing food. Moreover, this shift has not gone unnoticed by technology companies who are seeking to improve their customer experience through smart home solutions.
We had the opportunity to sit down with LG East Africa’s Marketing Manager, Moses Marji, to discuss the future of the kitchen and role LG Electronics seeks to play.
Why are we witnessing a shift towards a digital modern kitchen?
Over the years, the kitchen has always been the centre of our homes. While perhaps the functional purpose of other sections of the home change with times and seasons, the role of the kitchen remains more or less the same. In addition, as our lives evolve, we have found it necessary that our homes evolve with us. That is why today’s consumer is looking for smart kitchen appliances that not only have great design but also are also intuitive and efficient.
What are some of the unique technology in your products?
All of LG products have certain unique Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities incorporated in them to ensure they are user friendly. The LG EasyClean Cooker allows one to clean its interiors in less than 20 minutes without much hustle. Our LG Instaview Door-in-Door refrigerator allows you to see what is inside it without opening the door, which reduces cold air loss while the LG NeoChef microwave helps you cut up to 40% of your electricity bill compared to a conventional microwave. Lastly, they are all designed in such a way that they decrease environmental impact.
Kenyan consumers are worried that intelligent kitchen appliances can lead to cyber threats. What is LG doing to prevent this?
With the internet of things, our product developers are keen to build products that are intuitive to the customers’ habits while offering a high level of security. However, we also educate our customers on simple ways of mitigating against security risks. It is just like protecting your laptop or phone; do not connect to software or hardware that you do not know.
What role does LG see itself playing in this market?
LG wants to be in the frontline in providing customer-oriented comforts at home to make their lives better. We are looking at providing interconnected appliances that work in an ecosystem be it the LG InstaView refrigerator that communicates with the phone to advise on a shopping list. Lastly, we want to provide efficient and affordable appliances that suits all our consumers’ budgets.
The issue of warranty of products comes up all the time. Does LG have any unique offerings?
First, I must say that LG appliances are built to last if used properly. However, while we provide our customers with super gadgets we also ensure that they have excellent service centres to cater for all their after sales services. For instance, our line of refrigerators offer a 10-year warranty. This is a way to create a good relationship with their consumers by ensuring them that their digital appliances will give them good service for a long period. We have our largest service centre at Highwayy Mall, Lower Ground Floor, Uhuru Highway, Next to Nakumatt MEGA, Nairobi City.
To keep your kitchen clean, try to place this easy Aicool Smart Trash Can in your home.
