2020 was the year that gave businesses a significant wake-up call. That year forced businesses to look beyond the ordinary and rise to the challenges posed by the changing market scene and customer preferences. To cater to the ‘new normal, companies looked for digital solutions that can help them stay afloat and relevant. Cloud technologies, machine learning systems, zoom meetings, and artificial intelligence are some of the technologies helping businesses solve challenges across various locations.
Augmented reality remote assistance transmits live video streaming – both images and videos –in real-time with the help of AR. Augmented reality is an interactive and immersive technology that superimposes images on the user’s physical world. A pair of AR glasses, a smartphone with the AR application or even an AR helmet can be used to provide remote assistance to anyone.
The global AR market’s value was $3.5 billion in 2017, and this number is projected to increase to more than $198 billion by 2025 – dramatic growth within the next few years. In 2020 there were nearly 1 billion AR users, which is projected to reach 3.5 billion by 2022.
Who Benefits from AR Remote Assistance
Besides providing real-time collaboration with on-field technicians and remote experts, augmented reality remote assistance can improve productivity, customer satisfaction. It also improves 1 day visit cost of technicians to your plant & save extra time to reduce maintenance and improve quality of machines efficiency and productivity.
- AR remote assistance helps in completing tasks faster and with fewer mistakes
- AR remote assistance helps companies reduce costs associated with re-work, maintenance and travel costs
- It helps in improving productivity by reducing machine downtime.
- Helps transfer knowledge by recording training sessions for future use.
- Helps customers visualize products and understand them better through demonstrations
- Provide immersive training to technicians and employees when it comes to handling expensive or complex pieces of equipment
- AR Remote Assistance helps to save time and cost.
- It helps to manage maintenance online and be productive at work
- Allows faster on-boarding and training of the newer workforce.
AR Remote Assistant – Applications
1. Retail Industry
The retail industry has been warming up to the idea of augmented reality only recently. Retailers say they aren’t prepared to support technologies like augmented reality or virtual reality.
Only about 9% of 100 senior executives in the retail industry surveyed said they had the means to support such advanced technologies, while more than 50% of them said they weren’t as prepared. Such statistics are quite disappointing since about 71% of customers believed that if retailers used AR to improve the shopping experience, they would be willing to shop more.
AR remote assistance provides enhanced product visualization and customization in 3D. For example, if a customer is looking to buy furniture or give their house a lick of new paint, they would virtually place the furniture in the surroundings to see how it might fit.
With AR-backed apps, customers can try products ‘virtually’ using their mobile phone or web camera. It increases the whole shopping experience, reduces the number of returns, provides complete product information through demonstrations & helps the business build a rapport with the younger generation, and improves sales since customers can try out products regardless of their locations.
2. Operations Management
An Augmented reality remote assistance app can help businesses streamline their operations and logistics management. With these apps, companies can gain access to real-time information about product supply-chain to accurately anticipate delivery timings. It also improves quality of time to be more productive.
Additionally, workers can also quickly scan a vast inventory to find the right tool instantly. AR remote assistance-based apps help improve operations management, logistical safety, reduce delivery time by digitally navigating to the right items.
3. Virtual Training
Businesses face a severe shortage of expertise, with an experienced workforce retiring or increasing complex business requirements. Conventional methods of teaching are sorely not sufficient. Moreover, preserving knowledge or subject matter experience is also crucial to the future of the organization.
AR remote assistance solutions help companies to save investments on training resources and efforts. With AR, it is now possible to train a new workforce on crucial procedures, even remotely. The need to go to a training center or for the trainer to be physically present at training is largely eliminated.
Also Read : Take Your Business to Great Heights with Augmented Reality
With an augmented reality remote assistance app, it is possible to train more employees with few experienced technicians. Also, it is possible to record, capture and maintain the technical knowledge for future training sessions. It can help in quickly on-boarding new workforce, provide continuous technical education, reduce the costs associated with bringing trainers to the site, reduce the risk of moving heavy equipment around, & improves safety.
Traditional methods of imparting knowledge can sometimes remain woefully incomplete or lacking. AR remote assistance & VR tools can provide employees with an immersive experience by offering simulations of real-world experiences in a secure and interactive environment.
4. Billing and Contracting
Businesses spend a considerable amount of time reading the fine print before finalizing documents or bills. Most companies prefer meeting their counterparts before signing on the dotted line. However, with AR-based remote assistance apps, contracts can be sifted through and all details and conditions considered by sharing a virtual copy of the physical documents.
Agents can also direct attention to billing discrepancies, seek clarifications on documents and invoices, and immediately act on contract misalignment. With this technology, it is possible to record, accept & add additional information to CRM systems, validate proof of identity or view evidence of damages to goods before authorizing reimbursement or returns.
5. Technical Support
For example, imagine a factory worker in the US repairing heavy machinery manufactured in Japan. If the worker doesn’t have expert knowledge on fixing the machine, the company would have to seek outside specialists’ help. Bringing an expert from either Japan or Germany would be time-consuming and expensive.
With an AR remote assistance app, it is possible to avoid unnecessary site visits, reduce associated costs, & help knowledge transfer for the future workforce, record sessions, decrease downtime and improve machine health by incorporating preventive maintenance measures.
Agents can now use AR remote assistance tools to guide customers on handling simple repairs and installations from home. It is easy to help customers install a security camera, clean their washing machine & troubleshoot cabling issues, or even fix internet connectivity issues. AR helps in faster query resolution, effective troubleshooting, and improved customer experience.
AR also provides essential instructions and necessary data to technicians. With this, they can reach out to experts as and when required & undertake field repairs, organize the service process and communicate effectively with customers.
Wrapping Up
Goldman Sachs predicts AR to be an $80 billion market by 2025.
The future of AR seems to be promising many benefits to customers and businesses. Every forward-thinking and future-facing company should try to leverage the potential of AR remote assistance to improve their business standing. Even though these emerging technologies are still in their infancy, they might quickly become the standard offering across industries.
The increase in the number of companies trying augmented reality remote assistance apps is proof that they are exploring this innovative technology to the hilt.
Businesses should quickly find ways to incorporate AR into their processes so that in the next 5 -10 years, they can have a competitive advantage over other market players.