After over two decades of evolution and experimentation, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are finally set to offer immersive and interactive experiences within all spheres of society, especially in the corporate world.
Organizations have invested a fortune in these technologies. It is finally time to reap the benefits.
AR and VR have promising potential for bringing about spectacular business growth. They have applications in various business components like sales training, shopping experience, and customer experience.
AR and VR in Business
There is a huge gap between the profusion of digital data and the physical world in which it may be applied. While the real world is multi-dimensional, the information tapped from hundreds of thousands of intelligent, connected sources to inform an organization’s decisions is still trapped in two-dimensional screens.
AR brings the promise of superimposing digital data on the physical world, thus releasing untapped human potential and capabilities. VR effaces physical reality and enables one to immerse themselves in a digital environment.
As VR and AR find their way into all industries, they are set to transform the way organizations conduct their businesses, make decisions, train their employees, and serve their clients. AR has a more relevant application than VR in the industry. However, organizations are using a combination of AR and VR to create unique experiences for employees, clients, and customers.
Effective Sales Training
All organizations are trying to keep up to speed with the unstoppable boom in technological advancements. Technology has seeped into all sectors and industries. Harnessing the potential of the same technology in on-the-job training of employees is the only logical thing to do. AR and VR in eLearning are a blessing in disguise for sales representatives.
AR and VR-enabled sales training provides a stress-free safe environment to learn about new products and services, and practice selling them using a role-playing approach.
Employees can conveniently demonstrate their newly acquired knowledge, experience interactions with customers, and work on their soft skills. They can effectively engage in a conversation with the customer in the virtual environment, understand their needs, and learn to handle objections and conflicts. Moreover, the learners can also practice giving recommendations to the virtual customer, and boost their confidence as they step into the real world to make sales pitches.
Better Pitches
The greatest advantage of AR and VR technology is that it is flexible and enthralling to all parties. Better sales are directly proportional to the successful growth of the business. “We found a better price elsewhere” is a statement that no sales representative likes to hear.
Powerpoint presentations are boring, and the customer tends to get easily distracted. Eventually, the customer chooses the pitch that seeks the lowest price. This is where AR and VR come to the rescue. They provide an organization with the appropriate tool to show the added value that they bring to the table. Customers can experience the product first-hand and experience the differentiating factor between the products offered.
Imagine being able to take the customer to the accommodation facility that you are trying to sell, and allow them to experience the views, amenities, and surrounding environment. The same technology may also be used to demonstrate the quality of your newly launched speakers. AR and VR technology gives an edge to the organization.
Product Demonstrations
The bigger the product, the more challenging it is to bring it to the customer. Owing to the physical and logistical constraints, most often the organization requests the customer to visit the site or rely on technical drawings or scale models. There may be times when even the most attractive brochures and presentations are not able to convince the customer of the value of the product that they intend to purchase.
AR and VR technologies are proving to be game-changer for such product providers. The customers can now see the product instantly. The organizations can set up temporary booths at various locations within the public realm, expos, fairs, and conferences, and conduct effective product demonstrations which are enabled by VR and AR technologies.
Enhanced Shopping Experience
Among the most recent applications of VR and AR technology is that in the retail industry. While eCommerce provides the convenience of getting everything in the comfort of your home, most retail sales still take place from brick-and-mortar structures. How can a retail store introduce AR and VR technology to enhance sales?
Considering a clothing store, one of the most common steps of each customer before buying anything is to queue up in the waiting line of the trial rooms. A customer is unlikely to buy any piece of clothing without trying it out and being satisfied with the fit and design. Using the immersive experiences offered by VR or AR technologies, the customer will be able to try the clothes on virtually and make their decision. Similarly, introducing a virtual environment in any store like furniture, sports, make-up, etc. will enable the customers to experience the product in real life and help them make the decisions that they are the happiest with.
Immersive Customer Service Experience
Many companies include a manual or a tutorial in their products and services. The comprehensive documents help the customers to understand the operation of the product. AR and VR technology will provide a common immersive platform for the company’s customer care service providers and the customers to interact and resolve the issues hands-on, instead of spending endless hours over the phone or via emails.
VR and AR technologies provide educational and entertaining experiences. Organizations may use the tech to stay connected with customers and ascertain their loyalty to the brand.
Immersive AR and VR experiences help in engaging the customers better, and satisfied customers often bring their peers to get the same experience, eventually leading to business growth.
Simultaneously, customer service will become more engaging and interactive, and provide a virtual environment to provide demonstrations to the customers, eliminating the need for the unimpressive support page.
Conclusion
Introducing AR and VR in business may seem a little daunting. The trick is to identify what the company needs to grow, and then visualize the VR and AR tools to fulfill those needs. The solutions would be tailor-made and based on the gaps in the company’s current sales and services strategies.
