Ways Augmented Reality Will Transform Your Business

- Uses of Augmented Reality for Business

Recruitment and Training

AR Technology in Product Development

AR Benefits for Product Development

Using AR to Increase Sales

AR “Try Before You Buy” at Play

Communication in Business

Augmented Reality in Marketing

- What is Augmented Reality?

Augmented Reality vs. Virtual Reality

Similarities between Augmented Reality(AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

Difference between Augmented Realityand Virtual Reality

Augmented reality is not a newtechnology

Combining AR and Virtual Reality

- Use Cases of Augmented Reality for Business

ManufacturingOnboardingProductivityOperational Information

AutomotiveRemote AssistancePrototyping

Travel

Real Estate

- Specific Examples of Implementing ARTechnology in Business

Virtual Product Demonstration

Data Collection

Event Marketing

- How to Evaluate AR if it’s the RightSolution for Your Business

Core demographic

Marketing objectives

Competition

- Let Dom & Tom Develop Cutting-Edge AR Apps for Your Business

Augmented Reality is effective at

blurring the lines between the digital and the real world. It offers businesses

a distinctive way to engage with colleagues, customers, prospects, and

suppliers.

Up to this point, augmented reality has

exhibited remarkable market possibilities. And it’s only at the early stages of

unlocking its true potential.

Think for a moment that you’re shopping

for a new coffee table, a jumper, or a holiday destination. More likely than

not, you’d find yourself inside physical stores, flipping through magazines, or

browsing online.

Now, reimagine yourself shopping but in a more completely immersive way — from the comforts of your home. Smartphone apps with AR technology can show you what that new coffee table would look like, in real-time.

Businesses are always trying to improve

customer experience. Often, they welcome new trends that are both efficient and

exciting. Indeed, our vastly consumption-led lives have room for Augmented

Reality.

From a business point of view, AR offers

a lot more than just an improved customer experience.

For companies using AR, how has it

boosted sales, improved efficiency and marketing, and overall business

performance?

So far, Augmented Reality has demonstrated

its value as a vital business tool for:

- Recruitment and Training

- Communication

- Product Development

- Marketing and

- Maintenance

A 2017 study concluded that Augmented Reality is the future of recruitment and training as demonstrated by the rising of immersive technologies in learning and development. Three years later, we can validate that using AR or augmented reality has gone beyond remote staff training.

The days of screening resumes and making

company-changing decisions based on what you want to hear from candidates are

long gone. Today’s enterprises are using AR and Virtual Reality (VR)

technologies to improve staff recruitment and training.

For instance, a company can create a VR

simulation for commercial engineers working at heights. Today’s recruitment

process involves using Augmented Reality and VR to let future recruits

experience the workplace remotely.

Given the rise of remote hiring during

the work-from-home period, many enterprises appreciate the usefulness of these

immersive technologies more than ever before.

Instead of having candidates spend a lot

of time in the workplace assessing its pros and cons, they can now enter a

simulated version of that workplace using Virtual Reality.

Using AR technology not only helps in

training a more skilled workforce and improving user experience, it is also

essential in product development. Many industries can benefit from using

augmented reality in simplifying product development and related services.

A more efficient systematization of

processes and workflows is now possible through digital visualization. This can

have a massive implication when it comes to human collaboration.

Augmented Reality can enable interactions

that are location-independent. For example, internationally distributed teams

collaborate on developing a product in real-time. This can be useful in

prolonged crises like the current global pandemic.

- Lower development costs

- Minimize risks and increase

safety

- Faster development turnaround

time

- Improved cooperation via shared

access to relevant data

- Product enhancement by

identifying errors early on

- Digital visualization of the

product for external departments, costumes, and partners

Using smart devices with Augmented

Reality technology allows the people involved in product development to

interact with each other wherever they are in the world. Augmented Reality

allows developers to access any project easily by remotely visualizing the

product.

With AR, developers can walk around the

simulated 3D version of the product and inspect the details from all angles.

Additionally, they can compare different models of the product, give feedback,

and modify the models in real-time.

Using Augmented Reality can increase

product development flexibility. The use of AR can reduce the hassles and costs

concerning prototype development and testing.

Using Augmented Reality in product

development allows for further, on-the-spot development changes. Also, live

sharing of the implementation of technical variations between members of the

development team is now possible.

On the other hand, conventional product

development methods involve manual construction of prototypes. And to enable

discussion, the prototype has to be sent to other members of the development

team who might be in different locations around the world.

Even in sales and marketing strategies,

AR technology has become a welcome component. With this in mind, mobile devices

have become the go-to instrument between consumer and brand interaction and as

well as making purchasing decisions.

AR application in mobile devices can be a

salesman’s additional tool that helps with:

- Closing deals

- Driving sales

- Awareness and

- Brand value enhancement

Augmented Reality has the power to

influence the buying decisions of consumers. It can awaken emotions and create

a deeper feeling of ownership.

This is because people will likely put

money into products they think they have a connection with. Either it’s a

common or familiarity and shared goal.

This means if consumers had the right

level of engagement with a product, time, and the capacity to envision owning a

product — it’s very likely that they will make the purchase.

It is quite common that a customer will

want to try a product before making a purchase. From clothing to houses and

cars.

Car showrooms, cosmetic samples, fitting

rooms, and practically all the other industries bear witness to this sales

strategy’s effectiveness. Without a doubt, shopping experiences offered by AR

are on the rise.

Augmented Reality allows consumers to

model and try on a product without having to physically interact with it. We

know that test drives and fitting rooms are an essential part of selling. AR

combines this concept with accuracy, speed, and convenience.

As more and more businesses have come to

understand the effectiveness of Augmented Reality in their marketing funnel,

they begin to develop their version of AR try-before-you-buy apps as well.

One pioneering tech company that used AR

applications in their try-before-you-buy marketing strategy is Facebook, which

is now known as Meta. Their AR-based ad, for instance, allowed potential

customers to try on virtual sunglasses using the cameras of their mobile

devices.

Not wanting to be left behind is the cosmetics industry, which has been enthusiastic in embracing Augmented Reality. Top cosmetic companies such as L’Oreal and Sephora have launched their respective AR-based apps to offer the try-before-you-buy experience to their customers.

Similarly, the shopping scene has seen the rise of virtual fitting rooms in recent years. At the forefront of building virtual fitting rooms are brands Timberland and Topshop.

Moreover, AR plays a crucial role in

enhancing the post-sales process. Time and time again, customers will find

themselves relying on user manuals or online information on websites that can

be difficult to navigate.

This frustrating experience can drive

people to take their business elsewhere. Augmented Reality solves this problem

by offering immersive, highly accessible product information through a smart

device.

Communication in the corporate world

often involves keeping a wide network of people to get updated about a plan or

project.

There are several potential applications of

AR within the field of communication.

For example, data visualization has

always been an essential tool to the success of a company. The ability of the

people involved in accessing, dissecting, and discussing data is crucial to the

smooth flow of operations.

Audiences, both internal and external,

need access to a wide range of data including social responsibility information

and performance metrics. Augmented Reality solutions can help brands, both

large and small, to develop live and interactive simulations of data aimed at a

specific audience.

Often, the ‘in-person experience’ is a requirement in strategic communications. Microsoft’s holoportation technology is a form of AR application that can help simulate a close, inter-personal feeling. This technology works by creating a holograph of a person whose task is to deliver a message to other people in different parts of the world without having to travel.

Customer communication aims to:

- Decrease churn rate

- Increase revenue per customer

and

- Improve customer satisfaction

There are several ways where augmented

reality can help improve customer satisfaction and communication. The concept

of customer satisfaction depends on the following factors such as:

- Adaptability

- Appealing environment

- Product assortment

- Connection with other customers

- Commitment to the customer

- Easy transactions

When we consider Augmented Reality as a

tool that brings virtual elements into the real world, it becomes clear that

the role of AR to ensure customer satisfaction is based on these factors.

Take adaptability in health care as an

example. Augmented Reality applications in smartphones can help physiotherapy

patients practice certain exercises.

Moreover, many smartphone AR applications

have a feature that tracks the patient’s movements using accelerometer data.

These apps can also guide patients through the appropriate exercises.

Proper implementation of Augmented

Reality in business can bring customers closer to the products or services. In

many cases, this enhanced accessibility can make most customer communications

almost unnecessary.

Related Post: Using AI in Making Recruiting More Efficient

Marketing involves using different tools

in promoting and selling a product or service. It also includes market research

and advertising. The goal is to bring engaging and captivating information to

potential customers, hoping they’ll turn around and make a purchase.

Flashy sales advertising was a thing in

marketing many decades ago. Social media marketing took over with the rise of

the internet. At present, the future of marketing is Augmented Reality.

Traditional branding materials can become

exciting and immersive marketing tools thanks to Augmented Reality. Virtual and

interactive components can be added to level up business cards and brochures.

As an example, a smart device can be used

to scan a business card that has interactive contact information like an email

address or phone number.

An AR-based marketing technique enables

customers to use their smart devices to access a range of interactive features

by scanning certain printed materials. For instance, a user will need to scan a

specific page of a magazine to access video content that features more

information on a product.

So, how is augmented reality used in

businesses?

So far, Augmented reality has helped

improve sales and B2B relations, communication, product development,

recruitment, and the staff training process. Also, AR has played a vital role

in creating buzz around a brand and elevating company status.

As it is known, augmented reality is all

about enhancing your experience within the real world using digital

information. When you aim your smartphone or tablet’s screen on a physical

object, landscape, or structure, — digital elements materialize into the

screen.

AR technology displays some form of a

digital layer of information atop the real-world view. It effectively

‘enhances’ or ‘augments’ our view of the world around us.

Integrated with real-world objects and

other virtual elements, AR content materializes on your screen in the form of

graphics, audio, text, etc.

Microsoft’s HoloLens is a well-known device

in the augmented reality landscape. Yet, AR headsets are not the sole carrier

of this versatile technology.

Smartphones and tablets are the more

common carriers of AR technology. Today, augmented reality can be experienced

to the fullest extent on many smart devices like phones, tablets, digital

displays, magic mirrors, etc.

Conclusively, the speedy arrival of smart

wearable devices into the market combined with the ubiquity of mobile devices

means that the AR industry is poised to take off. Thus, the increasing use of

AR in business has changed the way how enterprises operate.

Like many complementary technologies, AV and VR have their differences and similarities. Here are a few of them:

Both of these immersive technologies are in high-definition audio and high-resolution 3D video. Augmented Reality and VR came from the same concept of delivering an immersive experience to users through a digital environment.

In comparison, VR is completely an

immersive technology. In part, Augmented Reality overlays virtual content over

the physical world.

But AR is in everyday devices like

smartphones and tablets. Sensors in AR devices detect physical objects. And

then, built-in computers decide where to put virtual elements on the screen.

Surprisingly, AR has been around since 1997. There were already studies about the potential uses of AR in:

- Military aircraft navigation

& targeting

- Maintenance & repair

- Robot path planning

- Medical visualization,

- Annotation and

- Entertainment

Today, tech companies are all in a race

to bring the best possible AR experience to consumers. Both technologies have a

long way to go before they reach their full potential.

But current immersive technologies offer

today’s businesses plenty of opportunities to benefit from.

Virtual reality, in relation to AR, is a

complementing but distinct technology. While AR overlays digital content on the

physical world, VR displays a computer-generated environment rather than a

physical reality.

Though the main implementation of VR is

in the entertainment space, it can be designed to duplicate physical

environments for training purposes, especially if the training involves remote

locations or hazardous conditions.

Besides, if the required training

machinery is unavailable, VR can display hologram versions of machines to

engage technicians in a virtual environment. Thus, when necessary, VR will add

‘stimulate’ as a 4th capability to the core capabilities of AR such as

visualize, instruct, and interact.

Conclusively, many businesses will use AR

a lot more than VR.

That being said, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality integration allow users to:

- Transcend scale. Users can interact with environments that are either too big

or too small to experience directly.

- Transcend time. Simulating possible future situations or reproducing historical

contexts.

- Transcend distance. Simulating remote locations.

Additionally, drawing people together in

shared virtual settings can improve comprehension, communication,

decision-making, and teamwork.

Wondering how to use Augmented Reality

for business? Here are some AR use cases across industries and sectors.

AR can help

recruits with interactive instructions on how to use machinery. Onboarding can

help shave off ramp-up time and increase safety.

AR headsets

integrated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help employees get from one

area to another in the most efficient fashion. The outcome would be potential

long-term productivity gains for the company.

An overlay of

Augmented Reality elements in a factory can help employees monitor equipment

status and performance. For instance, employees can get live insight from

interactive gauges on different areas of the assembly line.

New employees

could conduct real-time service maintenance and complex repairs on vehicles.

Engineers can show them live step-by-step instructions through an AR-based

remote assist technology.

Vehicle prototyping can be costly for automotive companies. AR offers businesses to iterate and improve product designs without spending anything. BMW has been using AR to minimize the need to conduct test setups.

AR can help travel agencies create

computer-generated tour presentations as a way to offer destinations and

facilities. Customers learn more about a destination as they experience

interacting with AR content.

Landlords can use AR to provide tenants

with instructions and information about the rental property.

For instance, a smartphone AR application

can help tenants locate different utilities and how to use them. The app can

also help people orient themselves around the property.

Additionally, AR-controlled smart locks

and online payment systems further minimize the need for contact between

landlords and tenants.

Knowledge of the general uses of

Augmented Reality can be beneficial for businesses. But knowing the specific

examples of implementing AR can be an advantage over the competition.

Furniture giants Wayfair and Ikea have AR

applications that help people see what furniture and accessories would look

like in their homes without going to a physical store.

Major League Baseball uses its “At Bat”

app to collect demographic data and for marketing purposes.

The app works when fans point their

smartphones toward the field. After doing so, the screen displays profiles of

individual players, which include batting average, on-base percentage, catch

probability, and arm strength.

Interestingly, fans download the app for

its exciting features associated with baseball. An app download, in turn,

grants MLB the ability to collect data from baseball fans.

Not so long ago, Sprint wanted to

introduce its 5G network at the Mobile World Congress conference.

Unfortunately, the technology was unavailable at the time. And so, the company

decided to use AR in creating a futuristic demo that showed attendees the

difference between the current and future of mobile with 5G technology.

As Augmented Reality’s popularity

continues to rise especially within the business sector, it is still crucial to

know if it’s the right fit for your business. Before investing in AR,

businesses should assess their marketing demographics and goals.

Businesses must consider implementing

Augmented Reality if their core demographics are either employees or users that

are millennials or younger.

People in their mid-30s and younger are

living in the age of AR. If this technology is not offered, businesses risk

losing this target audience to forward-thinking, modern, and engaging

competitors.

AR is an ideal tool for explaining to an

audience and engaging them. Businesses with either of one of these objectives

must consider having an AR solution.

Moreover, experiences with Augmented

Reality should be highly shareable so that they will be suited to inform people

about events and entertainment.

Businesses must be aware of what’s going

on with their sector. If any competitor is already using Augmented Reality,

then businesses must investigate and immediately assess if it fits their

marketing strategy. Or else, they might not be able to keep up with the

competition as it races forward.

Augmented Reality is here to stay and is becoming more commonplace. AR is impacting businesses around the world and creating a competitive advantage for those who use it.

Dom & Tom is at the forefront of providing digital solutions and immersive experiences, including Augmented Reality. Contact us today! Let us help develop your AR and VR app so you can stay ahead of the competition.