GET AHEAD WITH REMOTE AND AR

USING CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES AS AN OPPORTUNITY

Keep your rocket on course…

The technologies “AR” (Augmented Reality), “VR” (Virtual Reality) and “Remote” are playing an increasingly important role for more and more companies. However, the value potential that can already be leveraged with these technologies along the value chain is often not immediately visible.

Let’s get started…

…imagine you are sitting in a rocket and have to steer it through space. On your way, you will encounter several meteoroids with valuable properties. If you recognize them early, you can use raw materials to reach your destination faster. If you miss a meteoroid, which may even be on a collision course, it can slow down or even destroy your rocket. The rocket represents your company and the decisions you make. Meteoroids are new technologies and innovations that can give you an competitive edge – if you take advantage of them early. However, if they pass by unnoticed, the competition may take advantage of these same raw materials. In the worst case, a disruptive technology can ruin your company.

With our high experience in innovation consulting, we give an overview which meteoroids are already buzzing around in orbit today.

One of these meteoroids is “visual assistance”. We are currently experiencing a high innovation momentum in remote technologies such as “AR” or “video” and “real-time voice translation”. What if your employees were already leveraging attractive value potentials in technical consulting, installation or after-sales services – in other words, generating more money? And successfully face the shortage of skilled workers in the process?

We know: AR is no longer just a “gimmick”. And it is not only used by large corporations under laboratory conditions. Rather, AR and remote technologies offer innovative hands-on solutions that inspire customers and employees. And enable competitive edge.

In particular, these are cross-sectional technologies. This means that they can be used throughout the entire value chain. Starting with the visualization of technical advice and sales, through visual work instructions for production processes during assembly, to remote support for technicians for installation, assembly or maintenance – remotely.

Let’s give your rocket a quickstart – insights into three valuable use cases …

# 1 – Remote repair and maintenance with the customer

Many of us have already encountered the idea of digital assistance. Especially in the B2C area: for example, about 80% of the usual customer inquiries of a website are answered by a “chatbot”.

In the B2B sector, the framework conditions usually look different: missing standards, complex requirements, flexible adjustments, special machines… Therefore, in most cases, service technicians are contacted when problems occur. Long journeys, overnight stays with expenses lead to high time and cost expenditures. Is this possible in another way?

With remote and augmented reality, such deployments can be avoided. The cooperation between PTC and Howden, for example, shows that this technology is already being used in practice to create value. They are already very successfully using augmented reality services for remote support. With the new service, the customer is advised live by a product expert and guided to carry out the repair independently. In this way, technicians and companies save time and money and can cooperate with each other flexibly and independently of location.

# 2 – Virtualize technical consulting and sales

Not only “aftersales” but also “presales” can get a quickstart with remote and AR. For example, integrating new tech-nologies in “video and voice in sales” can save time and money. PS-AMS PSL, for example, has integrated a virtual showroom with a live consultation – and successfully digitized presales as a result. This is just one example of many B2B cases that already use the advantages of virtual showrooms today.

# 3 – Digital employees and customer training

Requirements for products, processes and applications are becoming more and more complex and diverse. The challenges: How do my employees always stay operational and beeing up to date? How can I train my employees despite a shortage of skilled workers? Also here, new technologies can offer a perspective for using these risks as an opportunity. A good example: Volvo and ABB. Volvo uses AR technology to train employees efficiently, enabling them to react quickly to changing requirements.

… Back to your rocket: You’ve probably noticed that speed gives you an huge competitive edge, and the number of metroids that may still be ahead of you is growing. Now, it is your turn to bring your rocket in the most successful orbits.

Catch the Future…!