🔴 Sometimes, the biggest obstacle preventing a customer from receiving a service is not cost or availability, but rather distance. Even in our highly interconnected world, situations occur when customers live in remote regions with no option to get service quickly, or even when the service is quite rare and not represented in all cities where customers reside. Such circumstances might seem hopeless at first glance, but can often be counteracted with remote assistance, or even better – remote assistance through AR.
◈ How do remote assistance and AR work?
Remote assistance traditionally refers to the provision of support and service through various forms of communication – voice and video calls, text messaging and chat, mobile apps, and web platforms. The listed approaches are far from perfect, but they can be improved with augmented reality (AR) technology, which allows digital elements to be projected on real visuals (e.g. live camera footage) with certain devices (usually smartphones, tablets, or smart glasses). Let’s take a look at how and why the technology is being used in this field. 👇
◈ Benefits of the AR Approach for Business
Many businesses are already using online and mobile tools to support their customers and employees, but AR makes the service superior through multiple benefits:
1. Faster data analysis
AR technology focuses on analyzing footage and identifying objects in a camera stream. Applications of this type often have pre-programmed markers (images of an object) that it will detect in a photo or camera stream, and the process often happens much faster than a person looking at their surroundings and identifying a particular detail. Consequently, someone can just aim their camera at a piece of equipment, and their AR app will provide information and/or digital visuals in seconds as opposed to sharing the image via message and waiting minutes for an expert to identify it.
2. More relevant and informative visuals
🗨 In addition to speed, the tracking systems of AR apps do a much better job of providing accurate and relevant information. To begin with, remote specialists are quite limited in their approach to identifying objects and issues affecting them. They might ask for descriptions, photos, or a video to get a grasp of the issue, and even they sometimes make mistakes. On the other hand, a well-crafted tracking system will analyze many factors around an object in a live camera feed and can make a more accurate judgment about the situation. Accordingly, the information and/or visuals that the AR app then displays will be more relevant and better tailored to the user’s surroundings.
3. Improved automation
🎯 Given the advanced tracking and visualization systems present in AR apps, they can take on many of the functions typically delegated to support specialists. The application can include step-by-step support for dozens of situations and scenarios, so users are able to resolve issues by themselves. However, it is unlikely that this type of solution will replace support staff entirely, as not every problem encountered by users can be prepared for, and there are also times when the hardware and software fail to make the right determinations.
4. Ease of development
👉 Just 10 years ago, AR was an unknown concept to most businesses and developers, with only a select few companies (like Layar) paving the way for the technology to thrive. Today, AR development services are thriving with thousands of developers working in this field. Furthermore, Android and iOS have embraced the technology and provided the tools (ARKit and ARCore) to build such software for their platforms with no hassle. Thus, the creation of such solutions should not be thought of as much more complex than ordinary app development.
5. Standing out from the competition
🗨 For service providers competing with other companies for market share, the elaborate level of support provided through remote assistance with AR could be the game-changing factor that puts their business ahead of the rest of the pack. Besides outshining competitors, this approach should also impress users and give them a better experience more closely tailored to their circumstances.
Where can AR Remote Support be Used? 👈
Given the broad capabilities of AR, it can be used in nearly every industry – even support for online services. Still, certain industries lend themselves to the technology best, and some examples are below:
● Automotive
Helping drivers make repairs or learn how certain features work. Making the jobs of mechanics/salesmen easier with quick scanning and information
● Retail
👥 Customers can use their devices to navigate stores more easily and find needed products faster. Employees can train to quickly identify where products are located and how goods are organized.
● Healthcare
Patients and their caretakers are guided through medical tasks, medical readings are made clearer and visualized. Medical staff can quickly interpret results and provide recommendations.
● Utilities
Workers at utility plants and stations can quickly troubleshoot issues, share relevant footage and data, preview changes to facility functions.
● Military
Servicemen can learn how to work with equipment properly, scan gear and objects for potential dangers, and get accurate descriptions of various items.
👉 And many more
These examples are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to creating AR experiences.
Where is AR Already Being Used for Remote Assistance?
With thousands of businesses already using AR in their operations, it is safe to say that hundreds have applied it to remote assistance. Some prominent examples include: 👇
1. CITIC Telecom
The CITIC Telecom company has a massive amount of infrastructure that must be kept in working order, and AR is helping with this. Their field engineers and maintenance staff are using AR devices to troubleshoot issues with equipment and boost productivity by over 50%.
2. Scandinavian Health Ltd
With the recent lockdown and quarantine measures, many auditors are not able to come to work. However, the company has invested in smart glasses, which are worn by employees that do visit their facilities and allow the auditors to see the data crucial to their work visualized.
3. Renault
Renault is a French automaker that integrated AR devices to improve cooperation with dealerships. Using the special software and hardware, Renault engineers can cooperate with dealership technicians to resolve warranty issues, reducing the need for engineers to visit the dealerships.
4. Nestlé
The giant food corporation Nestlé is applying AR technology to improve collaboration among its various production and R&D sites. Specialists in the facilities are linked with the software and can easily share photos and video streams, files, visualize systems and processes and therefore work more efficiently.
📖 Conclusion 👇
At the most basic level, AR-based support answers the biggest demand that people in need of help have – show, don’t tell. Though voice and video support are helpful in many situations, augmented reality apps provide can resolve most troubleshooting situations much faster and more accurately, as long as the proper care and attention to detail are invested in their development. As the approach grows and grows in popularity, we see a rising number of businesses use it to their advantage.
🗨 In case you are interested in the implementation of AR technologies to enhance your business processes or accomplish other goals, you can contact any of the numerous companies that provide AR services. One of the leading companies presented in the matrix above is Program-Ace – an AR development company that has worked with immersive technologies since they first appeared on the market. Whichever company you choose will be lucky to have you, because the implementation of new tech in your business will allow you to stay a few steps ahead of your competitors.
↘ Source: 👤 Mikhail Shcherbatko is a creative writer, translator, movie buff, and fantasy book fan. Writing guest posts for Program-Ace, he strives to bring useful insights to the masses. 🔚
