When it comes to running a business, whether industrial, retail or digital, to be successful and efficient is a must.
Whether you are wanting to keep expenditure to a minimum or expand and develop the growth of the company, there are a number of important methods to help improve the development of the business.
With the innovation of technology progressing constantly, incorporating advances in technology is a must in establishing and maintaining a smooth and functioning workplace. One piece of technology that can be integrated into your business is the addition of simulated experiences, such as virtual and augmented reality.
What is the Difference Between Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality?
Within this blog, we will be looking at the many advances that VR and AR can have for your business. What should be highlighted before we dive in deeper is the differences between virtual reality and augmented reality and the details that make up each of the differences between these two interactive experiences.
Let us first start with what virtual reality (VR) is. Often used for entertainment and educational purposes, VR is a simulated experience that offers either a realistic or otherworldly experience. Augmented reality (AR), on the other hand, is an interactive experience, within a real-life environment. With sceneries created through computer-generated perceptual information, AR plays heavily on our sensory perception.
Augmented Reality can help businesses through its ability to increase interaction and engagement, whilst improving the value of both products and brands when incorporated within a selection of different industries.
AR increases engagement and interaction and provides a richer user experience. Research has shown that AR can increase the customers overall value of products and brand, by allowing them to experience and review the product in a simulated environment prior to investing and parting with their hard-earned cash.
How Can Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality be Used in Business?
When we think of virtual reality, images of VR headsets will often spring to mind. Not just for gaming and entertainment purposes, through the use of this latest piece of technology, there are a number of advantages of simulated experiences in business.
Here are five benefits that can be seen when virtual reality is incorporated into the running of a business.
1- Improve Overall Training Experience
Through the use of virtual reality, employers can offer employees an exciting, comprehensive and fully immersive experience. Through the use of VR headsets, business trainers can interact with employees, giving the sensation that they are in the same room. With employees able to interact with all those that are online, along with the ability to pre-record training sessions, live streaming of sessions and seminars is also available for those wanting a personalised and interactive experience.
Through a real life immersive experience, the benefits of virtual reality in training can best be seen in medical students being able to treat injured patients through the use of VR.
2- Manufacturing
Through the addition of augmented reality within the construction industry, AR can improve and accelerate the speed of future developments worldwide. Along with the ability to improve training experiences, AR can benefit project managers, allowing them to monitor and inspect the progress of a project from the comfort of their office. Not just suited for the construction, augmented reality can also be used within factories. A handy tool when it comes to creating digital maps and plans of factories. Advances of augmented reality within the manufacturing industry can keep projects running smoothly within automated warehouses.
3- Travel and Tourism
Another benefit of incorporating augmented reality into your business can be seen in both travel and tourism. Through the ability to spot the best travel routes, AR can be used to translate street signs and supply local, insider insights for new and unknown locations. Helping to improve and enhance the cultural experience, augmented reality can be used within museums for educating and inspiring visitors.
Augmented reality can benefit businesses while reducing travel costs either when planning and preparing for a meeting, while also allowing businesses to conduct augmented reality interviews.
4- Interviewing and Meetings
When it comes to hiring and conducting interviews and internal meetings among staff, the use of VR can have a positive effect. Allowing interviewers to conduct face-to-face interviews from multiple locations. Candidates can fully express themselves through body and facial expressions, virtual reality can be best used for remote companies. Alike when organizing interviews, virtual reality can also be used for those wanting to organize meetings with a team spread out across various countries around the world. Bringing together a team, the use of VR can improve communication and reduce the risk of misunderstanding while developing team spirit that is essential in a successful business.
5- Enhanced Retail Experience
An essential addition to those businesses located within the retail industry, augmented reality can enhance and futurize the business. Through the addition of technology within the rise of eCommerce, AR can improve user experience for higher customer satisfaction, leading to the rise in sales. From the ability to create virtual fitting rooms online to the personalization of products. By giving customers the option to personalize their order, it can lead to customers choosing the correct size, while reducing the rate of returning orders.
Augmented reality, as well as, virtual reality can also be used to help create promotional campaigns to target the correct audience. By being able to identify various cultural and social trends, businesses can understand consumer behaviors for their benefit.
Which Industries Could Benefit From the Addition of VR and AR?
Retail Industry
Through the use of these two simulated experiences, customers can try on clothes, makeup, accessories, bags and jewelry from the comfort of their own home with the use of AR and VR.
Automotive Industry
Both augmented reality and virtual reality can be used by customers, allowing them to test-drive and customize a vehicle before making the daunting task of purchasing a car.
Real Estate
With the use of augmented reality and virtual reality, prospective home buyers can view and take a virtual tour of the property, allowing them to house hunt in their free time and from the comfort of a safe spot.
Construction Industry
Augmented reality and virtual reality are beginning to be incorporated into the construction industry, with a large number of benefits. From helping to show clients the end result of the project before construction has begun, this simulated experience can be used for both residential and commercial projects.
Video Gaming
For gaming publishers wanting to promote the launch of a new game, consider using either AR and VR to introduce and test the game with a future fan base.
Hotels and Accommodation
When it comes to choosing and booking a hotel of their choice, through the use of AR and VR, allow guests to make a comprehensive and informed decision. Giving guests the ability to view the room and take a virtual tour of the grounds, this can help in lowering the amount of negative reviews, as guests are aware of the accommodation facilities before they book.
Education
When it comes to inspiring and motivating students within the classroom, consider using both AR and VR to make learning more fun and exciting. Through the use of headsets, virtual reality fully immerses the students, allowing them to gather a comprehensive understanding of the subject that they are learning.
Software Creation
When creating new or bespoke software, through the use of both virtual and augmented reality, you can demonstrate to the client how to use this new feature and the many benefits it can bring to their business. A more active way to show off the new features within the software, compared to 2D storyboards used in the past.
How to Incorporate Virtual Reality into Your Business?
We have highlighted the benefits of virtual reality and the different areas within your business that it can support and evolve for the better. However the time has now come for you too to incorporate VR into your business, but where do you start? To showcase your services and products to clients, get in touch with a VR content developer to discuss with them your needs.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, 5 benefits of virtual reality in business and the many ways that it can develop your business. Along with helping and improving businesses within all industries, virtual reality can help reduce that divide experienced among customers and team members across the globe. Along with helping to bring people together, interactive experiences such as VR and augmented reality can also improve efficiency, while improving customer experience on eCommerce platforms.
When it comes to the future of businesses, by taking a few small steps and preparing your business, you can be ahead of the trends and be ready for the future of technology in business. Able to be experienced through deep learning workstations and virtual reality headsets, think big and take your business further with the help of virtual reality.
This article is provided by Charlotte Johnson who is from the sunny south of England and is a copywriter and SEO assistant. With clients ranging from construction, beauty to the enchanting world of workstations, there is little that Charlotte cannot write about.
