Virtual/Augmented/Mixed Reality (VR, AR, and MR) technologies and its transformative impact on Customer Experience!!

Introduction

Augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality are three different terms. They have been used to describe the same phenomenon: immersive experiences where digital content is overlaid onto the real world. AR, VR and MR all refer to this phenomenon, but they are not one in the same. Each term has its own unique set of benefits and challenges. In this blog, I will try and explain what those distinctions mean and how organization are approaching and should approach these technologies moving forward for enhancing customer experience.

The Role of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in Customer Experience

Augmented reality and virtual reality are technologies that allow users to see and interact with information in the real world, as well as in a simulated environment. These technologies can increase customer engagement by offering them more ways to engage with your brand or service. ?The use cases of these technologies spread across the full customer journey and customer life cycle starting from marketing to sales to service to ecommerce and provides the unique selling point for your brand and enriching the customer experience.

With brands seeking to grow and strengthen the relationship driven by human interactions between their product or service and their customers, immersive technologies can offer creative, emotional, and practical routes to enriching customer relationships, build brand loyalty and ultimately increase sales.

What Makes AR and VR Different?

AR and VR are different because they are both part of the real world. The difference lies in how they interact with that world.

AR uses computer vision and machine learning to create a virtual world where you can interact with objects, people, or other elements of your surroundings. This means that AR applications can be used anywhere at any time without having to install an app on your smartphone or tablet—you just need an internet connection!

VR on the other hand requires its own space (or area) in which users can move freely without being disturbed by anything else around them; this requires specialized equipment such as headsets like PlayStation VR or Oculus Rift which cost thousands of dollars each!

Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented reality (AR) is a live, direct, or indirect, view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented (or supplemented) by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics, or GPS data. It can be seen as an overlay to existing physical reality and may include virtual objects that appear to interact with the user's view of the real world.

The first known use was in 1969 by Ivan Sutherland at Stanford University demonstrating wearable displays consisting of stereoscopic images that had been overlaid on top of each other through glasses. A few years later Jaron Lanier coined the term "virtual reality" for these types of experiences. Virtual reality has been used as an accurate simulation for training purposes for example, but also more recently has been used for entertainment purposes such as gaming.

Virtual Reality (VR)

Virtual reality is an experience that simulates reality through the use of computer-generated imagery, sounds and other sensations. It is a technology that has been around since the 1980s, but only recently has it become more widely used in customer service interactions.

Virtual reality can be used to increase your customer's sense of presence by putting them into a virtual environment that feels real to them—for example: trying on clothes at home before buying them in real life; or even just watching a video about your product instead of reading about it online.

Virtual experiences are made possible with three main components: hardware (headset), software (app) and content creation tools such as 3D modeling programs or photogrammetry cameras which capture photographs in high resolution so they can be transformed into 3D models without losing any detail while maintaining overall quality standards required by most companies today.

Mixed Reality (MR)

MR is a combination of AR and VR, and it's the most immersive of all three technologies. MR is also the most expensive, which means you'll need to make sure that your budget can handle it. But if you can afford it, then MR will be your best option for creating an immersive experience for customers that truly feels like they're there in person with you—and not just looking at static images on their phones or computers.

Because of this level of realism, many companies are using MR as part of their overall customer experience strategy—it can help them better understand what customers want from their business and how they respond when something goes wrong so they can improve over time!

The Common Denominator for All Three Is Immersive Experience

AR, VR and MR are all immersive experiences. They all create an environment that is unlike anything you've experienced before. In fact, they can take your mind off the real world and help you forget about what's going on around you to enjoy something new and exciting.

All three types of technology have a common denominator: immersion. Immersion enhances what we already know about our surroundings by allowing us to interact with them using technology (AR), or completely change them (VR). When combined with AI technology that enables automation through voice commands or gestures, we get augmented reality; when combined with virtual reality headsets that put users inside different worlds such as gaming environments or social media platforms like Facebook Messenger Chatbot/Google Assistant Voice Commands etc., we get virtual reality; finally when combined together into a single device like Microsoft HoloLens 2 which gives users access not only through their eyes but also through touch so they can feel how things work within their environment as well!

Where Can AR, VR, and MR Be Used?

Augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality are all great tools to use in the customer experience. They can be used at any point in a company's journey from conception to delivery:

●???In stores (Online or Offline): Use AR/VR to create a more immersive shopping experience. For example, you could have an app that helps customers visualize how their product might look in their home before they buy it online or at another retailer.

●???In homes: Virtual tours allow visitors to tour your home or buildings remotely - something that would otherwise be impossible with conventional photography and videography techniques alone! The possibilities here are endless…

●???In offices: Virtual Onboarding of team, high touch trainings remotely, and collaborations with team members are some use cases for use of MR in office. This helps employees to be more productive when they're not around in person because it provides them with opportunities for training and collaboration beyond just Skype/teams calls every day.

Pre-Purchase Experience

As a customer, you want to be able to understand the product’s features and benefits. In order to do this, you should consider how AR and VR can be used during your pre-purchase experience.

AR is an excellent way for customers to get an idea of what their future experience will be like with their new purchase. For example, if you are looking at eye glasses that have virtual reality capabilities and want some help deciding which ones are best for your needs (which ones will work best with your smartphone), AR could be used as part of this process by showing users different options before they make up their mind about which pair will work best with them. This could also apply when purchasing other kinds of products such as cars or appliances where AR technology could help customers see how those items function before committing themselves financially based off these demonstrations alone!

Product Personalization Experience

AR and VR can be used to show customers how a product will look in their home, on their body, or when they wear it.

For example, many retailers have used AR/VR technology to show customers how a dress shirt would look on them by taking photos of the user wearing that item. This allows shoppers to see what they’ll look like with different accessories like ties or cufflinks before buying them from an online store. If a shopper is looking to buy a furniture and wants to see how it fits in the room in terms of size and also goes with the existing interiors, AR/VR apps or devices can be appropriately used to provide the real-life experience. This type of product personalization experience has become so popular that companies like Amazon have begun offering this service as part of their Prime membership program for $5 per month.

Post-Purchase Experience

AR, VR and MR can be used to help customers with post-purchase queries. For example, they can be used to show the product in different environments. Customers can ask questions about the product demo and usage to get a response from an expert (e.g., an engineer).

AR, VR and MR can also be used for product maintenance and support purposes. For example: if you are making a purchase of large home appliance and need help in installation and warranty service you could use AR technology to enable customers for self-service or provide remote assistance for minor service requests which can be done remotely using AR/VR technologies.

These technologies can change how we interact with products and customers.

Augmented and virtual reality are technologies that can change how we interact with products. They can be used to create immersive experiences, interactive experiences, and personalized experiences.

Using AR or VR technology in the customer experience will help you gain a deeper understanding of your customers' needs and wants. If you have a new product or service being launched into the marketplace - it's critical that you understand what your customers are looking for so that you can provide them what they're looking for!

Conclusion

The reality is that AR, VR and MR are already being used in many industries for some time now. They’re being used to create experiences that help customers understand products better and make purchasing decisions easier. The technology is already revolutionizing the customer engagements and experiences and has much more potential to transform how we interact with our world and make everyday life more enjoyable!

Let me know your thoughts!

#VirtualReality #VR #AugmentedReality #AR #MixedReality #MR #CustomerExperience #Immersive?