Augmented reality (AR) won’t just transform the customer experience: It will also change how brands interact with their clients after the sale.
This is particularly relevant during the COVID-19 lockdowns when companies have to rethink their customer support strategy.
From virtual technicians to visual troubleshooting guides, here’s how AR will make life easier for both users and brands.
The coronavirus pandemic is transforming all business processes, including customer relations.
Users have as many issues as they did before the lockdown, but businesses are unable to dispatch support specialists, and contact centers are operating at a reduced capacity.
The most promising solution is provided by AR technology.
AR optimises all the steps in the customer service process: from training agents to helping users fix issues on their own, without a visit from a technician.
Better training for CR specialists
Before CR specialists can provide quality support to users, they need to have an extremely good working knowledge of the products and common issues.
With the help of AR devices like gloves, trainee agents can “manipulate” 3D product models, learn the differences between them, and even try “repairing” broken devices.
According to SightCall, it takes 40% less time to train field technicians when AR is used – saving over 90% of expert trainers’ time.
Try before you buy
Using AR to visualize items in your home or on yourself might seem like a sales technique, not a CR tool.
And yet, it can have a big impact on post-sale relations, reducing the number of complaints and returns.
Research shows that 71% of users prefer the “try-before-you-buy” (TBYB) model over all other payment methods.
However, the postage and packaging costs of TBYB can be prohibitive for small businesses.
AR allows the consumer to evaluate the look and feel of an item – without any additional costs to the seller.
IKEA leads the way in this niche with its Place app:
More efficient problem reporting with AR
It can be hard for customers to describe the problems they encounter.
Users often don’t know what different parts of a device are called or what the various lights and holes are for.
Customer service agents spend precious minutes trying to make sense of confusing explanations like “There’s usually a little green light on the side, next to the big button, but now it’s not lit and there’s a funny humming noise.”
With AR, CR agents will be able to pinpoint the problem in seconds.
Once the customer holds the phone to the device, all of its parts will be identified on the screen with their model numbers.
No more asking for the customer to look at a label on the back and read out the ID number!
The user can then use live video streaming to demonstrate the current condition of the device: which lights are not working, how it’s connected to other equipment, etc.
AR instruction manuals and troubleshooting guides
Why stop at reporting a problem using augmented reality?
With a good AR troubleshooting guide, users might be able to solve the problem on their own, reducing the number of technician dispatches by up to 17%.
Moreover, the process can even become enjoyable. 3D images, video sequences, notes, and warnings are superimposed onto the device, turning a potentially stressful experience into something like a game.
Anyone who’s ever fixed something knows the feeling of achievement and empowerment it brings, and brands that manage to provide this feeling through AR manuals will be able to increase engagement and customer loyalty.
Of course, AR manuals are good not just for solving problems but also for unboxing, assembling, and getting to know the product’s features.
Just like the “try before you buy” feature, this can help reduce the percentage of returns.
Virtual technicians instead of on-site visits
Some problems require more than an AR tutorial to troubleshoot.
Here’s where remote technicians come into play.
Data shows that the use of AR assistance reduces first-call resolution time by 70%.
Using superimposed AR images, the technician guides the user through the repair process, demonstrating which buttons the user should press, how to restart the device and more.
Verizon was one of the most recent companies to switch to AR-enabled remote assistance.
By the way, the technician doesn’t even have to be human: In simple cases, an advanced chatbot can be enough.
It’s not just end-users who can benefit from AR-assisted problem reporting, either.
If a technician dispatched to the customer’s home or office finds themselves overwhelmed, they will be able to consult an expert based at the support center.
Industry experts have long understood the potential of AR in customer relations, and the coronavirus pandemic is now acting as a much-needed catalyst.
Businesses are forced to switch to remote support – and AR is the most cost-efficient and user-friendly way to do that.
It’s quite possible that in a few years, we will wonder why we ever had to spend so much time on the phone with support centers in the first place.
