There are not one but several ways to incorporate augmented reality into your business. These days when you think about AR glasses or virtual reality applications, the only thing that pops into your mind is 3D visualizations of your products. Another thing that comes into your mind is your friends using AR filters on Snapchat.
And who can forget the 3D filter recently launched by Amazon on its official app? We cannot ignore the fact that AR is being used extensively along with 3D elements or 3D models to market and promote various products to willing customers. But there is a wider spectrum of applications of augmented reality that we still have not talked about.
Before We Delve Deeper Into It, Let’s Understand What Augmented Reality Really Is
Augmented reality is a technology that helps you add artificial and digital elements to your real-life environment and objects. In the simplest terms, you can use a mobile app and your mobile camera to project a 3D object onto your real environment, match its proportions, colors, and lighting with that of your room and observe that product in action.
Augmented Reality In Business – A Practical Example Of AR In Action
Have you ever tried glasses online? When you try on these glasses on the internet, you are not putting those frames onto your eyes physically. You are taking a photo of those frames and then with the help of an app, superimposing it onto your face. This gives you an idea of how you are going to look sporting them in real life. Your reality has been augmented with that 3D element.
Augmented Reality In Ecommerce & Beyond
Now it is time that you realize that augmented reality and its various applications transcend beyond commercial retail 3D product representations and visualizations. Until now we have been focusing on how it makes it easier for furniture brands, fashion apparel companies, interior designers, fashion designers, makeup artists, grooming brands, and other similar businesses to market and promote their products. Now, let us have a look at a broader scope of features that augmented reality is capable of bringing in for your business.
- Virtual Try-On Solutions For Your Consumers
You knew this was coming. Virtual try-on solutions have practically become a norm these days, especially on e-commerce platforms. Before your customers decide to order any particular product, they would like to try it on virtually with the help of augmented reality applications, their smartphone camera, and a few 3D representations of your product. They want to see whether the texture of the fabric goes well with their skin tone on not. They want to find out if the lipstick they are so eager to own suits their complexion or not. It would be better if they knew whether the easy chair they are thinking of bringing home is going to fit well in their lounge area or not. All of this is possible if you invest in the right virtual AR solutions, 3D models of your products, and probably a proprietary app that can be deployed across devices and operating systems. So, that is one way of integrating augmented reality into your business and something quite common these days.
- Social Media Filters For Better Engagement
And how can we forget social media filters? The most appropriate example of the same is Snapchat. You can access these same features on the Instagram story tool as well. What does it accomplish for your brand? Let’s find out:
- Increases Brand And Product Awareness
The first thing that it does is increases brand awareness among your prospects. The customers would know what your product looks like. They can just take a screenshot of a picture of them trying your product virtually and share them with their friends on social media channels for their opinion. And remember, they are marketing your product to your friends by doing that.
- Enhances Brand Engagement
Intelligent augmented reality in ecommerce engages your customers for a longer time. The moment they share their products with their friends, they become true marketers of your product. They start to engage with your brand longer and as a result, a sense of loyalty begins to germinate inside their mind. The ability to try on your products in real-time without visiting your physical store permits them a lot of freedom which transcends into more sales and returning customers.
- Gives You A Unique Identity
Needless to say that this kind of AR integration helps you stand out from the crowd. The moment the word goes out that you’ve embraced modern technology, you become the ultra cool brand in the eyes of your customers. You have broken the traditional marketing norms and you can distinguish yourself from your competition easily.
- Education And Training For Your Staff Members
Businesses are using augmented reality in training and educating their staff members as well. Because it is a highly immersive tech and facilitates interactive learning, it can ensure better outcomes and more efficiency by engaging all their senses. Your trainees can grasp subjects faster and understand concepts without any hassles. You can explain to them even the most complex processes with a simplified presentation using 3D tools all the while shortening the training time at no significant costs.
- Enhanced Customer Service Across Your Departments
Incorporating augmented reality in business improves the efficiency of your customer care executives. If you are in the retail industry, AR can help your customer care agents interact with your clients more freely. Because they are aware of what the product looks like due to precise 3-dimensional visualizations, they can use real-time renders to explain to your customers just how the various features of the product function. They can join in a live demo of the product and take up all their queries and answer any of their questions more smoothly and with positive outcomes.
- Virtual Extended Office Spaces
Experts strongly believe that AR functionalities are going to change the way we work in offices. Apart from the regular chairs and tables that you have in your conference rooms, you are going to have several other digital elements that will seat all your distant partners and associates from multiple continents. Your office space will be a more multi-functional environment without any major investment. With the use of AR glasses, you will be able to extend your office spaces and also create digital whiteboards on all your walls. You will be able to share ideas by scribbling them down on these digital surfaces and make your office much more efficient.
- Remote Collaboration With Distant Teams
Another thing that it is going to facilitate is easy communication among your partners, stakeholders, associates, and employees spread across various continents just as explained above. AR technology is going to make meetings more engaging and interactive. It is going to make business more fun and remote collaborations smoother and faster.
Final Thoughts
The advent of augmented reality in ecommerce doesn’t have to result in doing away with physical stores. It does not need to take the place of your actual office. It is an add-on of sorts. It is a facilitator. Augmented reality is going to become a part of our reality and not take its place. It is being touted as a way to remove barriers, improve shopping experiences, do away with hurdles in communication, expand office spaces, and do a lot more that we haven’t been able to do ever before. Are you ready to embrace augmented reality? Still unsure? You can write to us with any queries or doubts and we’ll be more than happy to help.