Virtual Reality: the Future of Customer Service
Ask most people what the biggest benefits of virtual reality (VR) will be, and they’ll often talk about the innovation possible in the entertainment world.
However, the more we experiment with VR, and its potential, the more opportunities we discover in virtually every landscape.
As VR continues to become more efficient and affordable, companies all around the world are adopting it as a way to enhance training, boost collaboration efforts, and even update customer experience (CX).
Virtual reality is quickly becoming one of the best ways to bridge the gap between clients and the brands they want to connect with.
So, is virtual reality the future of customer service?
There’s still a way to go before virtual reality becomes a standard tool for customer service interactions, but opportunities are already emerging.
With virtual reality, a wide range of opportunities open to people to enhance their shopping experience:
- Customers have the opportunity to examine products in an immersive space before they buy them or see how a specific item works so they feel more confident about a purchase.
- VR would allow an agent to walk a customer through the process of discovering and purchasing the right product, with realistic demonstrations. Imagine being able to sit inside your new car without ever having to visit a showroom, for instance.
The opportunities that VR has for customer service are certainly increasing more now. Sales professionals and support agents are able to interact with customers in the same face-to-face environments without the need to share a physical space.
This means that virtual reality is quickly becoming the best way to replicate the standard shopping experience, without the need to waste time commuting.
Changing the Way We Interact
One of the biggest opportunities for virtual reality in customer service is in the “try before you buy” solution that many retailers are beginning to introduce.
For instance, IKEA customers can explore different styles of kitchens and walk around a space to see what their room might look like in the IKEA VR Experience. This makes it easier for businesses to show their clients what they can expect when they’re making purchasing choices.
If a customer needs help learning how to use a new service or product after purchase, virtual reality gives agents a safe way to onboard their consumers without face-to-face interaction.
People can put on a headset and explore the features with an agent to guide them. It’s much easier to learn how to use something when you’ve got a dedicated professional actually showing you how features work.
If something goes wrong with a service, a virtual reality headset will allow an agent to work with a customer to figure out what the problem might be and troubleshoot issues from a distance.
This could open the door for a better quality of self-service in a lot of landscapes. It also means that companies could potentially spend less money sending engineers out to customers homes and workplaces.
In a world where customer experience is still the most valuable way for a business to differentiate itself, companies are under more pressure than ever to find the right solutions for CX.
As we move forward into an era where customers appreciate more efficient, digital experiences, the demand for VR is likely to grow even further.
Companies that can deliver excellent customer service through new avenues will set themselves apart from the crowd, and potentially earn a larger share of customers.
Are you ready to bring VR to your customer experience? We can help you on your journey to the use of VR!
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