Constant advances in communication technology are providing unique and exciting new ways for people to interact with each other and the world. Virtual Reality experiences connected over the internet, allow users to interact in the same space without the hindrance of distance and travel. Recently, companies have begun harnessing the potential of VR to better serve, educate, and engage their customers and internal workforce.

Experts have identified customer experience as key to business success. Brands can be built around customer experience rather than the other way around.

Because of the advantage of being able to engage and interact with the client by creating life-like interactions and experiences, Virtual Reality is positioned to be a key value differentiator. These innovative avenues garner a greater, more in-depth understanding of the products. And when that occurs the connection is strengthened between company and customer.

Take customer service for example.  On any given day, a company receives a call from a customer requesting technical support on a product. Remote troubleshooting can be tedious when a representative is forced to rely on a customer’s subjective description of the problem. Representatives are often forced to rely on the process of elimination, whereby customers are asked to run through a battery of tests in order to recreate a problem. This sort of step-by-step troubleshooting is slow and difficult to follow. Effectiveness is also challenging to gauge for the representative. Even the clearest, most patient representative cannot visualize how well a customer is following instructions. VR customer support allows for an virtual “in-person” encounter. It can provide a direct ROI, for instance, as warranty issues can be decreased by offering this sort of personal interaction, regardless of its digital origins.

By 2017, 89% of marketers expect customer experience to be their primary differentiator. VR can be a key differentiator amongst your competitors for customer service and product knowledge. Research firms like Gartner and Forrester have identified customer experience as key to business success.

Additionally,  one of the most useful aspects of utilizing VR in customer service training is also the most basic. Studies have found that in-person customer service yields higher degrees of  satisfaction than help desks, chat, and email combined. While it isn’t always practical for the client to come to you, VR can make face-to-face interactions possible.

VisionThree has created a number of effective VR solutions highlighting customer support, training, and general product knowledge and exploration. Solutions include the ability to have multiple participants in the VR environment across the globe. Desktop PCs, laptops, or tablets have also been integrated to interact within those exact same environments.