Customer relationships are changing dramatically as customer experience (CX) is becoming the differentiator. Augmented Reality (AR) customer experience is a digital experience that transforms the customer journey into an immersive visual interactive experience. In other words, it is the company’s ability to share physical objects with customers over the digital platform. For example in customer’s retail experiences, companies may harness the power of AR by allowing store visitors to use their smartphone to unlock visual imaginations, information about products, and the ethicality of the productions.
It is the innovative aspect of AR in CX that allows companies to truly harvest the sheer power of three-dimensional interaction with customers over their smart devices. It is often evident that companies who explore their technological capabilities will result in much larger brand awareness, profits, and positive word of mouth. That being said, if companies are to indulge in augmented reality customer experiences, they must utilize it in all stages of their customer touchpoints. Meaning, pre-sales, point-of-sale, and post-sales.
Augmented Reality with sports
Many people, one way or another, have already experienced AR in CX. It is inevitable. For example, sports lovers are constantly helped with a thorough analysis of athletes and teams performances during live competitions. In Football, during the 15-minute half-time break, sports pundits are continuously trying to break down the performances of individuals and teams. Oftentimes, they find themselves looking for where teams went wrong rather than the excellencies of performances. It is without a doubt entertaining for us as audiences considering we may not necessarily agree with their viewpoints, but that’s the assisted AR; to spark interest, begin a debate with your television set, and virtually engage with what you see on TV.
Image Source: https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12040/11238057/mnf-review-monday-night-football-with-jamie-carragher-and-wayne-rooney
Augmented Reality with fashion
Some may argue that millennials are the largest market when it comes to in-store shopping within the fashion industry (Maybe interesting: Download FREE millennials gamification trend report). One important characteristic of millennials is how tech-savvy they are, especially via social media. Given we’re in the midst of a pandemic, it has forced plenty of company’s to revert to online sales. Zara, a prime example, Customers can hold their mobile phones in front of a select shop window, and they will see models wearing pieces from the latest line. Zara also adopts augmented reality for online purchases. Packages show alternative outfits to the pieces delivered, enticing customers to make repeat purchases.
Image Source: https://arpost.co/2019/02/11/how-augmented-reality-is-redefining-the-fashion-industry
Augmented Reality with tourism
Augmented reality and tourism are made for each other. It is the cultural absorption the customers of travel are mostly interested in, they want to see and learn new experiences they wouldn’t usually witness at their place of origin. AR is the fuel for impressions and emotions with tourism. For example, TunnelVision helps bring life to a New York City subway map and helps you navigate around the city, with public transportation whereabouts. As the whole purpose of AR is to change the person’s perception of their physical surroundings, it really is a market that needs to be heavily tapped into, the possibilities are endless.
Image Source: https://nexttourismgeneration.eu/professional-training-in-augmented-reality-ar-for-the-tourism-sector/
Augmented Reality with leisure
To date, perhaps the most notable example of an augmented reality app is Pokemon Go. However, the technology extends beyond the gaming world and into the world of marketing. Here, marketers will usually use AR to add graphics or useful information to an environment viewed through a compatible device.
Image Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/
All in all, augmented reality is an innovative tool to support positive customer experiences and has limitless potential. Digitalist is your customer experience innovation consultancy with leading-edge capabilities in brand, design, technology and CRM – partnering with our clients from ideas to life. If you wish to explore bringing augmented reality into your service offerings, then feel free to reach out to us, we’re ready to rock n’ roll
Interested in how augmented reality will command your industry’s customer experience? Feel free to give us a shout: https://digitalist.global/contacts/helsinki/
Additional Sources:
- https://techsee.me/blog/augmented-reality-customer-experience/
- https://blog.hubspot.com/service/augmented-reality-customer-experience
- https://www.reuters.com/article/us-inditex-zara-technology/zara-to-lure-millennials-with-augmented-reality-displays-idUSKCN1GP2TC