Blogs How Augmented Reality Can Help Product Companies Increase Customer Satisfaction

How Augmented Reality Can Help Product Companies Increase Customer Satisfaction

April 25, 2019

Manufacturers with engineered-to-order products typically rely on a collaborative selling process to meet the changing needs of customers. Sales cycles for products like complex industrial equipment, often involve multiple quotes and configurations, and the end-goal of customer satisfaction can be lengthy and cost-intensive.

Augmented reality provides manufacturers with a remedy in the form of interactive full-scale virtual products, so customers can learn—and experience—precisely what they’re ordering. Using AR, manufacturers can deliver the exact product each customer wants and get it right the first time. There are three ways that manufacturers can use AR to increase customer satisfaction.

Optimize the customer experience

Traditional industrial equipment sales cycles involve building product configurations based on specific customer requirements. The challenge is that many buyers want to see and experience products before they are custom-engineered. Manufacturers often ship a physical prototype to the customer for this purpose and then reconfigure the product as needed. This approach can effectively close a sale, but it’s hardly ideal from a budget perspective.

Equipment manufacturers can improve upon this process by using AR solutions that virtualize product demonstrations. Immersive, highly detailed AR experiences allow customers to experience products in a more efficient way—while introducing transparency that aligns product configurations with buyers’ expectations. Ultimately, AR solutions bring buyers and sellers closer together through better collaboration in the product testing and configuration process.

Improve product information

Virtual equipment models also provide customers with rich details about product capabilities that would previously be inaccessible or poorly represented by a printed manual. With AR authoring software, manufacturers can now embed this information directly into the experiences they design, making the customer’s journey of product discovery and education faster—and more enjoyable.

Interactive AR experiences also help users absorb and retain information better, making product demonstrations quicker and more effective. Sales and marketing organizations can access cloud-based AR experiences from anywhere with a mobile or wearable device, equipping them with a show-stopping tool at trade shows and on the road. Additionally, sales teams using AR can more easily personalize product experiences for better engagement with customers and prospects.

Faster time to value for customers

By accelerating the sales cycle and optimizing customer-facing product experiences, AR drives faster time to value for businesses investing in built-to-order industrial equipment. Digital AR experiences that are immediately accessible through a smartphone, tablet, or headset can reach larger audiences faster, allowing sales and marketing organizations to scale their efforts globally. Businesses that experience virtual product demos move through the purchase journey faster and with more confidence – and walk away satisfied as a result.

Learn more

If you'd like to learn more about how industrial organizations are leveraging the powerful capabilities of AR for sales and marketing purposes, check out this complementary infographic.

ar for sales and marketing infographic

Greg Kaminsky Greg Kaminsky is a Senior Manager of Brand Marketing at PTC. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, he focuses on customer-centric storytelling and exploring the many ways that technology and digital transformation can help product companies become more sustainable and efficient.

With over six years at PTC, Greg has produced a wide variety of content for PTC’s blog, website, and YouTube channel. He is consistently inspired by people and companies that are using cutting edge technology to bring meaningful product innovations to life. Outside of his desk job, Greg is a devoted brand and culture ambassador who seeks to positively impact his community through volunteering initiatives and being part of employee-led groups like Green at PTC.

Follow Greg Kaminsky on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/gkaminsky

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