Augmented Reality in Field Service
Augmented reality, or AR, is a technology that allows the user to interact with their environment and its objects in a new way. It is often used to overlay computer graphics on top of real-world objects. For instance, you may have seen an AR application that overlays an animated boat onto your camera view of a lake or river when you point your phone at it. This same basic concept can be applied to field service technicians by allowing them to see information about their location and route overlaid onto their surroundings. This helps support the workers’ ability to perform tasks and make decisions easily without having to stop what they’re doing and check their phones for instructions or videos about what needs doing at each step along the way. By using this technology, field service professionals can better execute their jobs while also improving customer satisfaction by reducing downtime caused by miscommunication between team members working together remotely from one another on tasks such as software installation or maintenance work.
Why AR has become the technology of interest
Augmented reality has become the technology of interest for field service because it offers a set of advantages that make it cost-effective and easy to use, portable, safe, very versatile and with a lot of potential.
How can AR help?
As with all technology, AR has the ability to solve problems more quickly and cost-effectively. It also helps you solve those problems remotely, without the need for additional resources. This is because an augmented reality application can be used on a mobile device that’s already available in your field service technician’s toolkit. In addition to helping you solve more complex problems faster, AR also enables technicians to make better decisions while they are out in the field. The simple act of being able to see what needs fixing before it breaks down means that you won’t have any surprises waiting for you.
AR in field service
- The average time to complete a task in field service is reduced by as much as 50 percent.
- Errors are significantly reduced, resulting in greater accuracy and efficiency.
- Field workers can easily receive visual instructions from remote experts, allowing them to work more independently and with less oversight.
- Customers benefit from a better customer experience when they receive instant answers to their questions, no matter where they are located or how far away they may be from the office staff who could provide those answers.
- Time and cost of training field workers can be greatly reduced by providing them with a virtual view of the problem area before sending them out into the field.
AR is being used to deliver help to field workers
Augmented reality (AR) is an emerging technology that can be used to deliver training and information to field service workers. With AR, a field service worker’s smartphone or tablet screen displays instructions and visual cues over the actual work environment, providing assistance in identifying and troubleshooting problems without requiring workers to leave their equipment or step away from their current tasks.
For example:
- AR can help improve worker safety by walking them through the steps of completing a procedure safely.
- Visual feedback: AR provides instruction and guidance on what needs to be done before attempting a task. This helps reduce errors resulting from poor communication, lack of training or unclear instructions.
- Virtual assistance: While performing tasks in the field such as installing components on machinery, AR enables workers with access to virtual experts who can answer questions about how various parts fit together or how best practices should be followed when performing certain operations-allowing them to focus on doing their job instead of worrying about missing something important along the way.
Request a demo to see how bravo can enhance your field service management using augmented reality.