Augmented Reality in Customer Service
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February 16th, 2019
Customer service is the one thing that gets any business up and running. Many companies are facing red-flagged comments and bad experience but with the growth of social media, nothing is hidden, everything gets posted and known to everyone out there.
Let us see where we are currently looking at the breakdown in Customer Service
We all know where we can see the voids taking place in this service which can lead to a bad customer service. And by reading this line, you could have easily remembered your last experience that didn't go well. The list of this endless but some complaints are common be it reviews from the websites or in-person conversations.
Customer service is always an interaction from person-person where we demand personal empathy, help, and suggestions. This is where we currently are lacking behind, which is why technological advances in AR and VR can lead to providing the users with solutions that can help them in having a better consumer experience.
The Ways Augmented Reality can benefit Customer Services
1. The Dreaded Call Center
So, whenever you need to call the customer service, you have to punch in different numbers, listen to the boring music or a recorded message repeating itself a hundred times, waiting to hit the last number that can help you get in touch with the appropriate department and if by chance you get a bad connection then just repeat the process altogether. Isn't it fun?
Now imagine that you are enlisting an AR device instead of going through the torture of a boring conversation. And there is no guarantee that calling the customer service center would help you in any way, most end up in not resolving the issues and few with dissatisfied ones. Now that is a disappointment and the way that customers start backing out from the services and products. Now imagine, wouldn't it be easier for both the parties to actually use an AR-enabling the device, that will be allowing the customer service representative to appear in your space
Now you both will be able to see each other face to face though not literally. It will be providing much more human interaction. This will help you voice your complaint in a better way rather than screaming at him over the phone. Supposedly, you want to show him something about the product that has dissatisfied you, you can easily move around and let him witness the situation in a clearer way. This doesn't just provide a human interaction but also encourages compassion on both the ends. You can channelize your conversation based on each other's response. Before the representative just had a paperwork regarding your issue and now he has visual proof of your issue which makes him provide a proper solution to you.
2. The Crowded Restaurant
We know that we all have been there, we have seen that there are different persons for everything, be it filling water, getting food, setting the table. In popular restaurants, the crowd is pretty huge which is why efficiency is the only key in operating the restaurant. When you are unable to make a personal connection with the person who is offering you a service, or when you are not able to determine who was at your disposal, it ends up having a lack of perceived acceptance to the customer.
Not everything can be fixed in this particular industry but augmented reality can sure help in creating an environment where the customers are made to feel like their concerns are of top priority.
Soon there will be a time where you will be able to see the entire restaurant through augmented reality, which will show you the tables, the movement of the staffs, patrons, etc. You no longer have to wait for the person to take away your empty plate, or to fill your glass with water, or to take your order. The few minutes of waiting might seem really less but that is a big deal in the customer service industry. It establishes the quality of service in that particular area. That waiting time can be utilized by the customer to either lash out or to put up a negative review online. But with Augmented reality, the staffers will be seeing to your needs almost immediately. Now your concerns will be addressed and be at your service the priority.
3. In-Person Shopping
Let's say, you want to buy a computer for yourself and you walk into a local store and looking through the computers available to figure out why one costs a few dollars extra than the previous one you saw. So, this made you think of going to a store rather than buying online so that you could seek personal assistance to make the right decision. After you approach one of the technicians for the review, you often end up getting stares, or someone who is not able to understand your requirements based on whatever you said to him and soon you will be talked down by some junior into buying a computer that barely satisfies you. But what if the store was with AR/VR. That enables the people around to know that someone has walked into the shop, this saves you time from exploring all by yourself and you get the assistance that is required. Supposedly, you just have to download an application and put in your requirements which will make the AR device select the best computer for you and show you the same. Now, this makes it easier than asking the employees working there as not everyone has expertise in the field to suggest you the appropriate device. This can help in improving customer service in many ways.
Introduction of augmented reality will soon help in improving customer services and empower them to have a great, fulfilling helpful and efficient experience and this will benefit both the parties.