Through immersive experiences, businesses can tap expertise in thousands of skills from anywhere in the world. Across industries and applications, immersive experiences are pushing companies to not only think differently about what is possible, but also to create new solutions that bypass the distance-based challenges they face today.

What is Extended Reality

“Extended Reality” (XR) is the concept of interacting with digital content in a real-world setting. Consumers are more accustomed to putting on a headset to watch a VR movie than they are in using VR products or services in their day-to-day life. A lack of knowledge, comfort and even content is the biggest hurdle in the initial uptake of XR, but as the barriers fall, adoption will increase. But if you’re a small business trying to make your products available for XR, then how do you get the business up and running? There are many things you need to consider in setting up an XR environment. Here are a few things to think about when planning an XR solution.

Why Extended Reality Matters

Extended Reality refers to a set of technologies that go beyond the VR and AR we’ve seen over the last few years, and that will change the way we work, live, play, learn and experience the world. Unlike VR and AR that render images onto a screen, extended reality is driven by sensors and sensors are everywhere. So if you look down the street at your phone, you will see and feel the sensation of walking on a virtual sidewalk. If you take a virtual boat ride, you will be at the helm. A remote worker will be able to give a presentation remotely, from the same place and time as your office conference room. Or a customer will be able to share her emotions with a salesperson using a social VR chat application to help him or her make a decision about which product to buy.

How did we get here?

Extended reality and virtual reality have existed in one form or another for decades, but in recent years, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have taken the tech industry by storm, re-thinking how we consume and interact with digital content and systems. At a 2015 New York City summit, Jay-Z cited his influence in popularizing the term “authentic reality” as he put his logo on a customized set of Beats headphones. He’s since used the logo for his widely-praised Tidal streaming service and his 2018 album, “Scribble Me A Story.” Soon after, Google unveiled ARCore, its first major foray into augmented reality. In April 2018, more than 30,000 units of the Oculus Go were sold within a day of the product’s release.

What are the implications of Extended Reality?

Every physical industry is currently undergoing a digital transformation. With few exceptions, companies that remain relevant in the new economy will continue to adapt or die. To stay relevant, businesses need to move beyond the three walls of the office and open their doors to customers, suppliers and partners — anywhere. What are the implications of Extended Reality for your business? If your company has an operations role, you will now be able to experience your customers as if you’re standing with them in the room with you. Instead of sending someone to the warehouse to get your part, you can simply bring it to the manufacturing line to see it being made. Your production operations team can have a much more hands-on experience with the processes they’re implementing.

What can you do now?

If you are in any way a leader of a company, whether a solopreneur or a CEO, your experience is likely giving you ideas about what this all means. If you are working in an industry that is poised for big change, you can’t afford to sleep on the potential that we see today. And even if you aren’t, you can still get started by considering some of the ways that mobile computing and augmented reality could be impacting your business: 1. How will AR change the way we interact with technology in our homes? Your customers are bound to expect a more futuristic and immersive experience when interacting with your business’ products. If they think that your product is easy enough to use, simple enough to use on a mobile device, you may find that they are less likely to buy from you in the future.

Business is no longer a destination. The most effective leaders in any industry are constantly looking for ways to enhance customer experience through multiple touchpoints.

Conclusion

Business is no longer limited by where you are physically located. Now, business leaders need to adapt to this new reality by leveraging technologies that move the world into a place where any two humans can have an in-person conversation with the same level of interest and insight as if they were standing right next to each other. With augmented reality, for example, and the best of augmented reality, a business leader can have a remote customer experience of the best caliber with the knowledge and support of someone, from anywhere, at any time.