Comment: Remote support and augmented reality provide unbeatable aftersales efficiency

Closing new deals is cause for joy in business, but retaining existing customers is equally crucial, boosting sales and cross-selling potential. The reality is that a company's reputation often hinges on efficient aftersales service. Quality customer support is key to lasting relationships and a positive brand image.

Maintaining consistently high-quality aftersales service, however, inevitably requires investment. Consider mechanical and plant engineering as an illustration: The industry now produces increasingly complex, digitally connected products, demanding ever-expanding service expertise. Moreover, given the industry’s strong export focus, global customer service presence is imperative.

At the same time the industry’s challenges are compounded by a tight global labour market, particularly in technical fields. In this context, efficient worldwide customer service has emerged as a challenge and a substantial cost for many firms.

Scaling with remote maintenance

To ensure consistent high-quality service with fewer global staff, many companies are turning to digitalisation in their aftersales processes. Achieving success in this endeavour relies heavily on the adoption of remote maintenance solutions and the optimisation of field staff utilisation.

Remote support capitalises on the ubiquity of internet connectivity for modern devices, plants, and machines. Instead of relying on phone hotlines or manufacturer ticket systems, as in the past, support staff can now securely connect to the machine or the customer’s terminal computer via an encrypted remote support connection. This enables joint troubleshooting, analysis of error messages, examination of log files, and remote assessment of components using sensor data. Often, errors can be swiftly and efficiently resolved through remote actions such as firmware updates or parameter adjustments.

Enhancing customer service with augmented reality

When companies combine augmented reality technology with remote access solutions, they have an almost unbeatable software toolset for getting expert help from a distance. This is because, customers, armed with smartphones or smart glasses, can initiate encrypted video calls with support experts who can visually inspect on-site machinery or systems. Through this shared view expert support can, for example, help customers identify which warning lights are flashing, whether the wiring is correct, and even which fuse is possibly defective.

In addition, through data glasses or smartphones, the expert support team can project virtual information into the customer’s field of vision, such as markers or construction plans, and provide instructions via voice or chat on how to solve challenges. The customer-side employee can then implement these instructions immediately. In cases where remote diagnosis indicates an on-site visit is required, the field service technician arrives prepared with the necessary spare parts, often resolving the issue on the first visit.

What’s more is that remote support and augmented reality also facilitate collaboration among field staff and colleagues within the company, with hands-free operation for technicians wearing data glasses.

The future of customer service is here, now

The Cimbali Group, an Italian manufacturer of professional coffee machines, is reaping the awards of this approach. Using remote support and augmented, the company has been able to achieve significant results:

• Up to 20 per cent higher efficiency of the technicians
• Reduced downtime of the machines at the customer
• 15 per cent less travel costs in customer service

In the age of global skills shortages and growing complexity, digitalisation, particularly through remote support and augmented reality, empowers companies to significantly enhance their aftersales processes. Problems are resolved remotely with greater speed and precision, enabling highly specialised experts to utilise their skills more efficiently and assist more customers in less time. On-site technicians can address issues in a single visit, saving the need for return trips.

Aftersales teams benefit from reduced travel costs and saved time, aligning with their company's sustainability objectives and companies can deliver what customers want – excellent, value added, customer service.

Jan Junker, EVP sales EMEA at TeamViewer