What Increased Augmented Reality Performance Means for Field Service Capabilities

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Augmented reality (AR) has already been widely incorporated into field service processes. Many organizations have reached a significant level of maturity in their deployment of the technology. These organizations have observed real business outcomes thanks to their investments, including faster fix rates for their customers, reduced service costs, and much better utilization of their workforces.

These results have spurred other organizations to adopt the technology as well. According to Gartner, over 50% of field service management deployments will include mobile augmented reality collaboration and knowledge sharing tools by 2025—up from less than 10% in 2019.

AR was initially applied in field service as a tool to remove barriers during diagnostic procedures. Now, it is enabling field service teams to provide remote assistance to their customers. AR can also empower contractors and other contingent workers, train and onboard new employees at an accelerated pace, and provide customers with new service opportunities, including new avenues toward self-service.

Here, we'll explore what the increased adoption and performance of AR means for field service.

AR Opens the Door for New Capabilities in Field Service

Augmented reality (AR) has quickly evolved from a novelty form of digital entertainment into an innovative and groundbreaking business technology. And nowhere is this more apparent than in the field service industry.

AR has opened the door for a surge of new capabilities to be deployed at field service organizations. Many of these capabilities are designed specifically to enhance customer experiences, in some cases by providing customers with new ways to access service remotely. Other technologies are enabling field service organizations and OEMs to collect data in real-time and move from a reactive service model to an outcome-as-a-service model—so much so that they are now bundling service packages that include guaranteed levels of uptime with the sale of their products.

According to a recent report by Librestream and WBR Insights, "Augmented Reality Performance and the Future Outlook in the Field Service Industry," some of the most important AR capabilities being rolled out at field service organization include:

• Digital work instructions for technicians and customers
• Machine learning capabilities
• AI-enhanced computer vision and object detection
• IoT Data at the point of service
• AI natural language processing and translations

Many of these capabilities are already widely used in the field, and they provide tangible benefits for both the field service organization and the customer.

For example, digital work instructions create a more human-centric way for technicians and end-users to perform procedures. Instead of relying on traditional paper instructions, digital instructions can be updated based on feedback and data inputs. They can also be interactive and supplanted into view through AR technology, which makes completing procedures much more intuitive.

Meanwhile, machine learning has become an essential capability for parsing the vast amounts of data now collected by field service organizations. Machine learning is an essential capability for preventive and proactive maintenance. Machine learning algorithms can use data inputs to predict when machines might break down, so the equipment can be fixed and uptime can be maintained.

Each capability listed above can potentially improve service outcomes, increase first-time fix rates, and provide end-users with more channels to access field services.

AR Is Driving the Push Toward Remote Assistance

Remote expert assistance in field service was one of the first capabilities offered by AR technology. This process connects novice technicians or even end-users with an expert remotely, allowing the expert to provide instructions through AR software. Using AR technology, the expert can point to parts of the machine as if they are in the room with the technician or end-user, and they can even draw up instructions and schematics in the user's view to assist them.

Remote assistance technology can also present technicians and users with use statistics in real-time, directly in the AR-enhanced view. By using device-agnostic software, the field service organization can provide a similar experience across platforms. Even if a technician is using their smartphone, they can still take advantage of AR technology to connect to remote assistance.

Investments in AR Will Likely Increase

Investments in AR technology are also showing no sign of slowing down. The "Augmented Reality Performance and the Future Outlook in the Field Service Industry" report also indicated that that most field service organizations (54%) will increase their investments into AR technologies.

With the right strategy, your field service organization can calculate how much of a return it can enjoy from each dollar spent on AR technology. With a clear process for deploying the technology into key functions like training and self-service offerings, you'll be able to enjoy these benefits, and more, sooner.

Get More Field Service Insights at the 2021 Virtual Summit

Field service organizations are only beginning to realize the many applications of AR technology, among others. If your organization is serious about pursuing excellence in the field, you can't miss the Field Service Virtual Summit and Expo in 2021.

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