augmented reality ar in businessesAugmented reality is one of the most impressive technological innovations to have arrived in the past few years, yet many entrepreneurs have little to no idea where to begin when it comes to embracing this technology. This is because AR can be dizzying to understand if you lack an IT foundation to work upon, but that shouldn’t stop you from learning the ropes to take advantage of it to the fullest extent possible.

Here’s an analysis of how businesses can use AR successfully and why you should pay more attention to augmented reality than its virtual counterpart.

It’s for Businesses and Consumers

The first thing to understand about augmented reality is that it’s excellent for businesses and consumers alike; thus, you should think of AR applications that will help your commercial bottom line while simultaneously reaching out to customers and making their consumer experience easier and more enjoyable. For instance, companies that use AR technology can showcase consumer experiences to customers without having products in-store and ready for immediate pickup.

Take a look at retailers and all they have to gain from AR and VR, for instance, and you’ll see that many stores are now allowing customers to use AR technology to see themselves wearing outfits or shoes before they purchase them. When consumers can see themselves in clothing before buying it, they’re far more likely to become connected to the items in question and purchase them. Alternative examples in the real estate industry also show that AR can generate exciting new consumer-oriented experiences, such as virtual tours of properties conducted with AR and VR technology. Self-guided tours with AR could become a staple of home-buying sooner rather than later.

You don’t have to be a retailer or real estate guru to benefit from the proliferation of AR technology, as even everyday offices can benefit from this technology. Augmented reality in the workplace could give birth to digital offices that we’ve never seen before, drastically changing how employees situate themselves when preparing to tackle their responsibilities.

While these promising AR-enabled opportunities are indeed titillating for most businesses, the real way that businesses can use AR successfully is by tapping into it to supercharge their workplace training initiatives.

Employee Training Will Never Be the Same

The 21st century will be an era of reskilling – workers everywhere are direly confused by the latest technological marvels and need thorough training programs to remain productive and viable on the job market for a long. That’s one of the reasons that AR is increasingly demanding the attention of small business owners and corporate titans alike, as both VR and AR technologies have already demonstrated their ability to disrupt and improve established workplace training models.

When future employers are faced with difficult decisions like how to provide FOET training or other complex training programs to their workforces, they may be pleased to hear that AR and VR training options are becoming increasingly common. AR training can turn a regular workplace into almost any imaginable environment to help simulate on-the-job conditions, for instance. It will likely be far cheaper and more accessible to many workers, too, which is why businesses that need to worry about training at scale will be the first to latch on to these technological opportunities eagerly.

There are still some hiccups before AR training regimes become the norm everywhere; not everyone is comfortable with the gear, so continued hardware innovations will be essential to ensure it remains truly accessible to everyone. Nevertheless, augmented reality is already demonstrating its awesome potential daily worldwide. From real estate professionals showcasing new properties to employers looking to shake up their training programs radically, AR technology has a little something for everyone. While the more popular and tech-heavy VR technology continues to draw most of the attention of the media and the public alike, business owners should make wise choices and pay close attention to AR technology in the forthcoming years.