Virtual reality (VR) transports users into an immersive, interactive, computer-generated environment using VR headsets. While gaming might be the most popular use case, this kind of immersion offers businesses all kinds of benefits.
But don’t take our word for it—according to the most recent data available, 70% of professionals believed businesses would focus on adopting VR/AR in 2021.. And since then, thousands of companies worldwide as now actively deploying XR. Many of these businesses are your competitors, too. So, if you’re still on the fence about VR, you risk being left in the dust.
We know you have lots of questions—what are VR’s business applications, what benefits does VR offer, and how can you use it effectively? Don’t worry. In this ArborXR guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know.
What Industry Verticals Can Benefit from VR?
Retail and E-Commerce
The use of VR in retail has been steadily growing over the years, thanks to many interesting use cases.
One of the most exciting applications of VR in retail is virtual try-ons. BMW offers VR test drives so buyers can test-run vehicles without hitting the open road. This gives customers more confidence that they’re making the right choice while limiting risk, wear and tear, and insurance costs for the company.
Aviation
In the aviation industry, VR is playing a major role in both training and manufacturing.
Focusing on training, airlines like Delta are saving millions in operational costs related to fluid usage and trainer and employee travel expenses each year by using VR to train employees. Flight simulation is another important use case—VR means companies no longer need to invest millions into top of the line flight simulators to train pilots.
Manufacturing
In manufacturing, VR has quickly become an important tool for R&D and testing.
Ford is a great example—the company has a dedicated VR team responsible for reviewing every single car that goes into production. This reduces operational costs significantly by catching faults early and increasing review efficiency.
Construction
Construction businesses are also finding VR to be a powerful tool.
One fascinating use case involves creating 3D building prototypes to show clients before beginning projects. This is great for bidding since potential clients are immersed in a 3D environment where they can picture what they’ll get for their money.
Recently, some companies have started creating digital twins of planned buildings. These 3D replicas let building owners see every detail—wires, plumbing, rooms, and more.
Healthcare
As mentioned, VR is fantastic for healthcare training—but its benefits don’t stop there. It’s also making waves in patient treatment and therapy.
Take MyndVR, for example. They offer VR solutions to help seniors combat loneliness, isolation, and depression. Plus, many healthcare facilities now use VR to create immersive environments for patients during procedures like carpal tunnel surgery.
The results are pretty incredible, too.
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) uses XR technology to support veterans with in-patient pain and anxiety management. According to Deputy Director Caitlin Rawlins, they’ve been able to achieve an average 46% decrease in pain intensity and an average 40% reduction in anxiety through VR therapies.
Keep in mind that this isn’t an exhaustive list. You’ll also find prominent use of VR in other industries, like:
- Aviation
- Manufacturing and maintenance
- Real estate
- Banking and finance, etc.
What Are the Core Use Cases of VR in Business?
In each of these industries (and more we didn’t mention!) VR is taking on many different roles.
Here’s a quick overview of some of the main use cases for VR in business:
Training and Development
VR allows trainees to practice and refine their hard or soft skills in an immersive, realistic, and risk-free environment.
This tech is particularly useful in fields where:
- Hands-on experience, muscle memory, or repeated practice are important, but…
- …circumstances make real-world training too difficult, expensive, risky, etc.
Think aviation, surgery, construction, and healthcare. However, VR is making an impact in almost every industry where training is a high priority. For example, UPS has seen a 75% decrease in training time since adopting VR to train drivers—with no loss in training effectiveness.
Remote Collaboration
XR technologies like VR and AR have become increasingly useful with the rise of remote work and distributed teams.
VR environments like Meta Horizons Workrooms are helping remote teams collaborate more effectively by simulating in-person meetings. And Zimmer Biomet’s OptiVu™ Mixed Reality uses the Hololens 2’s AR Remote Assist feature to allow surgeons to call on expert trainers for support and guidance during particularly difficult procedures.
Product Design and Visualization
Product design and visualization are two important use cases for VR in business. Rather than investing in expensive prototypes early in the design process, companies are turning to VR for initial designs and testing.
This lets designers, stakeholders, and test groups interact with products in a virtual environment that helps them develop more meaningful, constructive feedback.
Marketing and Sales
Finally, VR and AR are becoming powerful tools for sales and marketing teams looking to increase the impact of their campaigns. A well-crafted XR experience is both memorable and informative. This can lead to better conversion rates and more confident buying decisions.
Why Should You Care About VR in Business
Enhanced Training
VR offers immersive simulations for practicing skills in a safe, controlled environment. It’s not just effective—it’s also cost-efficient (and time-efficient)! For example, Pfizer was able to reduce new task training time by 40% by adopting VR.
Improved Customer Experience
With virtual reality, customers can interact with products by trying on clothes or exploring car interiors. This builds confidence in their purchase decisions, which in turn reduces returns, exchanges, and chargebacks.
Streamlined Design and Prototyping
Adopting VR is a no-brainer if your business involves lots of building and prototyping. You can use it to create 3D models for client presentations and project planning. This can drastically improve communication and reduce reworks.
Better Virtual Collaboration
VR can help create virtual shared workspaces for businesses with geographically dispersed teams. This allows employees to interact as if they’re in the same room, making team-building activities fun and boosting overall productivity.
How to Implement VR in Your Business
1. Identify Business Needs and Objectives
First, figure out where VR can add value to your business. If you’re in construction, for example, you can consider areas like prototyping or training.
Once you’ve pinpointed these areas, set specific goals. For example, you might implement VR prototyping to reduce design flaws identified during physical construction by 80% within the next six months.
This goal will guide every stage of your implementation. For example, in the pilot test phase, you can see whether VR can help you achieve the goal before going all in.
2. Choose the Right VR Technology and Content
Once you’ve set your goal, the next step is choosing the right VR hardware and software to achieve it.
Let’s start with hardware. Generally, you’ll need VR headsets. However, certain applications, such as medical training, might require additional tools like controllers, trackers, and sensors. When deciding, factor in budget, ease of use, scalability, and features offered.
Aim for tools that give you the best bang for your buck. For example, the Pico 4E and Meta Quest Pro offer similar features, but the Pico 4E is much more affordable. Choosing the cost-effective option will also pay off when you need to scale up and invest in hundreds or thousands of devices down the line.
Apart from hardware, you also need to think about the content. You can create it in-house if you or your team are skilled with VR content authoring tools. Otherwise, you might need to hire VR developers or ISVs.
Are you looking for reliable enterprise VR developers? We have a directory that can help.
3. Train Employees and Stakeholders
Now, identify employees who will champion VR in your organization. Provide them with thorough training to support and guide their colleagues in using VR. This might mean bringing in an external VR instructor or enrolling them in courses.
In a conversation with Dane Laughlin, Operations Transformation Product Leader at INVISTA (Koch Industries), he spoke about his role as being the central source of knowledge for all things XR at the company.
However, the VR champion role goes beyond technical knowledge. Dane also spoke about how important it was for him to use his understanding to empathize with trainees.
4. Implement and Test the VR Solution
By now, you’ve achieved three things: a clear plan, the right tools, and a prepared team. It’s time to put your VR solution into action.
To do this, start with a phased rollout. Put together a small pilot group to test functionality, identify glitches, and refine training materials. During this process, actively gather feedback from your pilot group through surveys, interviews, or observation sessions. Use this feedback to improve the VR experience before going full-scale.
A quick word of warning—even when you’re working with 3-5 devices, manually plugging them in to install updates, deploy content, or adjust settings can be a pain. Having an XR MDM like ArborXR at the pilot stage significantly reduces the amount of friction thanks to our suite of remote device management tools.
Plus, lots of ISVs and VR content creators use MDMs like ArborXR to send apps and VR experiences directly to your headsets. This means an MDM is an important part of the VR implementation process from the very start.
5. Scale and Optimize
Now that you’ve had some initial success, it’s time to scale up your VR rollout—think dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of devices.Doing all of these manually just isn’t practical. So, as you scale your program, tools like ArborXR become exponentially more valuable.
Our user-friendly platform helps you track all your headsets and how they’re being used. You have full control over the apps users can access, device updates, analytics, settings, and more—all via remote access.
Scalable VR Deployment in Business
VR offers multiple exciting possibilities for businesses across various industries. It’s an investment that can pay off big time with benefits like better customer experience, improved training, enhanced design and prototyping, and more.
If you need to deploy VR at scale, you’ll need a device management tool that’s designed for VR. With ArborXR, you can deploy your headsets at scale, distribute content in a snap, and control your user’s experience—all in one simple portal.Ready to see ArborXR in action? Get started with a 30-day free trial today.
