BEUMER Smart Glasses help customers solve technical problems
BEUMER Group has developed the BEUMER Smart Glasses for its customer support technicians to take a ‘virtual look over the shoulder’ of customer service technicians to solve IT problems together.
The intralogistic solutions provider’s digital solution reduces travel times and costs. As a pioneering product it also supports users quickly and easily, helping with machine malfunctions and standstills.
Christopher Kirsch, team leader of BG.evolution, commented: “With the BEUMER Smart Glasses, our customers can get in live contact with our service experts anywhere and at any time.”
With this spin-off at the university location of Dortmund, the company brings digital innovation from outside into the company.
Kirsch added: “We are working on a customer problem with the support of start-ups to develop 'Minimum Viable Products'. These are minimally equipped prototypes whose market potential and customer acceptance we put to the acid test.”
This makes it easier for the BEUMER Group to decide quickly whether a new technology makes sense to develop into a finished product, such as the BEUMER Smart Glasses.
Together with their colleagues from BEUMER Customer Support and the Department for Research and Development in Beckum, the employees in Dortmund made this digital solution ready for the market.
Kirsch explained: “From October 2018 to January 2019, long-term tests were carried out with various customers, including one with live testing with a long-term customer from the building materials industry. We were successful in concluding this phase.”
In addition to service technicians, Customer Support also provides qualified telephone support for trouble shooting, which is available 24/7. However, it can be challenging to successfully communicate complex problems quickly and clearly over the phone.
Therefore, the new technology enables the employee at the machine to simply put on the glasses. The BEUMER Support app is then started via voice command. The employee transmits a service number and a pin code to the hotline, and the connection with image and sound is established.
The BEUMER technician receives the same image as the customer and can directly give instructions and display all relevant information in the field of vision. The employee has both hands free to follow the instructions of the expert and carry out the necessary actions.
Kirsch concluded: “As part of the comprehensive BEUMER Customer Support, users add the BEUMER Smart Glasses as an extension to their monthly or annual hotline service agreement.
“Together with BG.evolution, the BEUMER Group is currently developing further digital products. Many of our customers are already showing clear interest in the BEUMER Smart Glasses.”