Print.IT Reseller - issue 88

51 ONE-TO-ONE PRINTITRESELLER.UK 25 few – that have delivered key/essential services throughout the pandemic and, importantly, will continue to do so in the post-pandemic world. Once onboard with the idea of offering assisted reality technology as part of their offering, solutions-oriented resellers shouldn’t solely be looking at the transactional resale value of hardware as the key metric of success. It really is an opportunity for resellers to show how they can add value, as there are a number of support services that can be wrapped around the assisted reality offering. This ranges from training for end-users to custom built apps developed to address particular use cases. Configuration services are also part of the assisted reality package, putting resellers in a position to deliver the hardware pre-configured for the end- user, so that all they have to do is simply turn it on and it works on the company Wi-Fi, out of the box. From what we see, it is not uncommon for companies to opt for tailor-made apps and software, which presents another revenue opportunity for the channel and reseller community. MR: What is the outlook for companies using technology like RealWear as we look ahead to a post-pandemic world? JA: During the pandemic, the travel restrictions that were imposed impacted In Industry 4.0, AR and virtual reality (VR) often get the spotlight as the next great leap in boosting worker productivity, but there is a subtlety there. AR and VR technologies aren’t always practical when used as manufacturing or frontline tools and can be a risk for workers in many use cases. Assisted reality gives users hands-free access to the right information right when they need it, allowing for full situational awareness, which is particularly relevant in potentially hazardous environments MR: What opportunities does assisted reality present to resellers, looking to diversify their offering? JA: We see assisted reality as a great opener for resellers to tap into new industries that they’d typically consider to be peripheral to their core IT customer base. That’s because assisted reality is a sweet spot where IT and audio visual solutions come together seamlessly. Additionally, many resellers and customers are triangulating IoT with IT. This is where resellers can offer a broader IoT packaged solution to connect humans with machines and back-end cloud data and services. It’s a great opportunity to enter as a broader solution provider. After all, that’s what a customer expects to find in a partner. Let’s dig into this a bit, as it’s very interesting. Technologies such as assisted reality not only add to the IT/ AV/IoT mix but present resellers with the opportunity to explore new applications in other vertical markets, not least when traditional sectors – such as retail, hospitality, sports, and entertainment – have all been badly impacted by COVID and the various lockdown restrictions, which in the short-term, limits the commercial opportunities they present. Assisted reality gives resellers the opportunity to expand their target customer base and tap into core vertical sectors – like oil & gas, logistics & transportation, manufacturing, healthcare and automotive, to name a the maintenance or uptime of essential equipment, some of which is used to produce the materials used in the production of personal protective equipment. In such scenarios, assisted reality wearables played a major role in helping core sectors and essential services to function, despite the lockdown restrictions. Many companies and industries accelerated their digital transformation plans as a result of the pandemic, and deployed assisted reality technology to greatly mitigate travel, a requirement at the time. The consensus from our customer base is that this technology is here to stay now, and while the pandemic was a driver for change, the benefits for companies – including cost savings and Co2 emission reductions – are too great to ignore in the post- pandemic world. MR: As we look ahead to 2022, what can we expect from RealWear? JA: Going forward, we will continue focusing on assisted reality. We will continue educating and refining our story and our product line-up to meet the needs of the modern industrial worker. One thing that is great about having a platform is seeing incredible innovations by our partners and customers. It’s all about the art of the possible. So, expect to see more use cases that we hadn’t even thought of, in new industries. Specifically, we have a strong prediction that remote collaboration is only the tip of the iceberg, because our partners have developed a broad range of tools that are optimised for our device, including workflow and digital IoT visualisation. www.realwear.com