Where to Deploy Innovative Tech to Create a More Flexible, Engaging Organization

If there’s one lesson that entrepreneurs and business leaders can take away from the past 18-plus months, it’s the importance of adaptability. A recent analysis from Gartner cited operational plasticity as a crucial element for organizations that want to succeed in the modern economy.

To enable the level of adaptability that would make it possible for an organization to change how it operates quickly and easily, Gartner listed several emerging technological trends that businesses should incorporate. Many of the technologies centered on a similar goal: the ability to conduct business and engage with customers from anywhere.

In fact, Gartner predicted that by the end of 2023, 40 percent of organizations would have implemented an IT operating model that would enable anywhere operation. This model would do more than just make remote work easier — it would create an infrastructure that would allow businesses to create a more engaging, productive digital environment for both employees and customers.

Related: How to Implement a Work-From-Anywhere Growth Strategy Using a Hybrid Hub-and-Spoke Model

This emphasis on enabling an organization to not only survive but thrive in the digital world points to the importance this medium will continue to have going forward, even once the pandemic (hopefully) fades into the background. For startups looking to carve out a space for themselves, they should take this lesson to heart. Going forward, leading businesses will be the ones that embrace advanced technology to create an immersive and engaging digital experience that customers love and employees can use to push a company to new heights.

Why embracing new technologies will give businesses the edge

Working as the CEO of a tech company during the pandemic, I’ve encountered plenty of challenges. Alongside these, I’ve also been given opportunities to explore what’s possible with newer technologies. By exploring the functionality of augmented and virtual realities, my team and I were able to create a more flexible operational environment that didn’t require being in the same physical space to make the most of it.

AR and VR tools have been instrumental in maintaining our productivity and building better product and design workflows. They’re not stopgap measures to deal with the headaches of remote work; they’re essential parts of day-to-day operations. In fact, one of our product teams has completely shifted from physical to virtual prototypes, using an AR/VR platform called Sim-Lab. This platform provides greater flexibility and enables better collaboration between remote workers. It’s been a legitimate game changer.

Related: AR and VR Will Lead the Way in a Post-Pandemic World

This is just one example of how these types of technologies can take what worked for offices in the past and build on it in a way that’s accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world. And it’s far from the only way that innovations are revolutionizing the way we work and interact.

Startups that want to become nimble, cutting-edge competitors in their chosen marketplaces need to look at the ways these technologies can expand the scope of what’s possible, removing traditional barriers such as geography to create something that captures customers’ imagination and enables collaboration all over the world.

Where new tech can be deployed to create a more flexible and engaging organization

To do this effectively, entrepreneurs and business leaders should focus on three main areas of their organization where new technologies can provide the most benefit:

1. Operations

This is perhaps the area where the advantages of technologies like AR and VR are most obvious, especially with remote work becoming a necessity for many people over the past year-plus. We found VR, in particular, to be far superior to videoconferencing when conducting meetings. In many ways, it proved to be more dynamic than in-person gatherings.

Even though VR avatar fidelity is imperfect, it’s a much more focused work environment because there’s a huge sense of presence when everyone is teleported into the same room. The brain focuses not on cartoonishness but on content and body motions. It creates the illusion of presence while enabling presenters to bring technological elements such as 3D models and visualizations right into the room with them.

Meetings aren’t the only way VR can improve operations. Training and collaboration also can be greatly enhanced by the technology. Mercedes-Benz has been employing HoloLens in this way since 2018, and Intel reports that its introduction of VR employee training has resulted in an ROI of 300 percent.

2. Customer experience

One of the most exciting things about embracing immersive technology is that it’s useful both internally and externally. And make no mistake: shoppers are ready for it. According to a NielsenIQ survey, 64 percent of consumers would like to see virtual shopping assistants that employ AI and VR to create a superior experience.

Startups that want to stand out online should invest in digitizing their entire catalog, creating 3D assets that can be used for extended reality (XR) — a combination of AR, VR and mixed-reality technologies. In an arena where most e-commerce websites are still fairly basic, entrepreneurs have a chance to leap ahead and create an immersive experience that shoppers are already clamoring for.

3. Company culture

As many organizations have discovered over the past 18 months, maintaining a healthy company culture can be difficult in a remote environment. However, immersive technologies make it possible for teams to maintain and even strengthen their bonds, regardless of where they are in the world.

Related: 5 Ways to Build Team Culture in a Remote World

VR games and activities can bring people together in a fun, safe way while also exposing employees to the benefits of this rapidly changing technology. Using VR to create bonding experiences can produce the added effect of sparking ideas in team members about how to use this tech in other ways.

Recently, Facebook announced Horizon Workrooms for its Oculus Quest 2. While there are undoubtedly still some kinks to be ironed out, the technology that Mark Zuckerberg showed off highlights the potential that VR offers for remote workers. Specifically, Zuckerberg showcased the software’s ability to encourage brainstorming and collaboration without requiring everyone to be in the same room. This can be especially useful for globally dispersed businesses that aim to create stronger worldwide company cultures and align everyone around the same vision.

When it comes to what the future of work will look like, quite a bit remains up in the air. However, one thing is pretty certain: It won’t look like it did before. The push to remote has awakened people to the ways in which the online world can not only replace but improve upon the way things are done in person. By embracing innovative technologies and working to create immersive experiences, startups can put together a company that can take the lead in the present and be ready for whatever the future might throw at it.