What if I told you it was possible to get assistance from a trained printer service technician located anywhere in the country who can see and interact with your printer via a live stream from your phone?
Well, Xerox’s Augmented Reality Support makes that aforementioned scenario come to life by using CareAR’s augmented reality platform, where a Xerox technician can see what you see and virtually diagnose and fix service issues without having to physically come to your location.
As a locally managed print vendor that partners with Xerox and sells its products, we know firsthand how printer service issues can impede business operations and halt productive workflow.
Xerox’s Augmented Reality Support is one solution available to you at no additional cost if you’re a current Xerox customer.
However, this kind of virtual support will not be for everyone, and we are not the type of vendor to say otherwise.
To help determine whether it would be an asset for your business, we’ll be providing an objective analysis of the AI-powered feature to give you an overview of what it can do for your workplace.
In this blog, we’ll be discussing what Xerox’s Augmented Reality Support is, the features, benefits and shortcomings associated with the platform and how to set it up to help you determine whether it’d be a fit for your business.
What is Augmented Reality Support?
According to Xerox’s website, “augmented reality is an interactive experience in which computer-generated images—sometimes in 3D—are overlayed in real-time onto digital images of the real world and viewed using a camera. “
Augmented reality (AR) is the technological basis that Xerox uses for service technicians to provide virtual support for your machine, and it’s made possible by Xerox’s partnership with CareAR.
CareAR was established in 2018 with a mission to “make expertise accessible with live visual AR interactions, instructions and intelligence in order to drive game-changing operational efficiencies, customer outcomes and enhanced safety, according to their website.
Gartner, a technological research and consulting firm, notes that by 2025, “over 50 percent of field service management deployments will include mobile augmented-reality collaboration and knowledge-sharing tools, up from less than 10 percent in 2019.
3 Things to Know About Xerox’s Augmented Reality Support
So, what does this AR support look like exactly?
Here are three ways Xerox’s Augmented Reality Support works to aid users, courtesy of their website:
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See What I See
“A support agent becomes immersed in your environment using the device’s rear camera. This gives the agent a visual display of what needs attention.”
The ability for Xerox service technicians to virtually place themselves in your location is the fundamental feature of Xerox’s AR support system.
Say you were constantly having a paper jam problem in your printer, and you wanted to know the root cause of the issue.
Using AR support would allow for a technician to decipher and diagnose the problem while giving you instructions on the steps you need to take to fix it.
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Real-Time Graphical Guidance
“Experience real-time guidance using annotations, such as arrows, pulsating circles, and other features, which are overlayed on the live video.”
This is how technicians diagnose problems and offer solutions for your machine. If you’re having a problem with your machine and want to see where it’s coming from, a technician can use illustrations to show you exactly where the problem is occurring.
To see a demonstration of how the guidance looks on your mobile device, see the picture below:
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Privacy
“Only the rear-facing camera is used so you are not seen.”
With advanced technology, privacy could naturally be a concern for you when deciding whether to implement an augmented reality support system. Because of this, Xerox’s AR support makes it to where a technician can only see your machine and nothing else.
Because augmented reality support is an advanced and novel technological feature, it may heighten your concerns about potential security threats or cyberattacks. Read our blog about Xerox’s approach to cybersecurity to learn more about the company’s security initiatives.
4 Benefits of Xerox Augmented Reality Support
Now that we’ve discussed what Xerox Augmented Reality Support is and gone through some of the features, let’s look at the main benefits you get with the AR platform.
Here are the four major benefits of Xerox’s AR support, courtesy of their website:
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Enabling Xerox customer support to see exactly what you see for faster diagnostics.
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Eliminating miscommunication by using annotations to prioritize what to focus on.
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Showing the problem and visually identifying the steps to resolve it rather than just explaining them.
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Not waiting for an engineer and keeping everyone safe.
When talking about getting service for your machine, it’s important to reiterate that investing significant financial resources into a printer or copier is a big commitment. It comes with a responsibility to preserve and maintain your machine to avoid major service issues.
However, it’s only natural for machines to wear down with age, especially if they’ve been used at a high volume.
To learn more about printer service issues and how you can avoid them, read these blogs:
What Xerox Augmented Reality Support Can’t Do
The main drawback to augmented reality support is it’s not going to be able to virtually fix every service issue your machine experiences.
Complex service issues, especially those that require mechanical substitutes for the machine, will need to be done by a technician on-site, which means augmented reality can only be used to diagnose the problem.
For instance, if you have a part that needs to be replaced, you will need to consult with your print vendor to get a service technician to your location to replace the part.
How Do I Receive Assistance through Care AR’s Platform?
Here is the three-step process you will use to receive support from CareAR’s platform on your Xerox machine:
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Download CareAR Assist Application
First, you will want to download the CareAR Assist app from the App Store on your mobile device.
You can also use your web browser for support, but to get the full benefits of the AR support platform, it’s best to use your mobile device or tablet so you can be near your machine when receiving assistance.
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CareAR Session Invitation
After downloading the app and logging in with your credentials, you will be invited to a CareAR support session via text message or email to discuss your issue further and provide resolutions.
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Join CareAR Session
After receiving the invitation, you will join the support session to go over the service problem with a technician who will provide instructions on how to fix the issue.
To see what types of devices and browsers are supported, see the figure below, courtesy of Xerox’s website:
Xerox Augmented Reality Support Cost
As mentioned in the introduction, CareAR’s platform that Xerox uses comes standard for Xerox customers and does not cost any extra money to implement.
Who Is a Fit for Xerox Augmented Reality Support?
Let’s summarize and assess who could be a fit for Xerox’s Augmented Reality Support:
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Businesses who desire a virtual service experience rather than a manual one.
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Businesses that are at least reasonably technologically advanced and can incorporate an AR platform in their workplace.
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Businesses who want a timelier diagnosis of their service problem.
If you fit into one of these categories, then you may be a fit for Xerox’s AR support. However, it’s best to consult either a Xerox or CareAR support agent or your local vendor before making a final purchasing decision.
Who Is Not a Fit for Xerox Augmented Reality Support?
Now, let’s go over who would not be a good fit for Xerox’s Augmented Reality Support:
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Businesses who prefer a technician on-site to fix their service issues.
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Businesses that don’t have the technological capacity or desire to implement an advanced AR support platform.
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Businesses that aren’t comfortable receiving virtual assistance.
If you fall into one of these categories, then integrating an AR support platform would not be a good fit for you.
Interested In a Printer/Copier Service Solution?
Augmented reality support is a service alternative to the traditional phone-directed or on-site service that customers have used in the past, and in general, Xerox customers who have used CareAR’s augmented reality platform have had a positive experience.
Xerox’s AR support could be a useful solution to service issues for businesses who are looking for an advanced assistance feature that seeks a fast and virtual resolution for their printer/copier problems.
This advanced technology platform is not for everybody, and more sophisticated service problems will still require a technician to fix the issue. You will need to evaluate your technological capabilities and service goals before deciding whether to seek out CareAR’s augmented reality program.
As a vendor who partners with Xerox and has dealt with service issues in the printer industry for over 35 years, we know how important it is to have a solution for service for your machines.
If you have any further questions about Xerox’s Augmented Reality Support or want to discuss other permanent service solutions for your business, reach out to us and we can talk through the managed service options that would best fit your business.
