Manufacturers, especially those with international clients, face several key issues with traditional factory tours and inspections:
Flying stakeholders to factories, coordinating schedules, and managing on-site tours are costly and time-consuming. These logistical hurdles often result in delays or limited tours, impacting client engagement and business potential.
Due to variable factors like staff availability, tour quality can vary, affecting the impressions that potential clients or investors receive. This inconsistency can influence the decision-making process and hinder potential business.
In today’s market, clients and partners expect transparency in operations. However, giving them unrestricted access to a factory can be challenging, especially when maintaining security, safety, and confidentiality.
For manufacturers with clients worldwide, the difficulty in accessing factories remotely limits their ability to showcase capabilities effectively, especially when travel restrictions or time zones are a factor.
Virtual Factory Tours and Remote Inspection leverage XR technology to create immersive, real-time experiences of production facilities. Using 360° cameras, 3D digital twins, and interactive hotspots, these virtual tours allow clients and partners to engage with the factory environment as if they were there in person.
By offering virtual tours, manufacturers can reduce travel costs by up to 45% as clients no longer need to visit the facility in person. This also translates to faster client engagements and quicker deal closures.
The interactive nature of virtual tours increases client engagement by 60%, as clients can experience the production process firsthand and gain a deeper understanding of the manufacturer’s capabilities.
With virtual tours, manufacturers provide stakeholders with unrestricted views of their processes, boosting transparency. This builds trust and improves brand reputation as clients see commitment to quality firsthand.
Reducing physical tours means a reduced carbon footprint, aligning manufacturers with sustainability goals. It also cuts down on the time required for clients to engage, allowing more frequent check-ins and real-time production oversight.
Some of the world’s leading manufacturing giants have already begun adopting virtual tours and remote inspection technologies, proving their value in a competitive market:
This automotive leader has implemented virtual factory tours to showcase its assembly lines, particularly for international clients. BMW’s virtual tours have allowed for increased client satisfaction, as stakeholders can witness its high-quality manufacturing processes from anywhere in the world.
As an engineering powerhouse, Siemens uses virtual tours to enhance its factory visibility for clients and partners. Siemens has reported a significant reduction in travel expenses while providing greater transparency through these virtual experiences.
Ford’s virtual factory inspection initiatives enable remote clients and quality inspectors to review production facilities and operations in real time. By making factory access available globally, Ford has increased client trust and streamlined quality assurance processes.
Research and client feedback reveal the profound impact of virtual tours on the manufacturing sector:
360 Virtual Reality Factory Tours Can be a Great Add-on to the Show floor Increasing the Overall Footfall and Visistor Engagement.
Virtual factory tours and remote inspections are just the beginning. Many manufacturers plan to expand this technology to other departments, such as R&D or product testing facilities, offering clients and stakeholders a complete view of operations without geographical barriers. These solutions are easy to scale, providing a consistent, high-quality experience at every facility.