The new hot word these days is Metaverse!
‘Metaverse’ is a general term referring to a collective upgrade of the internet to a 3D virtual environment. This would be a world interconnected between various sites. These sites would reflect the immersive games that you see today.
It’s basically the Matrix coming true, the line between real life and virtual reality is becoming more and more blurred.
The idea of connected 3D immersive worlds has been around for a very long time. Several online gaming companies have staked a territory in the metaverse. But their applications are less interconnected.
What’s one of the best representations of the early metaverse? It’s a short-lived software called Adobe Atmosphere. This 3D immersive experience included interconnected online worlds. It also gave people the ability to chat with others. It was a bit before its time but shows how the concept of the metaverse has been around for a while.
The metaverse is making a comeback! With the advance of technology, these immersive ideas are being fleshed out, and the world is ready for it. This includes super-fast internet connections and immense processing power. It also includes a delivery method for 3D that works on most PCs.
Are we there yet? Not quite. But hold onto your hats – the metaverse is picking up steam. Recently, Microsoft announced a partnership with Meta. This partnership is to bring Microsoft 365 apps into the metaverse. This means collaboration in an entirely new way. Microsoft notes that 50% of Gen Z and millennials expect to do some of their work in the metaverse in the next two years.
How Does the Metaverse Impact Your Company?
With companies like Microsoft looking at the future of AR/VR, things could be changing in the workplace. Keep your eye out for the metaverse affecting your own company in some way in the next few years. “How”, you ask. Let us explain…
- Dynamic Advertising Platforms
Back when the internet was first introduced, companies didn’t immediately realize its potential. Nowadays, none of us could comprehend running a business without a website, emails, digital documentation, or social media. It’s basic shIT.
And most businesses rely on the internet to advertise. So the metaverse takes off as a new 3D iteration of the internet, it will open the floodgates to advertising opportunities. You may be able to create your own VR site or showroom – giving you the opportunity to show off your products and services in a 3D, virtual space. You could really give people a taste of what you have to offer!
2. Customer Service
As people started opting for their Facebook feed over the newspaper, or a conversation with their mum, companies realized customers used it to reach out. Seventy-nine percent of consumers expect companies to respond to a social media message, within the day they sent it – or they’ll become Karen-ators!
To meet modern demands, many businesses have a social media presence. This is used for marketing and to answer customer queries.
The metaverse may be the next step. Once people begin migrating to such spaces, they will expect to interact with businesses there too. Just like they do now with social networks.
This means companies need to be one step ahead and stay aware of how customers may be using the metaverse as it develops. Rather than bothering your colleagues 17 year old son who would rather be filming a Tik Tok, you could add a question about metaverse use to a year-end customer survey. Stay in the loop!
3. Employee Training
A key benefit the metaverse offers is more immersive training in the workplace. This could greatly increase training capabilities for everyone from doctors to forklift operators.
Let’s be honest – who learns much from reading a manual or watching a safety video? When it comes to work training, most of us learn on the job. And this means mistakes.
Having a virtual space where trainees can use trial and error safely, would be the perfect solution for this! They will then feel far more confident stepping into the real world role.
Start thinking about the types of training that your employees need. Then, look at ways that a VR world may make the training safer or more efficient – can it rein act a real life situation that makes them think on their feet? The metaverse may not have what you’re looking for right now. But just you wait – with the pace of technological advancement, it could in a year or two.
4. More Immersive Remote Team Collaboration
Covid 19 brought a dire need for virtual work meetings, and made us realise how much for time and cost efficient Teams and Zoom meetings are. The next generation of online team meetings may end up being in a virtual world – imagine having a 3D view of everyone sitting around a table together, while you’re all working from home!
Is Your Business Ready for the Next Digital Transformation?
How tech-savvy is your business? Have you got a plan for your future digital transformations? If this is all feeling a bit too techy, or if you’re not sure where to begin, pick up the phone and give us a bell. We can figure out this shIT for you!