Augmented Reality Virtual Avatar for Customer Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Customer support interactions via remote communication centers are often impersonal, leading to lower customer satisfaction, as customers prefer direct human interaction when experiencing product or service issues.
Innovation Solution
An augmented reality-based system that uses a virtual avatar controlled by a remote human agent to provide interactive guidance, allowing the avatar to move within a real environment and interact with objects, enhancing the customer support experience by creating a dynamic, visual, and immersive interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If remote communication centers use traditional voice or text-based support, then operational costs are reduced, but customer satisfaction deteriorates due to impersonal interactions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy (avatar) of the support agent that can be remotely deployed to the customer's location. This virtual avatar replicates the agent's presence and interaction capabilities, allowing impersonal remote support to feel personal and engaging, thereby maintaining customer satisfaction while keeping operational costs low
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions support from traditional 2D screen-based or voice-only communication to a 3D immersive augmented reality environment. The virtual avatar exists in the customer's physical space, creating a new dimensional layer of interaction that combines remote efficiency with personal engagement
2Reliability
If support centers employ in-person visible support personnel, then customer satisfaction improves through personal interaction, but operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of deploying physical support personnel to customer locations, the system creates a virtual copy (avatar) that can be remotely controlled. This virtual representation provides the same personal interaction benefits as in-person support without the associated travel, accommodation, and logistics costs
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual avatar serves as an intermediary between the remote support agent and the customer. It mediates the interaction by providing a visual presence that bridges the gap between remote efficiency and personal engagement, eliminating the need for expensive in-person deployment
3Ease of operation
If interactive web applications like instant messaging are used, then customer attention is improved, but the lack of in-person dynamic presence causes customer satisfaction to remain suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent elevates interaction from 2D text-based instant messaging to a 3D augmented reality environment with a virtual avatar. This dimensional upgrade provides dynamic visual presence and spatial awareness, transforming static text interaction into an engaging conversational experience that satisfies customer desire for personal attention
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system of providing guidance and information to customers by presentation of a virtual avatar. The virtual avatar is controlled in real-time by a remote customer service agent. The method includes sharing images of a physical space with the customer service agent, and enabling the customer service agent to project a virtual avatar on the physical space such that the virtual avatar appears to interact and move through the physical space. The dynamic projection of the virtual avatar is received by the customer as an augmentation of their own view of the physical space.