BMW adopts HoloLens for New Training Experience
BMW China Training Academy has adopted Microsoft HoloLens to train their employees and create an immersive shopping experience for customers.
Unlike most companies, BMW recognized the potential of the HoloLens and mixed reality applications right away. They envisioned its use for both employee training and enhancing the customer shopping experience.
Pu Qinyang, Senior e-Learning Specialist at BMW China Training Academy, expressed their excitement about using HoloLens in retail: “Just as we could not imagine the popularity of smartphones 20 years ago, we may not be able to fully envision the untapped potential of Mixed Reality in the retail sphere. At BMW China Training Academy, we want to deliver a futuristic user experience like no other using the cutting-edge HoloLens 2 for our customers.”
While we have previously discussed how HoloLens is used to train employees on the frontline, one area we have not covered is its application for salesmen training. With over 600+ dealers in China, BMW faces the challenge of training a large number of salespersons on various vehicle models and features. The company has been actively seeking new methods to ensure quick and efficient training on newly launched models.
Using Mixed Reality, BMW China Training Academy created an app that allows salespersons to see through the car with its actual size and building materials. The app also demonstrates the features of a new model interactively and immersively. As a result, the training time has been significantly reduced, and the sales team is excited to learn about the new models with this technology.
As new car models and features are introduced each year to enhance the driving experience, explaining the technical features to customers can be challenging. BMW saw HoloLens and immersive learning as the perfect tool to bridge this gap. For instance, for one of their all-new electric vehicles, an x-ray view shows customers that the vehicle does not have an engine, making it easier to understand. Additionally, BMW utilizes the technology to demonstrate the vehicle’s blind spot warning system. Using a headset on a customer is quicker and more efficient compared to a test drive to stage the scenario for each customer.
This is a perfect example of how a company can achieve more with less using Mixed Reality and HoloLens.
