For manufacturers of complex and highly technical products, equipment maintenance and repair remains a big challenge. This is primarily a result of an acute shortage of skilled technicians or spending large sums on getting an expert to the site. Until recently, this often resulted in a sub-optimal experience for the customer or high costs for the manufacturer.

With Tech Mahindra’s AR-based Remote Assist, manufacturers no longer have to struggle with the pitfalls of a semi-skilled workforce. By connecting semi-skilled repair technicians, who are always on the move over a large area, to a subject matter expert located miles away, the solution enables the latter to guide the former to tackle complex, critical on-field problems in real-time.

The Challenge:

As everyday products increase in complexity, manufacturers have a hard time finding skilled technicians who can help with their repair operations. The few that do exist often command high prices, leaving some of the smaller players to make do with a semi-skilled repair workforce that is increasingly unable to cater to modern-day repair requirements. Naturally, this causes a vicious cycle of a sub-optimal customer experience, which could hurt profitability, leaving even less money to invest in upskilling the workforce.

Moreover, these technicians are always on the move over a large area, necessitating a need to be connected over an intelligent cellular network which can affect the quality of service of the digital solutions being deployed.

The Solution:

The Remote Assist solution, which uses AR technology to reproduce the field technician’s work environment, provides a “see what I see” environment for both the on-site Technician and the remote expert. This unlocks new levels of collaborative capacities that can solve the problem of delayed repairs and the first-time-right experience. The solutions are implemented as follows:

• Technicians follow the workflow dictated by the AR-system
• Connects with a remote expert for help with specific issues
• Experts and technicians have a shared workspace mediated via AR
• Expert provides detailed guidance to the technician
• Seamless documentation of the repair process from start to finish

The Benefits:

By connecting the technician with a remote expert, the Remote Assist solution leads to:

• Real-Time resolution of critical errors
• Improved productivity
• Reduced maintenance costs
• Improved Quality of Service