Overcoming Remote
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Today, organizations face evolving challenges when connecting remote teams with the critical information whenever they need it. The peer-to-peer information must be accurate, shared with a distributed workforce, secure and often delivered in real-time. Meanwhile, travel restrictions, globally dispersed stakeholders and different company regulations augment the growing logistical obstacles for remote collaboration for businesses with first line workers.
These challenges impact many of today’s various remote teams. First line workers who are often in the most hazardous environments need to safely and efficiently connect with remote experts, other team members as well as partners and clients — sometimes in different cities, time-zones and countries. Whether it’s training, equipment repair, data analysis or other mission-critical tasks, these remote teams require a truly innovative remote collaboration work solution that’s built for modern businesses.
Remote collaboration hardware and software solutions are technology solutions an organization deploys to their remote workforce and important stakeholders.
Hardware Solutions
Remote collaboration hardware may include head-mounted wearable devices with monocular, innovative voice-activated interfaces and enterprise grade IoT devices.
Software Solutions
Remote collaboration software solutions include solutions such as Zoom Meeting, Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex and other software.
Today, organizations face evolving challenges when connecting remote teams with the critical information whenever they need it. The peer-to-peer information must be accurate, shared with a distributed workforce, secure and often delivered in real-time. Meanwhile, travel restrictions, globally dispersed stakeholders and different company regulations augment the growing logistical obstacles for remote collaboration for businesses with first line workers.
These challenges impact many of today’s various remote teams. First line workers who are often in the most hazardous environments need to safely and efficiently connect with remote experts, other team members as well as partners and clients — sometimes in different cities, time-zones and countries. Whether it’s training, equipment repair, data analysis or other mission-critical tasks, these remote teams require a truly innovative remote collaboration work solution that’s built for modern businesses.
Benefits of deploying purpose-built remote collaboration hardware and software
Disadvantages of current approaches
Some organizations will attempt to assemble various solutions such as mobile tablets, hand-held cameras and smart- phones. Unfortunately, this is not always the ideal approach. As covered, many
front line technicians are often in loud, hazardous, industrial environments — some in outdoor locations where rain, dust, snow and heat are frequent factors. It’s not safe for these front-line technicians to use these devices, which are not designed for these environments and situations. Many technicians also need their hands to work, so operating and carrying these additional devices can be dangerous and inefficient.
Tap into to remote collaboration hardware and software
Fortunately, innovative remote collaboration hardware and software providers, like RealWear, are innovating with technology made specifically for today’s needs.
Benefits include:
- Increased remote collaboration — Have team members and key stakeholders work together despite different locations and time zones. Collaborate, inspect, audit and approve remotely
- Time saved — Previously, situations or disruptions in production may require 24-72 hours to address with teams having to travel long distances. Situations may require a tech to report to the location, hand the analysis to another team member, and then return to the location. Remote collaboration hardware and software can help teams work in real-time and resolve problems in minutes instead of days and hours.
- Hardware and software specifically designed for industries — Disparate solutions cause more fragmentation and inefficiencies. Purpose- built collaboration hardware and software have the modern remote workforce in mind. These solutions seamlessly integrate with existing collaboration software and other technology investments.
- Quality of installation and inspection — Collaborate in real-time when every minute or even second counts. Collaboration helps reduce downtime and disruptions to your business. Get audits and approval done quickly and efficiently.
- Digital transformation — Digital transformation through IoT, AI and a connected remote workforce enable your business to work in accord while reducing errors and increasing production.
- Cost — Investing in enterprise-grade collaboration hardware and software solutions helps you mitigate expensive costs if you were to try to create your own solution or use disparate solutions.
Examples of Remote Collaboration ROI
“Cut training time up to 50% with RealWear HMT hardware and platform.”
“Damage assessment time was reduced by 3 to 6 hours.”
“Improve data accuracy by 50%.”
How to evaluate remote collaboration headset hardware and software solutions
While there are different vendors in the marketplace, not all solutions are the same. To improve remote collaboration, you need to consider the following criteria:
Easy Integration
Select a collaboration hardware and software solution that is aligned with your company’s existing remote collaboration software. Be sure it integrates well and easily with third-party software (such as Zoom Meeting, Cisco Webex, Microsoft teams, or other purpose- built solutions
Fast Deployment
The technology you use should be easy to adopt by your remote workforce. Even if it requires some training and personal adjustment, the hardware and software solution needs to be intuitive for the end-user. If not, the product will risk sitting on a shelf and it becomes a wasted investment or lost opportunity.
Enterprise grade collaboration software
Choose a collaboration hardware solution with enterprise-grade software that enables you to easily share video, screen shots, annotate, send photos, chat and connect with your teams.
Rock-solid security
Organizations need to keep their sensitive data secure and confidential. Make sure the remote collaboration hardware and software solution vendor provides high levels of security when teams are collaborating remotely. Whether it’s sensitive information getting into the hands of competitors, hackers or criminals, you need to partner with a vendor who champions security.
Comprehensive training and support
The remote collaboration hardware and software solution you deploy needs to be accepted and adopted by your employees or it is a wasted investment. Look for a vendor with comprehensive training and ongoing support. Remote collaboration headset hardware that features monocular and innovative voice-activated interfaces need to be adjusted properly for the eyes/user.
Support is critical when adopters of new technology have important questions and problems that need to be solved. Consider partnering with a vendor who is available to assist your teams in an ongoing capacity.
Enterprise-grade devices
As covered, you need a technology solution that was created specifically for the needs of the modern user. Other connected visual devices are not made to stand the variables of rugged work environments. Select a hardware solution that can be responsive to the user’s voice commands in extremely loud environments. It should feature a rugged design for outdoor/hazardous areas as well as be safe and versatile with different helmets and eyewear.
Certified voice-enabled
Select hardware and software that is certified voice-enabled for a true hands free experience. Front line technicians are often in environments where they need to use their hands. Peer-to-peer video and voice collaboration needs to be a simple and seamless experience for remote teams. Consider a vendor that supports multiple languages. Not all voice-enabled and video remote hardware supports various languages.
Product with a long development cycle
Deploy remote collaboration hardware and software products and solutions that have gone through real-world testing. Many new vendors have new products that have not been proven, nor are they fully compliant with IT. You need a product and solution with a long-term development cycle that is methodically improved upon, if needed.
“After evaluating other wearable devices, RealWear and Microsoft Teams emerged as the best option to support our ongoing commitment to autonomous maintenance and keeping our first line teams safe and productive.” – Mars Petcare
“By using RealWear wearable tablet devices, we can cut our travel costs in half and, at the same time, gain efficiency since our employees no longer have to wait around all day for a specific task.” – Honeywell
Transform your remote collaboration with RealWear’s HMT-1 and HMT-1Z1
Not all solutions are created equal. Fortunately, RealWear fulfills all these evaluation criteria and delivers on more innovation HMT-1 and HMT-1Z1 from RealWear With a proven track record and experience of working with various industries like yours, RealWear empowers your organization to successfully deliver digital transformation.
RealWear creates innovative headworn devices for various industries including manufacturing, oil & gas, automotive, health care, energy & utilities, field services and more.
The HMT-1, RealWear’s flagship product, is an innovative ruggedized head-mounted wearable Android-class tablet computer that frees a worker’s hands for a true voice-activated interface. The hands-free monocular HMT-1 is purpose-built for Connected Worker programs in the industrial enterprise and is safely controlled with just your voice, even in extremely noisy environments.
Features and benefits include:
- IP66 rated /Drop proof /Dust Proof
- Explosion Proof (intrinsically safe model only)
- 8-10 hour battery life (hot swappable for HMT-1 only)
- Install virtually any Android application
- Large ecosystem of remote mentor applications
- Drive process compliance and quality
- Lower time to access information
- Use hands-free while wearing gloves
- Workaround to travel restrictions
- Maintain situational awareness
- Bring knowledge to operator at the exact moment of need
Learn how the RealWear HMT hardware and software solution can transform your remote teams. Global leaders in energy, manufacturing and automotive industries trust the HMT-1 to empower and connect their global workforce.