There’s no doubt about it. The next evolution of the Internet, featuring immersive virtual experiences, is already underway. This future Internet presents many opportunities for organizations to enhance their internal processes.

Here are four examples of how organizations can leverage this more immersive future of the Internet into their business operations.

Sales and Marketing in the Metaverse

The Metaverse brings many new ways for brands to engage with customers, including immersive brand experiences, branded content such as exclusive collectibles and NFTs, virtual try-on capabilities, and hyper-personalized digital products.

So now is the perfect time to experiment with Metaverse-based advertising and marketing. For example, like Nike or Coca-Cola, you can offer collectible NFTs. Or use NFTs to prove product ownership and authenticity, increasing brand exclusivity and protecting against counterfeits. You can advertise on billboards on the Metaverse platform. Set up a retail or brand space in the metaverse. Create immersive games around your brand. Sponsor an event or gig on Metaverse (or host your own virtual event). We also collaborate with influencers and brand ambassadors in new ways.

Instead of ordering through a website or app, customers can also use Metaverse as a way to execute transactions. For example, Domino’s Pizza customers can now order pizza in Decentraland and have it delivered in the real world. (McDonald’s is planning something similar.)

You can also consider integrating blockchain transactions into your customer journey, as more and more customers pay for goods and services from digital wallets.

Providing customer support in the Metaverse

Welcome to the era of Metaverse customer service. Businesses will be able to support and communicate with customers in real-time in 3D. This can take many forms. One example is providing immersive instructions to help customers assemble and set up your product, and turning book-like instructions (or those cryptic IKEA instructions) into their 3D version in virtual reality (VR). Replace it with a product demo. Alternatively, you can use augmented reality (AR) technology to superimpose instructions and actions onto your real-world product via your customer’s smartphone. A “Press here” image will appear on the screen with a large arrow showing the exact location on the product for the customer to press.

Additionally, in the event of a product failure, remote support staff can view the product via video link to visually diagnose the problem in real time. You can then provide AR-enabled instructions to help customers solve the problem on their own. There is no need for the customer to ship the product, take it to a repair shop, or have a technician make a house call. Imagine how much time and money this could save the average business.

When it comes to customer service queries, AI chatbots or even human customer service agents could take the form of virtual avatars that converse with customers within the metaverse. This helps build stronger customer relationships and provide a more engaging and personal experience (certainly compared to basic chatbot functionality).

Make remote work more immersive and collaborative

I don’t know about you, but I’m not a huge fan of the whole Zoom meeting experience. I’m tired. It may be uncool. While we met needs during the pandemic, the long-term future of work will require a more immersive approach to remote meetings and working. The good news is that thanks to immersive coworking tools, it’s increasingly possible to feel like you’re in the same room as your far-flung colleagues.

Some companies have gone so far as to set up digital offices (which may or may not be replicas of real-world offices) with virtual workstations and virtual meeting rooms that can be accessed via VR headsets. I am. Metaverse building tools like Unreal Engine 5 make it easy to build your own virtual worlds that co-workers can collaborate on. Alternatively, you can use tools like Matterport to create a digital twin of your real-world office space. Or, you can relax on one of our existing Metaverse platforms, such as Meta’s Horizon Workrooms, an immersive virtual office and conference room environment. If the meta goes that way, we’ll probably be working with Horizon Workrooms in the future…

Improve HR processes using immersive technology

Recruitment, onboarding, and training can all be enhanced using Metaverse technology. First, the Metaverse can offer novel ways to attract and hire talent. As an example, creative agency BBH Singapore virtually reimagined its offices to host an open house career fair. By recreating a company’s actual office, the aim was to give candidates a feel for what it’s really like to work at a company.

Metaverse also offers a unique way to onboard new employees. Companies like Accenture are already onboarding staff in the Metaverse, with new employees wearing their VR headsets on their first day. The idea is to provide new employees with a focused experience, allowing them to learn, perform various HR tasks, and network with colleagues without the distractions of busy work or home offices.

Finally, training and education have become even more immersive thanks to VR and AR. VR, in particular, can provide highly interactive experiences that simulate scenarios ranging from dealing with difficult customers in-store to dealing with emergencies and dangerous situations. On the other hand, AR can be used to provide more visual instructions and guide employees through specific actions. Immersive training solutions like this mean training can be delivered on-site and highly customizable. Additionally, because the training is virtual, students can learn while making mistakes in a low-risk way.

Read more about these topics in my new book, The Internet of the Future: How the Metaverse, Web 3.0, and Blockchain will transform business and society. Don’t forget to subscribe my newsletter and follow me twitter, linkedinand YouTube Learn more about future trends in business and technology.