The Bay Area IT Experts

Virtual Reality Explained

For those of you who think that this technology is nothing better than a gimmick, you may be surprised to find out that not only is there serious application development happening in the VR space, some of that software may actually be of huge value to your business. Virtual reality is technology that allows an individual to simulate an interactive, three-dimensional virtual world and the use of those virtual worlds is slowly growing.

In 2018 the virtual reality market was a mere $829 million. As a result of growth, much being spurred on by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, VR in business is projected to top $4.2 billion by 2023. That growth is due to the advancement of better hardware, better software, and more exposure to the technology. The software is notoriously difficult to develop so growth figures that look like that are impressive. 

Two Functions VR Can Bring to Your Business

On the surface, VR doesn’t seem to be the most practical technology. The price has dropped as to not be prohibitive for businesses who want to use it for the following two reasons:

Training

As a technology, virtual reality may be best suited for a training facility for businesses. By immersing employees into a lifelike environment you can better train them for situational awareness. Imagine not having to have business back up every time you had to train a new employee? With VR, employees can face complex situations, and learn how to best react when those situations come to fruition.

Retail

One way that virtual reality could grow to be an extremely important technology for business is in the retail sector where you can already see it moving online. VR development, then will have to be a line item on a retail store’s to-do list. With VR, customers can enjoy a shopping experience that is customized for them and they won’t have to worry about the crowds or the lack of product in stores. Even in brick and mortar stores, VR is being used to heat map traffic to coordinate where to put certain products. 

Engineering and Realty

With production costs higher than ever, one use-case for VR might be found for manufacturing and realty industries. Product designers can build products in VR for board members and buyers to sample and demo, before producing a physical product. Architects and interior designers can create virtual environments of living spaces, offices, convention centers, and more, and help convey their ideas and vision to their clients.

Virtual reality may not be the answer to all of your operational problems, but it is a fast-emerging technology that will be normalized before too long. What are your thoughts on virtual reality? Do you think it’s a gimmick or do you think there is room for it to be a positive force for your business down the road? Leave your thoughts in the comments below and check back soon for more great technology information.

Imagine arriving at the workplace after a long weekend. You’re full of energy, smiling, and ready to get to work. Instead of a computer that is slow and sluggish in the morning, you have a desktop that runs particularly well. In a split second, your computer boots up and is ready for you to get started on your daily tasks. You enter your password, check your phone for the multi-factor authentication code, and log on to your computer.

Next, you go to check your email. Oftentimes business professionals can get overloaded with emails, particularly after days when the office is closed, like extended weekends or holidays. In this case, your email inbox is nice and organized; there’s no clutter to be had here. You have email folders organized and sorted according to topic and priority, meaning that you know exactly what needs to be addressed on your first day back to the office.

After checking your email, you take a look at your productivity software and put together your daily to-do list. You have all the tools needed to get these tasks done and you are able to seamlessly navigate between them thanks to your productivity suite. There’s no reason to download new applications or look for alternative solutions; all software licenses are accounted for and all patches are applied as needed. Everything works just the way it’s supposed to.

That is, until you experience a problem with one of your devices. The monitor starts to flicker on and off. You contact your help desk or service provider, they deploy a technician, and the problem is resolved in a matter of minutes. How convenient! You don’t have to sit around waiting for someone to order new parts or cables, and you can get right back to work in a short moment.

Now, we’re not delusional; things can’t go perfectly all the time, and you can’t expect them to, either. That’s why preventive measures like network security and data backup/disaster recovery are so important, even for day-to-day operations. However, through the power of managed services, you can capture more than just a fraction of this productivity and efficiency. When your technology works for you the way it’s supposed to, you can focus on the tasks at hand rather than worrying about whether your web browser will crash or if your hard drive can hang on long enough for you to save important files.

415 IT can help you implement technology solutions designed to help you focus on what truly matters most: running your business and getting the work done. To learn more about how we can optimize your business workflows through technology, reach out to us at (415) 295-4898.

Prepare for the Unexpected

Just like when life hands you unexpected circumstances, so too will your IT infrastructure. That server unit could fail one day, leaving your business without any of the data or operations required to stay running. A hacker could find their way onto your network and put your data security at risk. A fire could burn down your office and destroy everything you have worked so hard to achieve.

All of these things can be prepared for with adequate foresight and proactive planning. You just have to understand that even the unexpected can happen when you least expect it and plan accordingly.

Don’t Skimp on Quality

Certain things you might be able to get away with lower quality, but IT is definitely not one of them. The lowest quality services or goods are not going to get you anywhere. While you might save a bit of cash in the short term, long-term you will spend much more than you think replacing hardware or purchasing new solutions entirely.

Just like in your personal life, you want to plan your investments around you and your lifestyle, things that are specific to you rather than the accepted norm. After all, no two businesses are the same, so your IT shouldn’t be, either.

You Don’t Have to Know Everything

More often than not, the journey through life is in a constant state of confusion and you do things not because you know what to do, but because you know that inaction is the incorrect choice. You know you need to take care of your IT systems and you know you need computers of some sort for your business, but you might not have the entire picture in your head as to what this means for your organization. And that’s perfectly fine! Nobody can know everything, after all.

For areas where you have a clear knowledge deficit in your understanding of various topics, you can instead rely on experts in their fields. For example, you might rely on an IT provider like 415 IT to make major technology decisions for your business. It sure beats taking a shot in the dark and getting it wrong, and it always helps to work with someone who knows what they are doing!

415 IT wants to help you build a better future for your business and your employees through the use of industry-standard best practices and IT management. We can work with your company to ensure that these practices are implemented in such a way that you are never caught unawares. To learn more, reach out to us at (415) 295-4898.