Challenge
Astec’s sales teams found themselves limited at trade shows in demonstrating their equipment effectively, with their full suite of inventory often being too large for the tradeshow floor. Equipment is also typically custom-configured to clients’ needs. This not only made their sales demo deeply technical but also training on their setup is complicated.
The size, complexity and configuration of this inventory made both transportation and presentation of their capabilities to potential clients and also to train specialist engineers joining the company, a labour intensive and expensive process. Astec were seeking to optimise these processes.
Approach
Astec’s approach to its sales and training challenges have been no less revolutionary than their engineering designs. Astec is an early adopter of immersive technology to overcome these limitations.
Embracing the power of Mixed, Virtual and Augmented Reality, they purchased Meta Quest 3 headsets. With a mature pipeline and CMS in place for their existing product line’s 3D assets, it was a smooth process to present these models in a structured, compelling immersive experience.
Solution
JoinXR is a clear solution to Astec’s sales and training challenges. It offered Astec seamless access to showcase their specialist equipment in Meta Quest 3 at tradeshows, without transporting huge pieces of machinery across the world to do so.
The team at Astec can upload their own 3D files (as large in digital format as there are in reality) into JoinXR with minimal preparation time. What’s more, with JoinXR’s remote rendering, there was no loss of detail either. JoinXR streamlined internal processes by offering Astec’s sales team a no-code solution for all their equipment. This meant that they could create their own impactful 3D presentation using a full suite of products, rather than being limited to the one that would fit on the showroom floor.
Their implementation of JoinXR has also enhanced collaboration across the organisation, with specialists able to join meetings remotely and instantly able to explain complex components of bespoke equipment.
JoinXR has streamlined Astec’s sales processes by creating lasting impressions with their customers, with sales teams using JoinXR internationally reporting: “Clients say they’ll never forget their first experience of our machinery in JoinXR” Additionally the logistics of moving large pieces of equipment can also be factored in - for example 7 days transportation time saved, per event, for a single piece of equipment and then the ability to show multiple configurations is opening up many more efficiencies. But positive qualitative statements like these are also now underpinned by measurable KPI’s.