Examples of Enterprises Scaling XR with Microsoft Solutions
Extended reality technologies are revolutionizing industries at an incredible pace. A quick look at some of the top Microsoft XR enterprise success stories is all it takes to see how innovative, immersive solutions are transforming everything from training to customer service.
With Microsoft Mesh and immersive spaces on Teams, companies are bridging the gaps between distributed employees, enhancing collaboration and communication strategies. With Azure Mixed Reality services, companies are creating detailed digital twins, accessing real-time insights into processes and systems, and upgrading predictive maintenance strategies.
- Want to learn more about Microsoft’s vision for XR in the enterprise? Check out our complete guide to Microsoft’s XR technologies here. Alternatively, discover all the top tips you need to implement Microsoft’s XR solutions into your workflows here.
Microsoft even supports team members in the field with cutting-edge solutions like Microsoft Dynamics 365 Guides, spatial annotations, and remote assist apps. Ready to discover how Microsoft’s tech is supporting companies across industries? Here are some of the most impressive success stories and case studies to learn from.
Impressive Microsoft XR Enterprise Success Stories
While Microsoft might have ended support for its HoloLens headsets, it hasn’t given up on its extended reality vision. Focusing on software, cloud-based solutions, and partnerships with other XR vendors, Microsoft is still a major player driving increased enterprise XR adoption.
Here are just some great examples of how companies in various sectors are embracing Microsoft’s tools for mixed reality experiences.
Heijmans: Optimizing Construction with Digital Twins
Dutch company Heijmans shared one of the top Microsoft XR enterprise success stories with the construction landscape in 2023. Keen to accelerate innovation while boosting sustainability and reducing costs, the company leveraged Microsoft’s Azure mixed reality services to create custom digital twins for its engineers. With digital twins of traffic lights and bridges, the company can access real-time analytics and enable predictive maintenance for crucial systems.
According to Patrick Brosens, a Systems Architect at the company, the initiative had an immediate impact on team performance. The time between a traffic light system breaking down and an engineer fixing the problem has been significantly reduced. Additionally, because the team can track all of the activities of traffic lights in its ecosystem, they can easily schedule maintenance tasks for specific times when “downtime” won’t cause traffic disruptions.
The company has now implemented the same solutions across large collections of roadside systems next to Dutch highways and is even using Microsoft tech to monitor fog warning systems.
Bentley Systems: Transforming Infrastructure Design
Infrastructure engineering software company Bentley Systems has been working with Microsoft for several years, taking advantage of its Azure technologies to create digital twins, access real-time insights, and enhance services for customers.
Using mixed reality headsets and the Azure Mixed Reality ecosystem, Bentley allows engineers and stakeholders to interact with 3D models in immersive environments. The company has worked with Microsoft on the development of everything from predictive maintenance applications to remote assist tools for field workers and virtual training environments.
Bentley believes its relationship with Microsoft has helped it to achieve better outcomes for its users, helping to advance digital twin thought leadership and revolutionize maintenance strategies. The company even funded a multi-million dollar investment to accelerate the development of infrastructure digital twin technology across various industries and domains.
Tangiblee: Revolutionizing E-commerce
One of the top Microsoft XR enterprise success stories from the retail industry comes from Tangiblee, a company committed to enhancing online shopping experiences. The company builds virtual try-on solutions for online retailers, using Microsoft Azure technologies and artificial intelligence.
Since early 2020, when the company began its initiative, its revenue has grown 340%. Today, Tangiblee’s technologies power try-on capabilities for major global brands, including Pandora and MCM Worldwide. The company even found that its solution has helped its clients to increase conversion rates by up to 200%, and boost revenue per customer by 78%.
According to the VP of Sales at Tangiblee, Matthew Pettigrew, Microsoft’s scalable architecture, and the support offered by the technical team have been pivotal to the company’s increasing success. Tangiblee says Microsoft has given them the agility and insights they need to address several evolving challenges in the ecommerce space.
Auotoliv China: Enhancing Manufacturing and Training
In the manufacturing industry, one of the most impressive Microsoft XR enterprise success stories comes from Autoliv, a leader in automotive safety systems. This company takes advantage of mixed reality headsets and digital twin technology to optimize manufacturing strategies, and improve training for modern team members.
With Dynamics 365 Remote Assist, the company ensures team members can instantly access support from team members on the move and accelerate issue remediation. They also use a proprietary digital twin platform to support production processes, reducing the time and costs associated with building prototypes of new safety products.
Plus, with digital twin solutions, Autoliv China provides teams with an immersive training environment that helps employees to develop new skills at speed, while reducing educational costs. According to the company, Microsoft has helped them to enhance everything from frontline employee productivity, to manufacturing lifecycles.
Kubota Environmental Engineering: Improving Inspections
Kubota Environmental Engineering Corporation, part of the Kubota Group, is responsible for managing and maintaining Japan’s water and waste-related infrastructure, from treatment plans to drainage pump stations. As these facilities age, the company recognizes a need to streamline and augment inspection services with mixed reality.
The company worked with Microsoft to create the “See Through Walls System” – an inspection-enhancing technology leveraging mixed reality headsets and Azure cloud services. The system overlays digital models onto physical infrastructure, allowing employees to visualize internal components and pinpoint issues without invasive procedures.
According to the firm, the implementation of this technology has reduced inspection times by 25% while also improving the safety of workers.
Takeda: Bridging the Gaps Between Team Members
Global, values-based biopharmaceutical leader Takeda shared one of the best Microsoft XR Enterprise success stories focused on the Mesh ecosystem in 2023. The company initially started experimenting with Microsoft Mesh to enhance learning and collaboration.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to create custom spaces for virtual collaboration, Takeda created environments like the “Hirameki Garden”. According to the firm, this garden is a visual representation of the “corporate philosophy” of the company, where employees can immerse themselves in the organization’s culture, and take part in onboarding exercises.
The company also built a virtual museum where people can learn more about the patients the company serves and the solutions they’ve developed. According to Leo Barella, the Chief Technology in Data and Digital technology, Mesh has helped connect employees to the company’s mission, boost engagement, and enhance collaboration worldwide.
World Economic Forum: Unlocking a New Era of Collaboration
Another excellent example of one of the top Microsoft XR Enterprise success stories comes from the World Economic Forum. Early in 2023, the group worked alongside Microsoft and Accenture to create the “Global Collaboration Village”. This purpose-driven metaverse, taking advantage of Azure technologies, enables organizations to convene, learn, and collaborate on pressing global challenges.
By creating immersive environments like virtual ocean hubs, participants can explore issues such as marine ecosystem preservation in an engaging and interactive way, opening the door to faster innovation and problem-solving. According to the Founder and Executive Chairman of WEF, Microsoft’s technology is giving them the opportunity to empower innovators to solve pressing issues worldwide in an immersive environment.
The flexibility of tools like Microsoft Mesh – available on a range of headsets and computer systems, means anyone can take part in an immersive experience, regardless of the hardware they have.
Michigan Air National Guard: Transforming Training Initiatives
The Michigan Air National Guard (MI ANG) began collaborating with Microsoft in 2022 to incorporate mixed reality and cloud-based communications into its workflows. The organization started with an application designed to enable routine hot-brake inspections through mixed reality headsets, with integrations for Microsoft Teams and Dynamics 365 Guides.
Through the headset, employees could instantly access diagrams, technical information, and support from experienced personnel to guide them through the inspection process. Based on the success of this initiative, MI ANG explored new use cases, creating a range of solutions for carrying out high-risk procedures and training team members remotely.
Mixed reality technologies have helped to significantly reduce training times for the company (From weeks to days), while improving employee safety and proficiency. By embracing mixed-reality tools, the MI ANG is setting a precedent for the future of military training.
DXC Technology: Building Virtual Worlds with Microsoft Mesh
Finally, DXC Technology is one of the main companies in Microsoft’s partner network, helping to enable the rise of new Microsoft XR enterprise success stories with Mesh. This company uses the flexible Microsoft Mesh environment to create bespoke virtual spaces for team collaboration, product development, events, and more.
By designing custom applications integrated with solutions like Microsoft’s Azure ecosystem and Microsoft Teams, DXC helps foster stronger connections between distributed teams. Business leaders use these custom environments for training, onboarding, and collaborative sessions, ensuring every staff member feels “connected” with their colleagues.
According to DXC Technology, Microsoft Mesh is helping to bridge the gaps between staff members like never before, strengthening human connections while minimizing the issue of meeting fatigue.
Learning from Microsoft XR Enterprise Success Stories
The Microsoft XR enterprise success stories mentioned above offer an incredible insight into the versatility and potential of Microsoft’s XR technologies. Whether you’re looking for a way to enhance company culture and collaboration or streamline training with intuitive digital twins, Microsoft offers XR tools to support every use case.
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