In the telecommunications industry, soft skills such as customer service, communication, and problem-solving are critical to providing high-quality service and ensuring customer satisfaction. Virtual reality technology offers an impactful and engaging approach to soft skills training, translating to a significant improvement on employee performance and customer experiences.
In this blog post, we will explore some of the use cases for virtual reality soft skills training for telecommunications companies.
VR Telecommunications Training Use Cases Covered in This Blog Post:
One of the most significant benefits of using VR technology for soft skills training in telecommunications is its ability to simulate real-life scenarios.
Customer service representatives can practice handling different customer interactions, such as complaints, inquiries, and technical support—all in a safe place to fail. This provides an opportunity for employees to practice and develop their communication and problem-solving skills, which can help them deliver high-quality service to customers.
Related: Benefits of Virtual Reality Customer Service Training
Sales representatives in the telecommunications industry must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills in order to best represent their company’s products and services, and to sell those services to potential customers.
VR technology can be used to simulate sales scenarios, allowing employees to practice their sales techniques in a realistic environment. VR sales training can be used for use cases like practicing handling objections and negotiations, building customer rapport, responding to frequently asked questions, and talking to different buyer personas.
Related: Virtual Reality Sales Training Benefits
This “Supportive Leadership” VR training module exemplifies a leadership training use case being delivered through VR.
Leadership skills are essential for executives, managers and supervisors in the telecommunications industry. VR technology can be used to simulate a variety of leadership training scenarios.
For example, VR leadership training simulations can be used to simulate team meetings, performance evaluations, and conflict resolution scenarios where leaders can practice and apply skills and see the impact of their decisions in real time. Leaders have some of the most important conversations that take place within an organization, and VR soft skills training gives them a way to prepare for them.
Related: Virtual Reality Leadership Training Use Cases
This “Recognizing Biases” VR training module teaches employees how to identify and mitigate common biases found in the workplace.
Diversity and inclusion are critical issues in the telecommunications industry, as the workforce and customer base become more diverse. VR technology can be used to provide employees with a safe and immersive environment to explore issues related to diversity and inclusion. For example, VR simulations can be used to explore scenarios related to unconscious bias, cultural differences, and workplace harassment. This can help employees develop a better understanding of these issues and develop strategies for creating a more inclusive workplace.
Collaboration and teamwork are essential skills for employees in the telecommunications industry, as projects often require the involvement of multiple teams and departments. VR technology can be used to simulate teamwork scenarios, allowing employees to practice their collaboration and communication skills.
This “Conflict Resolution” VR training module is an example of a VR training use case aimed at improving workplace collaboration.
VR training simulations can be used to simulate team meetings, project planning, and conflict resolution scenarios. This can help employees develop a better understanding of the importance of teamwork and develop strategies for working effectively with others.
VR training can be integrated into employee onboarding programs. In VR soft skills training simulations, employees can be exposed to a company’s products and services, given tours of office locations, and guided through their first days at work by a virtual human guide or coach.
AR and VR are immersive technologies that are increasingly being used in the telecommunications industry.
AR refers to the overlay of digital content on the user's view of the real world, enhancing their perception and interaction with their surroundings. In telecom, AR can be used for various purposes, such as visualizing network coverage, facilitating remote assistance, or enhancing customer service experiences.
VR, on the other hand, refers to the creation of a fully immersive, computer-generated environment that the user can interact with using special hardware. In telecom, VR can be employed for virtual meetings, remote collaboration, immersive customer experiences, and employee training, among other applications.
For VR training, two primary components are needed: a VR head mounted display (HMD), or headset, and VR training content that employees consume on the headset.
VR hardware: Users need a VR headset that provides an immersive experience by tracking their head movements and displaying the virtual environment. Some VR headsets require external sensors, while others have built-in tracking systems. Popular examples include the Meta Quest, HTC Vive, and Lenovo ThinkReality VRX headsets.
VR training content: For VR training, VR HMDs are used to run a VR training application containing the VR training content that the learner consumes. VR training content can be procured in two primary ways:
Check out examples of VR training content here: Virtual Reality Training Examples To Inspire Your Training Programs
In the context of the telecommunications industry, VR refers to the use of immersive, computer-generated environments that allow users to interact with digital content in a way that simulates real-world experiences. In telecom, VR can be used for various use cases, including:
Virtual reality technology offers a unique and immersive approach to soft skills training in the telecommunications industry. By simulating real-life scenarios, employees can practice and develop their communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills.
This can have a significant impact on employee performance and the customer experience. As the telecommunications industry continues to evolve and adapt to changing market conditions and customer expectations, it is essential to invest in soft skills training to ensure that employees have the skills and knowledge necessary to provide high-quality service and meet customer needs.