In traditional service models, every physical dispatch carries a hidden price tag. Labor, travel time, vehicle fuel, and opportunity cost all compound into one of the most expensive components of service delivery—the truck roll.
Each unnecessary site visit drains margin and productivity. Yet most occur not because the issue is complex, but because the customer can’t fix it alone. Enter Augmented Reality (AR) and remote guidance—technologies that let experts assist without ever leaving their desks.
AR and remote support tools are transforming how Managed Print Providers (MPPs) and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) deliver value. By blending live video, visual overlays, and real-time collaboration, a technician can literally “see what the customer sees” and guide them through a solution step-by-step.
A user points their phone camera at the device; the remote technician draws on the screen to highlight parts, provides annotated instructions, and verifies completion—all in minutes.
No travel, no waiting, no downtime.
Modern AR platforms integrate seamlessly with existing ticketing and RMM systems:
Detection: The system identifies a fault or alert from IoT telemetry or a user ticket.
Assessment: AI triage determines if it’s user-correctable or requires on-site attention.
Session Launch: If remote assistance is possible, the user receives a link to start an AR session directly from their phone or tablet.
Guided Resolution: The remote expert provides live visual guidance, augmented overlays, and confirmation steps.
Closure: The ticket is auto-updated, and session data is logged for analytics and training purposes.
In many environments, 30–50% of support tickets can be resolved this way, eliminating the need for a technician to travel at all.
Each avoided dispatch directly impacts profitability. Multiply one saved truck roll by hundreds of service events per month, and the ROI is immediate.
AR lets senior engineers support multiple customers simultaneously. Fewer miles on the road means more cases closed per day—and less burnout.
Customers receive help within minutes, not hours or days. That speed improves SLA compliance and reduces operational bottlenecks.
AR doesn’t just solve the current issue—it teaches users. Customers gain confidence in handling simple maintenance tasks safely, reducing future calls.
Fewer truck rolls mean fewer emissions. For companies pursuing ESG targets, AR-assisted service directly contributes to sustainability goals.
A managed print provider receives an alert for a jam in a high-capacity tray at a customer site 80 miles away. Instead of dispatching a technician, the system offers an AR session.
The user opens the link on their phone, points it at the device, and follows the on-screen guidance. The remote expert highlights the latch to open, identifies a misfed sheet, and confirms the tray’s operation—all in under ten minutes.
No truck, no delay, and no lost productivity. The customer was back online before the technician had even reached the parking lot.
For AR and remote guidance to deliver consistent value, integration is critical.
Ticketing Platforms: Embed AR session initiation directly into the service ticket or chatbot.
Knowledge Base: Use session recordings to build visual guides for recurring issues.
AI Feedback: Feed success metrics back into triage algorithms to refine automation rules.
Training & Compliance: Record sessions for internal technician training and performance audits.
When implemented well, AR becomes a natural extension of the predictive service workflow—another intelligent response layer between alert and dispatch.
While the technology is proven, adoption challenges remain:
Bandwidth and connectivity at customer sites can limit video quality.
User hesitation—some customers prefer “hands-off” service.
Change management—technicians must learn new digital engagement skills.
These are solvable issues. Clear communication, short onboarding videos, and policy-driven use cases quickly normalize AR-assisted service as a standard procedure.
As AR converges with AI, the next generation of remote support will include object recognition and automatic overlay generation. The system itself will identify the faulty component and guide the user—no technician required.
Ultimately, AR will merge with predictive diagnostics, allowing proactive visual interventions before a device even fails. The first technician to “arrive” will be virtual.
The organizations that embrace AR today aren’t just reducing costs—they’re redefining what service looks like in a connected world.
Related Reading:
Closed-Loop Service: From Alert to Action: Most alerts still rely on humans to react before action is taken. Closed-loop service connects detection, decision, and action automatically. Learn how AI-driven automation turns alerts into verified outcomes—cutting downtime, reducing costs, and creating a fully responsive service ecosystem that eliminates all the legacy friction points.
Proactive Maintenance & the CX Advantage: Reactive service increases resolution times and keeps customers waiting. Proactive maintenance uses AI, IoT, and predictive analytics to stop failures before they happen. Learn how data-driven prevention enhances reliability, lowers cost, and transforms customer experience into a lasting competitive edge.