Augmented Reality in Healthcare:
Use Cases, Examples, and Trends

It’s no joke or a mere sci-fi theory! We’re experiencing the impact of Augmented Reality in healthcare, right in front of us. Using an AR-enabled head-mounted device, a surgeon can review patient vitals during a medical procedure without juggling multiple devices or displays. In doing so, they are less likely to misread or misinterpret the data.
Head-mounted displays, wearables, and mobile apps drive interactions between the physical world and virtual objects to improve the quality of healthcare delivery and patient experience. Just like how AI and data analytics improve your caregiving organization’s day-to-day operations, AR presents valuable opportunities for healthcare professionals and providers, payers, medical devices, and other players in the healthcare ecosystem. If you are looking forward to enhancing your healthcare organization’s performance, operations, user experience, and profits, you cannot bypass AR. All things considered, who wouldn’t like to augment their existing business processes instead of spending heavily on enabling new processes?
Data Source: Statista
According to ResearchAndMarkets, the global AR market will generate $152 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 36%, whereas the global AR healthcare market is expected to register a CAGR of 26% during the forecast period (2022-2027).

How Is Augmented Reality Creating An Impact In Healthcare?

Augmented Reality (AR) allows us to experience the real-life environment around us with a digital augmentation overlaid on it. AR works by integrating digital information or content into the user’s environment in real-time. In AR, the objects that reside in the real-world are enhanced using computer-generated capabilities. AR includes graphics, effects, sounds, text, and touch feedback to improve the user experience. In this technology, the user interacts with virtual objects placed in the real world.
Three essential components of AR include:
Due to its versatility, AR is becoming more accessible and affordable for medical imaging, medical education, dentistry, and nurses’ training.

The Most Impactful AR Trends in Healthcare Today

These ground-breaking AR trends in healthcare are expected to act as a magical boon that will help healthcare professionals overcome several medical limitations.
Robotic-Assisted Surgery (RAS) systems are gaining popularity in recent times as they improve surgical precision and dexterity, and provide better access to minimally-invasive procedures. Combining robotic-assisted surgery with AR offers an advanced interface which will enhance user perception. The ability of AR to improve situational awareness will tremendously advance the surgeon’s ability to make better decisions, in real-time. Robotic hepatic surgery, intraoperative reconstructions and tracking systems, robotic liver resections, preoperative imaging and 3D rendering, intra-operative robotic ultrasound application, etc. are some of the RAS fields which will be transformed by AR in the coming years.
The traditional methods used to assess wound parameters are mostly inaccurate, rough, and painful for the patient. Augmented Reality enables non-invasive assessment of wound parameters by providing visual feedback on the wound healing status. An accurate 3D model of the wound integrates AR functionalities based on a miniaturized projector to demonstrate wound progression. The availability of objective patient data allows doctors to suggest the right follow-up therapies and exercises. It also enables nurses to dress the wound properly. AR-based wound healing assessment offers patients a better understanding of their ailment, so their compliance to the doctor’s advice will improve significantly.
The healthcare industry is slowly realizing the game-changing benefits of AR in physiotherapy and behavioral treatment. Using AR in physiotherapy sessions increases patient engagement and improves physical outcomes. The data gathered from each session allows the physiotherapist to evaluate the outcomes better. AR makes way for a new, unobtrusive method of intervention in motor and cognitive rehabilitation by offering a safe environment for patients to practice movements and orient their exercises. It leads to greater patient motivation and enables caregivers to provide low-cost physiotherapy at home.
AR technology is an efficient time-saver that allows doctors to access patient charts from the EMR system and project the details in their area of vision, while attending a patient. AR glasses and interactive AR charts free doctors and nurses from thumbing reams of papers and documentation. Cloud-based data storage ensures that patient records are never misplaced, misfiled, damaged, or lost. Physicians can simply scan a patient’s hospital wristband and view the entire patient history which is retrieved by AR from the EMR database. It leads to a more meaningful patient-doctor relationship and saves the time taken for diagnosis and decision-making.
Multiple floors and buildings as well as insufficient maps or signage in large hospital facilities make indoor and outdoor wayfinding complex for patients, visitors, and entry-level medical trainees. Development of calibrated smartphone cameras and recent advances in computer graphics algorithms help simplify complex AR experiences in a larger environment, such as a multi-storeyed building. Using the patient’s phone camera, AR places virtual arrows on top of the images of their actual surroundings in real-time, enabling patients to navigate medical facilities with ease. Patients can effortlessly orient themselves in a hospital building and quickly reach their desired location by taking the shortest route.

Popular Uses of AR in Healthcare Today

Fingent’s AR team develops customized AR applications to improve the quality of your HCO’s service and care, cut costs, and address your business requirements in the most efficient way. Connect with our team to learn more.

7 Real-Life Applications and Examples of AR in Healthcare

From medical training to patient care, diagnosis, monitoring, and other practical uses, AR is well-equipped to transform the healthcare industry. Here are some of the top applications of AR in healthcare:

1. Immersive and Interactive Medical Training

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) reports that the United States could see an estimated shortage of 124,000 physicians by 2034, including shortfalls in both primary and specialty care. AR-enabled virtualized training provides deeper insights into the nuances of body functions, enabling medical practitioners to address more critical cases in a given period of time.
FlexAR offers medical students a tangible, AR-powered anatomy learning experience using a prototype tool. The app gives users both written and 3D visual information about anatomy without the need for traditional study materials and cadaver dissections. Ohio-based Case Western Reserve University uses Microsoft HoloLens devices to study human anatomy where an entire class can view the same life-sized 3D image at once.

2. Training Physicians on New Therapies

Life sciences companies can use AR to educate care providers on the latest therapies and drugs that improve treatment outcomes. Companies can create compelling illustrations depicting the impacts of a disease or a virus on the human body at different stages and virtually demonstrate how the situation can be brought under control through novel treatment procedures, therapies, and drugs.
Application of Augmented Reality enhances the collaboration between the pharmaceutical community and doctors. The information collected by doctors using AR-based data visualization tools enable medical R&D teams to expedite the study of genetic data related to specific microbes. This paces up the discovery of drugs that can effectively combat the microbes. VisMol system, developed by Sygnature Discovery, uses Microsoft HoloLens technology to create an AR world that facilitates drug discovery collaboration.

3. Virtualizing Surgeries

Surgeons can leverage AR to create digital models of complicated surgeries that include multiple sub-steps and critical deviations requiring careful analysis and planning. The digital model of an entire surgery process details every step of the operation, allowing surgeons to optimize the sequence based on in-depth virtual analysis. As a result, surgeons will be better prepared to handle contingencies and lay out the course of action in advance, before entering the operating suite.
xvision Spine System developed by Augmedics (Chicago, IL), is a cutting-edge AR surgical guidance system that allows surgeons to “see” the patient’s anatomy through skin and tissue just like how they view X-rays. The X-ray like vision allows surgeons to accurately navigate instruments and implants during spine procedures.

4. Accurate Symptom Detection

Several patients find it challenging to explain their current health conditions to doctors. Some patients may exaggerate their symptoms, while others share only minimal information. This could result in incorrect diagnosis and wrong therapy. AR solves this problem by offering patients a simple and handy way to check their symptoms and current health status all by themselves. Doctors can also analyze the health reports projected by AR and suggest accurate remedies and lifestyle improvement therapies to help the patient stay fit and healthy.
EyeDecide AR app uses a camera display to simulate a patient’s eye anatomy, conditions, and solutions. The app describes each condition, annotates symptoms and findings adjacent to each medical image, and suggests treatment based on best practices. This allows the doctor to examine the symptoms precisely. The patient is also spared from any kind of communication challenge.

5. Patient Self-care

AR-enabled healthcare software solutions allows patients to become proactive in their own care. Physiotherapy and physical rehabilitation are two of the self-care areas where AR can be highly beneficial. By watching AR-based digital demonstrations of their bodily motions and actions, patients can refine their movements to restore physical fitness. Patients can also point their smartphone camera towards a city landscape to find information about nearby hospitals and get the direction to reach their destination.
Know My Heart and Know My Beat are two of the leading patient self-care apps designed specifically to use AR technology. The first app enables an individual patient to self-check their pulse and detect possible AF (Atrial Fibrillation). The second app aims to educate patients who have been diagnosed with AF to be more aware of their health condition so that they adhere to the prescribed medication and seek timely medical aid, when required.

6. Vein Visualization

Injecting intravenous shots or collecting blood samples for medical tests is a painful and unpleasant experience for many patients, particularly if the patient’s vein is missed in the first instance. Thanks to AR handheld scanner technology and near-infrared imaging, a nurse can easily see the vein to take blood or give a jab. The handheld scanner projects veins over the skin to prevent injection failures in patients and improve the first injection success ratio.
AccuVein’s vein finder uses AR technology to find a patient’s vein at the very first try of an IV start or a blood draw. The vein finder is a portable handheld device supported by a digital laser projection, a laser-based scanner, and a processing system. Projection-based AR allows the user to view a real-time virtual image of the underlying vasculature on top of the skin. Using AR for vein visualization has helped improve the first-time vein detection success rate by 3.5 times.

7. Medical Imaging

AR displays in operating rooms leverage sophisticated algorithms to convert CT imaging (Computed Tomography scan) into a dense 3D map of structures. Based on the surgical procedure’s requirements, this 3D map can be displayed on a nearby screen, through a headset, or projected onto the patient. Thus, AR technology provides surgeons an enhanced surgical field to sketch a detailed operating plan, well ahead of the first incision. Similarly, arteries and tumor structures can be superimposed into an operating field display to enable more accurate real-time viewing of underlying tissues, organ motions, and deformations.
Immersive Touch’s image-guided AR platform provides surgeons with 3D holographic “X-Ray vision” through the skin that visualizes patient specific anatomy intra-operatively. It aims to offer detailed anatomical data of the patient at various surgical phases. The platform helps surgeons navigate their instruments accurately without losing sight of the patient.

Practical Use Cases of AR in Healthcare

Future of Augmented Reality in healthcare

The increased use of smartphones and other mobile gadgets will augment AR-driven healthcare practices and service delivery in the future. Some of the most-awaited AR-led transformations in healthcare are listed here.

1. AR in Dental Practice

In recent times, AR is being employed in pre-clinical dental education and operative dentistry learning. From a clinical perspective, maxillofacial, orthognathic, oral, and implant surgeries will be increasingly aided by AR in the coming years. In endodontics procedures, video tools optimized using AR are being used to detect orifices for accessing root canals. AR also helps dentists to place brackets in orthodontics through 3D image-based tooth-tracking. The ability of AR to enhance spatial visual perception will go a long way in pre-clinical practices, such as designing treatment cavities for student analysis and learning.

2. AR for Psychomotor Skills Training

AR training tools facilitate spatial and psychomotor skills training in the medical domain. While interacting with virtual objects superimposed on physical environments, learners get real-time feedback leading to positive learning outcomes. An interactive AR hand hygiene training tool for healthcare workers developed by a team of researchers from Ireland and Scotland enabled 81% of participants in the pilot program to attain proficiency after two-minute practice sessions. In the coming years, AR will increase the scope of self-directed skills-based training, improving skill acquisition and retention.

3. AR to Gamify Workout Sessions

AR can lower healthcare costs considerably, save thousands of lives, and improve our standard of living drastically. Even if you are working out from home, you can livestream and workout with others digitally using AR apps like FitTech. Even a monotonous morning walk can be made more enjoyable using AR. Apps such as “Zombies, Run!” can gamify daily running tasks, motivating users to take care of their health more seriously. Medical imaging and diagnosis will be simplified, and dietitians and nutritionists can use the findings to encourage people to bring desirable changes to their lifestyles.

How Fingent Can Help You with AR Services

Fingent is a high-end custom software development company that helps businesses -small and large- across the globe with innovative solutions. We provide a wide array of software development services from software customization to building Web, Mobile, Enterprise, and Cloud applications across various industries.
Our team at Fingent helps you develop customized healthcare AR applications that improve the quality of your HCO’s service and care, cut costs, and address your business requirements in the most efficient way. Build your brand, increase your brand identity, promote your products and services, and gain a competitive advantage with our AR consulting, development, and implementation services.
Fingent’s custom AR services are garnished with:

Most Common Q&A on Augmented Reality in Healthcare

Augmented Reality is used to simplify various clinical practices such as operating suite preparation, accurate vein visualization on the patient’s arm for drawing blood, dental learning and practice, immersive medical training, 3D medical imaging, real-time access of patient data from EMRs, precise symptom detection, collaborative surgeries, and so on.
AR-based 3D visualizations and virtual simulations allow patients to understand their health conditions better. Increased awareness of self-health encourages patients to adhere to the medical advice given by their physicians. AR can convey clinicians the symptoms or conditions which their patients wouldn’t have revealed or struggled to explain. Using an AR-enabled head-mounted device, a surgeon can review patient vitals during a medical procedure without juggling multiple devices or displays. In doing so, they are less likely to misread or misinterpret the data.
To keep it short, AR brings more transparency into patient care, boosts the productivity of doctors, nurses and health workers, and ultimately improves the quality of healthcare services and delivery.
Surgeons can leverage AR to create digital models of complicated surgeries that include multiple sub-steps and critical deviations requiring careful analysis and planning. xvision Spine System, for example, is a cutting-edge AR surgical guidance system that allows surgeons to “see” the patient’s anatomy through skin and tissue just like how they view X-rays. The X-ray-like vision allows surgeons to accurately navigate instruments and implants during spine procedures.
We help you deploy AR to improve medical training, pediatric MRI evaluation, medical imaging, venipuncture procedures, dentistry, remote surgical procedures, and more! Our team at Fingent delivers augmented reality services that can improve the quality of your HCO’s service and care, cut costs, and address your business requirements in the most efficient way.
Augmented Diagnosis is a process in which AR is employed to diagnose patient symptoms, medical imaging, and health vitals through 3D modeling and visualization. It improves doctor-patient communication and helps accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.
Augmented Practice is being used by medical training institutions and colleges to simulate surgical encounters and real-life patient conditions for students. It improves positive learning outcomes through enhanced skill acquisition and retention.
Augmented Surgery allows surgeons to understand their patient’s anatomy by digitally overlaying MRI data, CT scan, and health reports on top of their patient’s body. It offers surgeons an enhanced surgical field to sketch a detailed operating plan, well ahead of the first incision.
Although AR is perceived to have great potential in many industry sectors, its utilization is yet limited. This is mostly due to the many challenges businesses often face while adopting AR. Here are a few challenges to mainstream AR adoption listed:
  • >> Users are still skeptical about the right uses and benefits of AR
  • >> Cost constraints limit access to AR headsets and hardware
  • >> Being intensely immersive, AR is often considered physically harmful
  • >> Limitations in AR content creation for businesses
  • >> Lack of regulations to govern the use of AR
However, these prevailing challenges can be seamlessly eliminated by partnering with the right technology experts who can guide through the business capabilities one can derive with AR app development.

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    About the Author

    ...
    Tony Joseph

    Tony believes in building technology around processes, rather than building processes around technology. He specializes in custom software development, especially in analyzing processes, refining it and then building technology around it.He works with clients on a daily basis to understand and analyze their operational structure, discover (and not invent) key improvement areas and come up with technology solutions to deliver an efficient process.

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      The world of technology keeps evolving and waits for no one, so it is our responsibility to keep up with it rather than fall behind. The healthcare industry has for a long time been using software development systems to monitor and ease work-lifestyles; now it is time to customize this software to make them function and run exactly the way you need it to. Custom software development has made life and business significantly easier for innumerable industries and is poised to revolutionize the Healthcare Industry as well. This article will tell you all you need to know about it.

      Importance Of Healthcare Software Development  

      Healthcare software systems provide innumerable benefits to hospital management, from improved productivity to reduced medication errors. It streamlines the workflow, enhances data quality, drastically reduces errors, and boosts patient experiences. Rising technological advancements also help with hospital administration and operations. 

      Benefits Of Customized Healthcare Software Development 

      The overall benefit of using customized healthcare software is overall progress and betterment. This should be reason enough to convince anyone to adopt custom healthcare software but if it is not, listed below are a few of the other benefits of this type of software development:

      • Increased security – Thanks to the inculcation of software in healthcare, hospitals are now sending, storing, and retrieving data through the web. Custom software solutions will guarantee the safety of this personal medical data. 
      • User-friendly experience – The target audience’s desired product is taken into consideration by software designers and user interface designers. Software designers can also consider specific aspects of an application to make it more alluring and interactive. 
      • Customizable features – Customization is the buzzword right now, and custom software provides it like no other. Customer feedback is prioritized, and the generated product is more streamlined and efficient. Customized software will handle specific problems, and this aspect makes it attracts and brings in more loyal customers or patients. 
      • Quality of diagnostics – Technology is well known for its brilliance in efficiency. Diagnostics run by a customized software solution have proven to have outstanding quality and accuracy because these solutions imbibe knowledge from innumerable sources and compare results faster. Hence, healthcare providers can proffer improved healthcare if they rely on custom software solutions. 

      Read more: How Can Custom-Made Software Provide Superior Customer Service In The Healthcare Industry?

      Healthcare

      Understanding Healthcare Software Development 

      Healthcare software development is the creation of any software for the healthcare sector to facilitate hospitals and improve equipment management. It also helps with administering electronic records, managing health records, providing diagnoses and treatments, improving patient care, and reducing costs. 

      Healthcare software development plays an important role in everyone’s life. For doctors – it reduces paperwork and increases collaboration with other specialists. For patients – it enhances patient outreach, improves healthcare quality, and eases access to medical data. Lastly, it improves medical business management and streamlines management processes for organizations. 

      Healthcare organizations, just like any other organization, have their own set of challenges that cripple them. Custom Software can address most of these challenges and fix them. 

      • Cyberthreats – The skyrocketing rate of cyber security attacks threatens to endanger the personal medical data of patients and, ultimately, the reputation of a healthcare center. Custom Software can fix this with its exceptional security firewalls and customized cyber security.
      • Patient Experience – When patients experience favorable care, they are more likely to heed medical advice and this is essential for better healthcare outcomes, boosting patient retention rates and lowering malpractice risk. Custom software can help here, too by enhancing the user experience and user interface by creating more interactive, customized, and enticing products. 

      Key Considerations for Healthcare Software Development

      Now that we have established the importance of custom healthcare software development, here are some key considerations:

      1. Compliance And Security – 

      Medical records are very sensitive data, and it is the responsibility of the healthcare facility to protect them carefully. Abiding by the international security laws of HIPAA, PCI, and IOS is a must, along with deft investments in specialized medical data security. Ensure that your partner conducts adequate software checkups to detect any potential vulnerability.

      2. User-Centred Design – 

      Customized healthcare software’s main target is its audience, so focusing on their comfort or ease is a top priority. Inclusivity of all kinds, from senior users to less literate users, is a crucial thing to keep in mind when designing an interface for the organization. Properly incorporated user-centered designs are vital for an intuitive and efficient workflow. Software Designers usually build a simple and easy-to-use user interface (UI) and a user experience (UX). 

      3. Interoperability and Integration – 

      Interoperability, in simple words, is the ability of a software or system to work compatibly with other products and systems. It helps facilitate organized and effective data exchange between data systems. To avoid complications with regard to personalized information or reports of customers while sharing data between systems, especially when introducing new versions of the same software to different platforms, efficient interoperability is important. 

      4. Scalability and Flexibility – 

      Scalability and flexibility are other critical considerations to remember. It is imperative to design a product capable of scaling up as your healthcare organization grows. Ensuring that your customized software developed is flexible and can change and segue according to wavering customer demands. 

      5. Data Analytics and Insights – 

      Data analytics is essentially the process of studying raw data in order to determine trends and enable enhanced decision-making.  This transformation of data done by custom software into insights can drastically leverage data to enhance decision-making, patient outcomes, and overall operational efficiency.

      Read more: AI in Healthcare – Know what’s trending and what’s upcoming!

      Steps in Custom Healthcare Software Development

      Let’s now get into the development itself. Here are some steps to ensure that the development goes smoothly and provides the best outcomes: 

      1. Requirements Gathering and Analysis – 

      It is always best to make a detailed analysis of your organization, its needs, and budgets before diving into a custom software development project. Consult well-versed software designers and healthcare professionals, jot the requirement details, and communicate with your team members to obtain an unbiased perspective.

      2. Design and Development – 

      In this step, the analysis generated is used as input and software infrastructure for implementing software development. Software developers first draw a synopsis of the details for the application, including specific aspects such as User interfaces, System interfaces, Network and Network Requirements, and Databases. 

      Following close behind the design stage is the development stage. It is the stage where coding starts and all components of the software are implemented. The use of agile methodologies and interactive interfaces to improve user satisfaction, flexibility, and feedback incorporation is crucial during this phase of development. 

      3. Quality Assurance And Testing – 

      The testing period begins at the end of the coding stage. Here the modules are circulated for testing. Although testing may not seem like a necessary step, skipping it will ultimately result in the downfall of software. The developed software should be tested thoroughly, and developers fix any vulnerability discovered. There are various tests that need to be conducted after coding of software; these include – functional, usability, and security testing. 

      4. Deployment and Training – 

      After the product has been sufficiently tested, the software is deployed into the market or organization scheme. In the case of UAT (User Acceptance Testing), a production environment is created, and the customer, along with the developers, partakes in the testing. 

      Case Studies

      Fingent has been a leader in custom software development for the healthcare sector and has created unmatched solutions for its clients. Here are a few examples:

      A Data Analytics Solution for NHS: With the wide range of hospitals under its governance, the NHS required a data visualization tool that would help them compare healthcare performances across the hospitals and showcase the best ones. Fingent helped develop a solution that was customized to the NHS’s specific needs and designed an application with interactive visuals and real-time access to insights. 

      Fingent’s portfolio includes top-notch solutions like this, including an online engagement platform for NovitaCare and a patient care solution to promote effective communication in the healthcare ecosystem. Working with clients globally, Fingent has been able to have a direct impact on simplified patient care, operational efficiency, and cost savings for healthcare providers. 

      Future Trends In Healthcare Software Development 

      The future evidently holds great plans for healthcare software. We have only skimmed over the uses and possibilities that technology has introduced to healthcare; there are so many more possibilities.  

      1. AI in Healthcare

      Artificial Intelligence is the most beneficial factor of technology for the healthcare industry. It can effortlessly mimic human cognition in analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating complex medical data. AI can perform data analysis through the healthcare system and can be widely used to predict patient admissions and improve clinical workflows. 

      2. IoT in Healthcare

      IoT (Internet of Things) has the potential to enable healthcare professionals to supervise their patients more accurately. It can equip healthcare workers and professionals with the tools to deliver excellent care and treatment to patients. Exploiting this technology and several tech-powered wearables that enable real-time tracking, end-to-end connectivity, and remote monitoring are some of the other areas that IoT will assist.

      Summary 

      Healthcare Software Development benefits institution staff, patients, and administrators. Although it might seem quite diverse and may come across as a daunting task, with the right partner on your side your journey will be successful. 

      Look for a partner in Fingent, and we will help you navigate the complexities and compliances that come with the development of healthcare software solutions.

      Reach out to us today, and let’s get talking. 

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        About the Author

        ...
        Vinod Saratchandran

        Vinod has conceptualized and delivered niche mobility products that cater to various domains including logistics, media & non-profits. He leads, mentors & coaches a team of Project Coordinators & Analysts at Fingent.

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          SAP ERP has been taking up the technological market by storm, and somehow they always have newer and better versions of it releasing consistently. Sometimes it can be hard to keep up with it all, so we are here to help you figure it out, one step at a time. 

          Before we can bite into the big chunk of how to implement this technology into your organization’s workflow, let us first take a nibble and understand what SAP S/4HANA is.

          SAP S/4HANA – A Powerhouse of Solutions

          S/4HANA, created by SAP Software Company, was devised specially to make Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) faster and easier to access through a simplified data model, sleek architecture, and a new advanced user experience. S/4HANA is essentially integrated with a number of emerging advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), the Internet Of Things (IoT), and Advanced Analytics

          Implementing SAP S/4HANA for your business carries a load of benefits with it, including performance boost, simplified processes, enhanced user experience, stability, flexibility, and so much more. It improves the overall functional efficiency of the workplace and drastically cuts costs.

          Understanding SAP S/4HANA 

          With many powerful advanced technologies forming its backbone, S/4HANA gives organizations the opportunity to better manage product development, production, and distribution processes. With its assistance, companies can better supervise product quality, minimize production errors, and significantly enhance the efficiency of their supply chain. 

          Before the domination of HANA, all SAP software functioned on third-party databases. HANA changed this pattern by bearing SAP’s own in-memory platform. This feature of S/4HANA provides a much faster rate of access and analysis of data. With regard to software development, SAP S/4HANA is also considered a platform for customer-defined applications. 

          Key Benefits Of SAP S/4HANA 

          SAP S/4HANA comes with many benefits. Jotted down below are a few of the more important benefits of implementing SAP S/4HANA for your business:

          • Real-time Analysis: SAP S/4HANA aims to provide end users with active decision support and data analysis in real time. Real-time analytics is when logic and mathematics are applied to data to provide insights for making better decisions at a faster pace.
          • Improved User Experience: It provides an innovative user experience that enables users to easily use Overview Pages, Work Lists, and List Reports. Its UI is designed with added intuition, personalization, and simplicity which allow users to interact with the software and access required details.
          • Simplified Data Model: S/4HANA immensely simplifies the management and administration processes to an extent that simplicity is one of the key features SAP imbibed into its application structure. 
          • Business Process Optimization: It also enables the unification of hardware and network resources to serve as the digital core by accessing its HANA in-memory database, for business process optimization.
          • Digital Transformation: Lastly, S/4HANA has a digital crux that presents organizations with a unique platform for boosting main business processes along with analytical and decision-making capabilities in real time.

          Read more: A Simple Guide To Handling SAP Errors and Troubleshoots!

          SAP Errors

          Preparing for SAP S/4HANA Implementation 

          Implementing SAP S/4HANA is not going to be an option anymore. It will be inevitable. Before you start on this journey, however, here are a few precautions to keep in mind:

          1. Assessing The Organization’s Readiness 

          Before making any hasty decisions, regardless of how smart they may seem to be, it is of utmost importance to first completely analyze your company’s situation. The process of assessment will require you to review your system requirements and gauge the scope of your S/4HANA implementation. Your organization’s readiness to cope with the change is very important. Factors such as business process analysis, data readiness, and resource allocation need to be kept in mind.

          2. Building The Implementation Team

          With the right partner and the perfect team backing you up, there are slim to zero chances for any sort of slipups. Your implementation team should have a set of common objectives and performance goals that they share with you. It should draw up a program management plan that includes not just your system integrator, but also activities for your business users, internal resources, and any other third parties that you are bound to include. Having a cross-functional team is vital. These teams retain the responsibility of moving all of their user stories and tasks forward on their own and their main objective is to be as self-sufficient as possible so that they rarely need to step outside of their own team to accomplish a task.

          3. Defining Implementation Goals And Scope 

          Write down and share your business’s needs, goals, and scope, and understand the business processes that will be influenced by the implementation. Business Process Modules are graphical representations of an organization’s business processes or workflows. They help organizations enhance efficiency, productivity, and agility. Remember to identify these processes and determine their modules and functionalities before implementation. 

          Phases Of SAP S/4HANA Implementation

          Once you have determined that your organization is ready to implement SAP S/4HANA, you can acquaint yourself with the different phases of implementation that will help you achieve successful implementation.

          1. Project Planning And Preparation 

          Included in this phase are activities such as creating a project plan, establishing timelines, redefining business priorities, forming an efficient implementation team, adequate communication between stakeholders and project managers, and finally, change management strategies. The project planning section will include considering all the details and factors, which can be challenging due to the vast landscape. 

          The next step is to form the dream team – an effective and hardworking implementation team that truly cares about your project. You will need to specify your requirements to the SAP implementation team and based on your needs, the team can assist you in picking the right tools and approaches that will benefit your business. 

          In addition to a team of experts, it is well advised to have a committed manager to oversee the implementation processes. This entails effective communication among the key players within your team and the business at large. Also, ensure that your implantation team has fool-proof change management strategies at their disposal. 

          Finally, you will have to redefine your business priorities, objectives, and goals. This is bound to be a daunting task but it is essential for change and progression. It is wise to also determine key performance indicators (KPIs) and milestones to establish timelines and measure progress. 

          2. System Installation And Configuration 

          The next step is the implementation phase. Here, the team will conduct baseline configurations to ensure your new SAP processes meet your business needs. This helps to dramatically reduce and eliminate discrepancies from your blueprint. The team will also need to perform robust testing to assess the operation’s success and highlight probable errors. 

          The configuration of the baseline system will follow close behind. It is during this step that all project plan fine-tunes are done and all gaps found are eliminated from the business blueprint to ensure seamless SAP implementation. Any customization required can also be taken care of by the implementation team during this phase. Three key factors to keep in mind during this phase are – hardware requirements, system landscape designs, and software installation.  

          3. Data Migration And Conversion 

          Data migration and conversion is a very intricate procedure. One slip-up and your company could lose tonnes of data and ultimately the loyalty of its customers. Legacy System Migration Workbench (LSMW) is widely known as a tool that supports the transfer of data from non-SAP systems to SAP systems. This transfer can be one-time as well as periodic. LSMW also actively supports the conversion of data from the legacy system in numerous ways during migration. 

          Data cleansing is the first step of conversion during migration. It is of vital importance because there is a high chance that incorrect data may be present within the migrated data set. Data cleansing through data transformation and data validation is by far a cheaper and more efficient method. This step will eradicate errors even though multiple sources of data are at play. 

          4. Customization And Configuration 

          Everyone enjoys experiences that feel personalized. S/4HANA implementation involves an entire phase just for customization and configuration. However, in the context of SAP, customizing is the process of adjusting the SAP software to the requirements of a business by tracing the organizational structures and processes of the company into the SAP system. The organizational structure includes the basic data information needed to be customized for the SAP implementation to be successful. It may not seem like a big deal but accurate customization is one of the biggest exhibits. 

          5. Testing And Training 

          Any freshly implemented software needs to be rigorously and thoroughly tested. The purpose of testing in SAP is to ensure that business-critical processes work and there are no gaps in the system. When a new process is set up, when an existing process is adjusted, and when SAP updates its system, testing happens at every stage. Testing prevents bugs from spreading, reduces developmental costs, and enhances performance. Testing paves a path for a sustainable way to approach planning, strategizing, and highly controlled execution and monitoring. 

          Training of employees for the new installation is also very important. It is most essential to ensure that end-users of the software are trained adequately on how to effectively use SAP S/4HANA. 

          6. Go-live And Post-implementation Support 

          During this final phase, migration of all the data to the production environment’s SAP systems is performed. All the data is migrated scrupulously to the new SAP S/4HANA systems. After this, the project managers will need to run frequent tests to check if everything works as expected. SAP systems are consistently supervised and optimized for better performance. 

          Implementing a successful SAP S/4HANA system for your business goes beyond traditional methods; the last step in ensuring a successful SAP implementation is to create a highly reliable support team that can assist with any post-implementation issues that may arise. Aftercare is important and should not be underestimated. Your support team should monitor and rectify both major and minor errors during post-production.

          Read more: Strategizing A Successful SAP S/4HANA Migration for Businesses

          SAP S/4HANA Migration

          How Fingent Can Help

          There is no doubt that implementing SAP S/4HANA is good for your business, but it is wise to be aware of some of the challenges that could come with its implementation. Disorganization, improper and insufficient preparation, complex data to be transferred in the source system, complex custom code, and lack of testing and validations – could hamper the successful implementation of SAP S/4HANA. 

          Fingent can help. As a silver partner for SAP, we have the expertise needed to navigate all the challenges of implementation and help you make a success of it. 

          Our approach unites the best of SAP Activate methodology with preconfigured solutions, focused templates, and a modular and agile framework. Our experts assist clients through every step of the implementation process and even provide excellent post-implementation support by monitoring performance, addressing user feedback, and providing any fixes if necessary.

          Reach out to us and allow us to help you on your SAP S/4HANA journey.

          Stay up to date on what's new

            About the Author

            ...
            Ashok Kumar

            Ashok leads Fingent’s SAP Consulting practice for ANZ, SE Asia, The Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and other global clients. More specifically, he helps companies improve operational efficiency by enhancing their digital cores and improving their application integration. Ashok has amassed over 20 years of leadership and consulting experience having worked with Global giants like SAP, IBM Consulting, Capgemini, & Oracle in his previous assignments. Connect with Ashok via LinkedIn and learn how your business can excel with recent SAP trends.

            Talk To Our Experts

              Augmented Reality in Retail:
              Use Cases & Business Benefits

              Try Before You Buy: Creating Interactive Retail Shopping Experiences with AR
              Imagine waking up to a record sales conversion on your eCommerce portal! Your customers are 20% more engaged and satisfied with the shopping experience. Your business gains boosted customer trust, brand value, and improved ROI!
              Yes, it’s possible with Augmented Reality!
              Augmented Reality in Retail is revolutionizing shopping experiences expeditiously! With AR in retail, customers can interact, customize, and engage with products better, so that they make the right purchase decisions. Nike’s Virtual View is one top example of how WebAR in Retail boosts customer engagement and trust!
              But of course, it’s only natural to be a little skeptical before investing in any new business technology. That is why we bring you a detailed guide on what is Augmented Reality, and how your Retail and eCommerce firms can smartly deploy and benefit from augmented reality services !

              What is Augmented Reality?

              Simply put, Augmented Reality (AR) superimposes digital content and information onto a user’s real-life scenario to enhance their virtual experience of the existing physical environment. The improved version of the physical world is attained by leveraging the capabilities of the computer-generated display, visuals, sound, text, and graphics which augments the user’s real-world experience.
              AR will allow you to search things visually by simply pointing out mobile cameras toward objects in real-life surroundings. The Live View feature in Google Maps is a leading example of how AR allows users to visualize their destinations in the real world. Nintendo’s Pokémon Go App and the photo filters on Facebook and Snapchat are some of the popular examples of AR today.
              However, AR is not just a gaming or navigational application. Several industries today, including consumer products and retail, are implementing AR to improve their operational and marketing abilities. Leading ecommerce brands, as well as in-store retailers, are highly investing in AR to build and deliver top-notch brand experiences.
              By 2024, the number of mobile AR users will reach 1.73 billion.
              billion
              0

              By 2024, the number of mobile AR users will reach 1.73 billion.

              Why Is Augmented Reality Important In Retail and eCommerce?

              Millennials are the core shoppers today, and they need services at their fingertips! Standing in long queues to grab that limited offer is off the trend! Now shoppers love to book it first online.
              With Augmented Reality in Retail, online shopping experiences takes a new turn. Customers get to virtually try on items, customize and interact with the products better so that they make quick and smart purchase decisions. Getting complete satisfaction with online shopping increases brand trust immensely, giving retailers an immediate boost to expedite sales! The more reasons to implement AR in Retail!
              0 %

              40% of consumers say they would pay more for a product that they could customize in AR.

              What are the Latest AR Trends in Retail?

              Today’s customers value personalization and convenience over pricing and product. Augmented Reality allows brands to develop smart retail experiences that influence their customers’ buying decisions.
              AR makes online selling easier and more comfortable by creating virtual simulations for users to interact with a product, just like how they try a fashion outfit in a physical store. Using AR, retail customers can virtually visit their favorite brand stores, try products, and make comparisons, without leaving the comfort of their homes.

              Top AR Trends in Retail Today

              AR will enable retailers to deliver impactful, well-timed, and relevant user experiences that increase customer value, both in physical stores as well as in ecommerce!

              Enriching Customer Experiences With Smart Malls Of The Future!

              Watch more on how your business can leverage AR for a unique and smart mall experience!

              Why is AR a Powerful Retail Sales Channel?

              By 2025, nearly 75% of the global population and almost all people who use social or communication apps will be frequent AR users. AR adoption will see growth in these four key areas:
              But why use AR for retail?
              Research shows the top reasons why customers return their products.
              AR-integrated ecommerce websites and applications can run on any smartphone allowing customers to contextually experience every product at scale. Immersive product discovery experiences lead to better conversions as retailers can capture shoppers’ attention at the decision-making stage.
              Brands that implement AR for Retail Sales will see:
              AR offers shoppers innumerable options to interact with consumer products in a more personalized way. Customers aren’t anymore held back by a limited number of product images and videos. With AR, every single online session can be turned into a powerful sales channel.
              Capture shoppers’ attention at the decision-making stage | Allow shoppers to personally interact with products |
              Turn online browsings into powerful sales channels
              0 %

              32% of consumers use AR while shopping!

              How Does AR Increase Sales in Retail?

              AR use cases in retail are growing in leaps and bounds. Across the B2C, D2C, and B2B realms, AR will bridge the gap between online selling and the customer experience in the following ways.

              Warehouse Space Optimization

              AR can improve complex warehouse operations by streamlining warehousing management activities such as order allocation and picking, inventory control, material handling, and packaging. Using an interactive 3D warehouse layout, retailers can improve their warehouse planning.
              • Locate products and process orders faster.
              • Quickly extract necessary information (order number, trolley number, deposit bin information, passage numbers).
              • Expedite loading and unloading processes.
              • Achieve zero-delay deliveries through warehouse optimization.
              • Increases your sale orders and drives revenue.

              Virtual Fitting Rooms

              Virtual fitting rooms allow your customers to try on clothing items, jewelry, and other accessories even if they don’t visit your physical store. Even without touching an item, shoppers can see the size, style, and fit of apparel before they buy it. According to Shopify, an omnichannel shopping experience powered by AR nudges online shoppers to spend 10% more.
              • Superimpose the visuals of your items on live video feeds for your customers.
              • Create a virtual dressing room using Augmented Reality features.
              • AR-powered virtual mirrors can save valuable retail space in your brick-and-mortar stores.
              • Avoid the need to set up separate trial rooms.

              Placement Previews

              IKEA Place App’s AR feature allows customers to visualize how a new piece of furniture will fit their space. After selecting an item from IKEA’s catalog, the customer can point their mobile camera anywhere in their surroundings to see the furniture’s placement, adjust it from different angles, take photos, and share it with their friends for feedback.
              • The highly interactive preview experience keeps users motivated throughout the buying journey.
              • The seamless and fluid experience will encourage customers to return for more purchases.
              • This automatically boosts customer loyalty and brand recognition.
              • Guarantees conversion ten times more.

              Route Optimization

              Not just online and shopping experiences counts to customers. When products are delivered quickly and smartly, there are much more chances for a customer to build their trust in brands. With AR enabling effective navigation capabilities, routes can be optimized for seamless delivery channels.
              • Develop AR-powered apps that enable the delivery teams to plan their travel smarter.
              • Plan shortest route options, traffic updates, map views, and more.
              • Support your delivery partners with additional assistance just from their smartphone cameras, leading them to the right routes.
              • Ensure no package delivery goes missed or undelivered.

              Interactive AR Packaging

              AR-enabled interactive packaging offers consumers a highly engaging shopping experience that will boost ecommerce and in-store sales. Customers could scan a QR code on the retailer’s package to understand the latest offers and discounts, new product roll-outs, or read the brand’s story. Jack Daniel Distillery’s smart AR packaging allows users to take a closer look at their whiskey-making process and explore their growth story.
              • With AR, product packages aren’t throwaway junk anymore.
              • Encourage users to scan QR codes on food packaging to get exclusive recipes and cooking videos of top chefs.
              • Use interactive AR techniques to encourage shoppers to recycle packages and share their product experiences with others.

              Interactive Business Cards

              AR takes your plain business cards to the next level by allowing you to add 3D objects, interactions, animations, and powerful virtual components on top of your physical business cards. When you point your smartphone camera toward the card, you can see an interactive display of your business profile. AR allows you to incorporate numerous features into your V-card such as videos, audio, images, 3D objects, social links, animations, and URLs, besides your contact info and designation.
              • Stand out from your competitors and provide prospects with instant resources.
              • Increase curiosity and prompts your clients to access more information about your business.
              • Immersive and unique experiences in the real world improve your business’s credibility and doubles lead capturing.
              • Interactive business cards shorten the sales cycle and increase customer appointments and engagement.

              Complete Product Information

              AR allows superimposing additional product information that your customers may not get easily in physical or online stores. Processing product information is the most significant aspect that influences a customer’s buying decision. Customers want to know if the products they buy will fit their purpose. Top automotive brands such as Mercedes Benz and Hyundai use AR-powered digital car manuals to explain automotive features in a highly interactive way.
              • Digitally delivering the right information will simplify the product discovery process for the consumer, boosting sales.
              • Customers can avoid scrolling through large user manuals.
              • Pointing to a specific feature with mobile cameras will provide the necessary information required to impact the buyer’s decision.

              The age of analyzing products via videos and images is gone! Customers now need more! With AR, realtors can bring their products closer to their customers, enabling them to interact with the items meanwhile establishing added brand value and customer trust!

              - Venkatesh Alagarsamy, AR, VR, MR, Metaverse Expert, Fingent.

              Real-World Cases Of Boosted Customer Experience with AR

              AR Taking Cabin Manufacturing To New Heights: Use Case

              Complex designs, large customer requests, and inaccurate floor plans often challenge and restrict the operational efficiencies of shed and cabin manufactures. Leading players of the industry are now trying to implement modern approaches at each stage of their process to streamline functions and improve performance. How can AR help in this?
              With a customized software solution featuring 3D web configurators
              • Customers can build and design their own sheds using AR
              • Automate floor plans
              • Reduced human errors
              • Streamline planning of cabin constructions
              • Estimate pricing accurately

              AR Powered apps for E-Commerce: Use Case

              Over 20% of customers deny online shopping because of the fear of wrong purchase decisions.
              How can Fingent help?
              • Interactive mobile apps enabling 3D preview of objects
              • Agnostic web solution for Ecommerce
              • No restrictions on a wide range of product displays
              • Improved customer engagement and interaction
              • Personalized shopping made possible from anywhere
              0 %

              61% of consumers say they prefer retailers with AR experiences.

              Augmented Reality vs. Virtual Reality

              Many people use Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality interchangeably thinking that both technological concepts are the same. Though both AR and VR help creates immersive and interactive experiences, both are different in their own niches.

              Augmented Reality

              • Augments the real-world experience of the user
              • Creates virtual experience by overlaying digital content on top of what the user is already seeing
              • Detects markers such as barcodes or QR codes to deliver AR animations to specific user locations
              • Explored best with smartphones
              • AR SDKs empower mobile apps to detect and capture real-time user environments
              • Reflects true-to-life conditions and real-life scenarios

              Virtual Reality

              • Creates a fully-immersive virtual environment
              • Total immersion is accomplished by shutting the user from the real-world
              • Virtual Reality Modeling Language or VRML experiences delivered via a client-side interface to simulate virtual environments
              • Explored best with a VR headset
              • VR SDKs allow users to navigate pre-loaded and cloud-stored streams by using controllers and environment trackers
              • Virtual representation of real-life conditions
              0 %

              Augmented Reality Boosts Online Shopping Sales Up To 200% - Forbes

              Augmented Reality In Retail: Why Is It Picking Up Steam In Today’s Digital Age?

              AR will boost your customers’ trust and drive their purchasing confidence.

              Real-time product visualizations and virtual trials ensure that retailers are able to deliver products that match their customers’ expectations. AR reduces your marketing costs and increases your customer satisfaction.
              AR retail experiences will eliminate the friction between sellers and buyers and maximize the probability of purchasing. When customers receive their orders as expected, it will decrease your product returns.
              The rise in ecommerce demands delivering more successful online experiences. Retailers leveraging augmented reality can rest assured that they aren’t left behind in the competition.
              Interactive virtual experiences arouse your customers’ curiosity and motivate them to explore your products. AR experiences such as virtual try-on persuade customers to come back and shop for additional products.
              AR-enabled shopping experiences collect insightful data on customers’ shopping patterns, buying behavior, interests, and preferences. Retailers can use these insights to run targeted marketing campaigns and develop more personalized products.
              The demand for contactless experiences triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic is here to stay. As people are more concerned about their personal hygiene and contamination risks, retailers can employ AR to connect with their customers and keep the show running.
              Customers place emphasis on the value they get when buying from you. CX is the key brand differentiator that boosts customer loyalty today. With AR, you can optimize every customer touchpoint to deliver unmatched CX.
              AR ecommerce apps can serve as your shop assistants and sales agents that take you through product features and benefits. You don’t have to hire expensive labor for showing the customer around, as AR does the heavy lifting.
              0 %

              71% of consumers say they would shop more often if they used AR.

              Fingent’s AR-enabled Applications for Retailers

              Be it in-store or ecommerce, Fingent top custom software development company, enables retailers to deliver seamless shopping experiences to their consumers by leveraging technology to the fullest. Our AR retail solutions effectively bridge the gap between consumers and sellers:

              Augmented Reality Reshaping eCommerce!

              What more on how you can smartly and seamlessly deploy AR for your eCommerce!

              How Fingent Can Help Your Business Build Intuitive Apps With AR

              With our expertise around ARKit for iOS Platforms, Spark AR, Lens Studio, Vuforia, Web AR Solutions, and AR Core for Android Platforms we help create powerful user experiences that fetch a competitive edge.

              eCommerce

              Bring the “Wow” factor to your eCommerce with virtual try-ons, preview placements, AR filters, and more!

              Healthcare

              We help you deploy AR to improve medical training, pediatric MRI evaluation, venipuncture procedures, dentistry, and more!

              Equipment Maintenance

              With AR connect faster with your machines to work smarter at reduced costs, and effective time management.

              Most Common Q&As on AR in Retail

              Augmented Reality streamlines retail operations to make shopping easier and convenient for both online and offline buyers. AR replaces physical fitting rooms with virtual try-on solutions and allows consumers to configure products based on their preferences. AR modernizes retail marketing through personalized content delivery and offers contactless purchasing options which will boost online sales.
              3D product visualizations and “try-before-you-buy” digital experiences allow retailers to reduce the cost of returns that affect their ROI. Retailers can develop 3D animations and visual simulations to improve consumer awareness and influence buying decisions. AR helps retailers analyze customer behavior, test their product samples, boost brand engagement, and augment sales.
              Full-fledged 3D experiences can improve product research and discovery which will result in more sales. Retailers selling automotive, home furniture, consumer electronics, and lifestyle products can drive traction and make unique selling pitches through AR. Studies prove that AR increases the average product (images and videos) viewing time from 30 seconds to eight minutes. Linking purchasing decisions with the shopper’s emotions will eliminate their doubts about the product and increase your sales volume.
              According to Snapchat, 76% of consumers believe that AR will play an integral role in future shopping, with 57% of consumers planning to increase their AR usage in post-COVID times. AR improves a retail brand’s discoverability and increases a consumer’s likelihood to purchase after an immersive experience. AR experience educates and motivates customers at multiple points in the shopping journey, thereby influencing their purchasing decisions.
              Today, every retailer needs to pursue an omnichannel retail strategy that revolves around customer-centricity. This requires retailers to personalize their offerings in the best way possible. AR can simplify your personalization efforts as it’s a highly user-centric technology that tremendously transforms the way you market and sell. Augmented retail strategy improves both your business’s bottom line and customer experience.

              Stay up to date on what's new

                About the Author

                ...
                Author

                Talk To Our Experts

                  Augmented Reality in Retail:
                  Use Cases & Business Benefits

                  Try Before You Buy: Creating Interactive Retail Shopping Experiences with AR
                  Imagine waking up to a record sales conversion on your eCommerce portal! Your customers are 20% more engaged and satisfied with the shopping experience. Your business gains boosted customer trust, brand value, and improved ROI!
                  Yes, it’s possible with Augmented Reality!
                  Augmented Reality in Retail is revolutionizing shopping experiences expeditiously! With AR in retail, customers can interact, customize, and engage with products better, so that they make the right purchase decisions. Nike’s Virtual View is one top example of how WebAR in Retail boosts customer engagement and trust!
                  But of course, it’s only natural to be a little skeptical before investing in any new business technology. That is why we bring you a detailed guide on what is Augmented Reality, and how your Retail and eCommerce firms can smartly deploy and benefit from augmented reality services !

                  What is Augmented Reality?

                  Simply put, Augmented Reality (AR) superimposes digital content and information onto a user’s real-life scenario to enhance their virtual experience of the existing physical environment. The improved version of the physical world is attained by leveraging the capabilities of the computer-generated display, visuals, sound, text, and graphics which augments the user’s real-world experience.
                  AR will allow you to search things visually by simply pointing out mobile cameras toward objects in real-life surroundings. The Live View feature in Google Maps is a leading example of how AR allows users to visualize their destinations in the real world. Nintendo’s Pokémon Go App and the photo filters on Facebook and Snapchat are some of the popular examples of AR today.
                  However, AR is not just a gaming or navigational application. Several industries today, including consumer products and retail, are implementing AR to improve their operational and marketing abilities. Leading ecommerce brands, as well as in-store retailers, are highly investing in AR to build and deliver top-notch brand experiences.
                  By 2024, the number of mobile AR users will reach 1.73 billion.
                  billion
                  0

                  By 2024, the number of mobile AR users will reach 1.73 billion.

                  Why Is Augmented Reality Important In Retail and eCommerce?

                  Millennials are the core shoppers today, and they need services at their fingertips! Standing in long queues to grab that limited offer is off the trend! Now shoppers love to book it first online.
                  With Augmented Reality in Retail, online shopping experiences takes a new turn. Customers get to virtually try on items, customize and interact with the products better so that they make quick and smart purchase decisions. Getting complete satisfaction with online shopping increases brand trust immensely, giving retailers an immediate boost to expedite sales! The more reasons to implement AR in Retail!
                  0 %

                  40% of consumers say they would pay more for a product that they could customize in AR.

                  What are the Latest AR Trends in Retail?

                  Today’s customers value personalization and convenience over pricing and product. Augmented Reality allows brands to develop smart retail experiences that influence their customers’ buying decisions.
                  AR makes online selling easier and more comfortable by creating virtual simulations for users to interact with a product, just like how they try a fashion outfit in a physical store. Using AR, retail customers can virtually visit their favorite brand stores, try products, and make comparisons, without leaving the comfort of their homes.

                  Top AR Trends in Retail Today

                  AR will enable retailers to deliver impactful, well-timed, and relevant user experiences that increase customer value, both in physical stores as well as in ecommerce!

                  Enriching Customer Experiences With Smart Malls Of The Future!

                  Watch more on how your business can leverage AR for a unique and smart mall experience!

                  Why is AR a Powerful Retail Sales Channel?

                  By 2025, nearly 75% of the global population and almost all people who use social or communication apps will be frequent AR users. AR adoption will see growth in these four key areas:
                  But why use AR for retail?
                  Research shows the top reasons why customers return their products.
                  AR-integrated ecommerce websites and applications can run on any smartphone allowing customers to contextually experience every product at scale. Immersive product discovery experiences lead to better conversions as retailers can capture shoppers’ attention at the decision-making stage.
                  Brands that implement AR for Retail Sales will see:
                  AR offers shoppers innumerable options to interact with consumer products in a more personalized way. Customers aren’t anymore held back by a limited number of product images and videos. With AR, every single online session can be turned into a powerful sales channel.
                  Capture shoppers’ attention at the decision-making stage | Allow shoppers to personally interact with products |
                  Turn online browsings into powerful sales channels
                  0 %

                  32% of consumers use AR while shopping!

                  How Does AR Increase Sales in Retail?

                  AR use cases in retail are growing in leaps and bounds. Across the B2C, D2C, and B2B realms, AR will bridge the gap between online selling and the customer experience in the following ways.

                  Warehouse Space Optimization

                  AR can improve complex warehouse operations by streamlining warehousing management activities such as order allocation and picking, inventory control, material handling, and packaging. Using an interactive 3D warehouse layout, retailers can improve their warehouse planning.
                  • Locate products and process orders faster.
                  • Quickly extract necessary information (order number, trolley number, deposit bin information, passage numbers).
                  • Expedite loading and unloading processes.
                  • Achieve zero-delay deliveries through warehouse optimization.
                  • Increases your sale orders and drives revenue.

                  Virtual Fitting Rooms

                  Virtual fitting rooms allow your customers to try on clothing items, jewelry, and other accessories even if they don’t visit your physical store. Even without touching an item, shoppers can see the size, style, and fit of apparel before they buy it. According to Shopify, an omnichannel shopping experience powered by AR nudges online shoppers to spend 10% more.
                  • Superimpose the visuals of your items on live video feeds for your customers.
                  • Create a virtual dressing room using Augmented Reality features.
                  • AR-powered virtual mirrors can save valuable retail space in your brick-and-mortar stores.
                  • Avoid the need to set up separate trial rooms.

                  Placement Previews

                  IKEA Place App’s AR feature allows customers to visualize how a new piece of furniture will fit their space. After selecting an item from IKEA’s catalog, the customer can point their mobile camera anywhere in their surroundings to see the furniture’s placement, adjust it from different angles, take photos, and share it with their friends for feedback.
                  • The highly interactive preview experience keeps users motivated throughout the buying journey.
                  • The seamless and fluid experience will encourage customers to return for more purchases.
                  • This automatically boosts customer loyalty and brand recognition.
                  • Guarantees conversion ten times more.

                  Route Optimization

                  Not just online and shopping experiences counts to customers. When products are delivered quickly and smartly, there are much more chances for a customer to build their trust in brands. With AR enabling effective navigation capabilities, routes can be optimized for seamless delivery channels.
                  • Develop AR-powered apps that enable the delivery teams to plan their travel smarter.
                  • Plan shortest route options, traffic updates, map views, and more.
                  • Support your delivery partners with additional assistance just from their smartphone cameras, leading them to the right routes.
                  • Ensure no package delivery goes missed or undelivered.

                  Interactive AR Packaging

                  AR-enabled interactive packaging offers consumers a highly engaging shopping experience that will boost ecommerce and in-store sales. Customers could scan a QR code on the retailer’s package to understand the latest offers and discounts, new product roll-outs, or read the brand’s story. Jack Daniel Distillery’s smart AR packaging allows users to take a closer look at their whiskey-making process and explore their growth story.
                  • With AR, product packages aren’t throwaway junk anymore.
                  • Encourage users to scan QR codes on food packaging to get exclusive recipes and cooking videos of top chefs.
                  • Use interactive AR techniques to encourage shoppers to recycle packages and share their product experiences with others.

                  Interactive Business Cards

                  AR takes your plain business cards to the next level by allowing you to add 3D objects, interactions, animations, and powerful virtual components on top of your physical business cards. When you point your smartphone camera toward the card, you can see an interactive display of your business profile. AR allows you to incorporate numerous features into your V-card such as videos, audio, images, 3D objects, social links, animations, and URLs, besides your contact info and designation.
                  • Stand out from your competitors and provide prospects with instant resources.
                  • Increase curiosity and prompts your clients to access more information about your business.
                  • Immersive and unique experiences in the real world improve your business’s credibility and doubles lead capturing.
                  • Interactive business cards shorten the sales cycle and increase customer appointments and engagement.

                  Complete Product Information

                  AR allows superimposing additional product information that your customers may not get easily in physical or online stores. Processing product information is the most significant aspect that influences a customer’s buying decision. Customers want to know if the products they buy will fit their purpose. Top automotive brands such as Mercedes Benz and Hyundai use AR-powered digital car manuals to explain automotive features in a highly interactive way.
                  • Digitally delivering the right information will simplify the product discovery process for the consumer, boosting sales.
                  • Customers can avoid scrolling through large user manuals.
                  • Pointing to a specific feature with mobile cameras will provide the necessary information required to impact the buyer’s decision.

                  The age of analyzing products via videos and images is gone! Customers now need more! With AR, realtors can bring their products closer to their customers, enabling them to interact with the items meanwhile establishing added brand value and customer trust!

                  - Venkatesh Alagarsamy, AR, VR, MR, Metaverse Expert, Fingent.

                  Real-World Cases Of Boosted Customer Experience with AR

                  AR Taking Cabin Manufacturing To New Heights: Use Case

                  Complex designs, large customer requests, and inaccurate floor plans often challenge and restrict the operational efficiencies of shed and cabin manufactures. Leading players of the industry are now trying to implement modern approaches at each stage of their process to streamline functions and improve performance. How can AR help in this?
                  With a customized software solution featuring 3D web configurators
                  • Customers can build and design their own sheds using AR
                  • Automate floor plans
                  • Reduced human errors
                  • Streamline planning of cabin constructions
                  • Estimate pricing accurately

                  AR Powered apps for E-Commerce: Use Case

                  Over 20% of customers deny online shopping because of the fear of wrong purchase decisions.
                  How can Fingent help?
                  • Interactive mobile apps enabling 3D preview of objects
                  • Agnostic web solution for Ecommerce
                  • No restrictions on a wide range of product displays
                  • Improved customer engagement and interaction
                  • Personalized shopping made possible from anywhere
                  0 %

                  61% of consumers say they prefer retailers with AR experiences.

                  Augmented Reality vs. Virtual Reality

                  Many people use Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality interchangeably thinking that both technological concepts are the same. Though both AR and VR help creates immersive and interactive experiences, both are different in their own niches.

                  Augmented Reality

                  • Augments the real-world experience of the user
                  • Creates virtual experience by overlaying digital content on top of what the user is already seeing
                  • Detects markers such as barcodes or QR codes to deliver AR animations to specific user locations
                  • Explored best with smartphones
                  • AR SDKs empower mobile apps to detect and capture real-time user environments
                  • Reflects true-to-life conditions and real-life scenarios

                  Virtual Reality

                  • Creates a fully-immersive virtual environment
                  • Total immersion is accomplished by shutting the user from the real-world
                  • Virtual Reality Modeling Language or VRML experiences delivered via a client-side interface to simulate virtual environments
                  • Explored best with a VR headset
                  • VR SDKs allow users to navigate pre-loaded and cloud-stored streams by using controllers and environment trackers
                  • Virtual representation of real-life conditions
                  0 %

                  Augmented Reality Boosts Online Shopping Sales Up To 200% - Forbes

                  Augmented Reality In Retail: Why Is It Picking Up Steam In Today’s Digital Age?

                  AR will boost your customers’ trust and drive their purchasing confidence.

                  Real-time product visualizations and virtual trials ensure that retailers are able to deliver products that match their customers’ expectations. AR reduces your marketing costs and increases your customer satisfaction.
                  AR retail experiences will eliminate the friction between sellers and buyers and maximize the probability of purchasing. When customers receive their orders as expected, it will decrease your product returns.
                  The rise in ecommerce demands delivering more successful online experiences. Retailers leveraging augmented reality can rest assured that they aren’t left behind in the competition.
                  Interactive virtual experiences arouse your customers’ curiosity and motivate them to explore your products. AR experiences such as virtual try-on persuade customers to come back and shop for additional products.
                  AR-enabled shopping experiences collect insightful data on customers’ shopping patterns, buying behavior, interests, and preferences. Retailers can use these insights to run targeted marketing campaigns and develop more personalized products.
                  The demand for contactless experiences triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic is here to stay. As people are more concerned about their personal hygiene and contamination risks, retailers can employ AR to connect with their customers and keep the show running.
                  Customers place emphasis on the value they get when buying from you. CX is the key brand differentiator that boosts customer loyalty today. With AR, you can optimize every customer touchpoint to deliver unmatched CX.
                  AR ecommerce apps can serve as your shop assistants and sales agents that take you through product features and benefits. You don’t have to hire expensive labor for showing the customer around, as AR does the heavy lifting.
                  0 %

                  71% of consumers say they would shop more often if they used AR.

                  Fingent’s AR-enabled Applications for Retailers

                  Be it in-store or ecommerce, Fingent top custom software development company, enables retailers to deliver seamless shopping experiences to their consumers by leveraging technology to the fullest. Our AR retail solutions effectively bridge the gap between consumers and sellers:

                  Augmented Reality Reshaping eCommerce!

                  What more on how you can smartly and seamlessly deploy AR for your eCommerce!

                  How Fingent Can Help Your Business Build Intuitive Apps With AR

                  With our expertise around ARKit for iOS Platforms, Spark AR, Lens Studio, Vuforia, Web AR Solutions, and AR Core for Android Platforms we help create powerful user experiences that fetch a competitive edge.

                  eCommerce

                  Bring the “Wow” factor to your eCommerce with virtual try-ons, preview placements, AR filters, and more!

                  Healthcare

                  We help you deploy AR to improve medical training, pediatric MRI evaluation, venipuncture procedures, dentistry, and more!

                  Equipment Maintenance

                  With AR connect faster with your machines to work smarter at reduced costs, and effective time management.

                  Most Common Q&As on AR in Retail

                  Augmented Reality streamlines retail operations to make shopping easier and convenient for both online and offline buyers. AR replaces physical fitting rooms with virtual try-on solutions and allows consumers to configure products based on their preferences. AR modernizes retail marketing through personalized content delivery and offers contactless purchasing options which will boost online sales.
                  3D product visualizations and “try-before-you-buy” digital experiences allow retailers to reduce the cost of returns that affect their ROI. Retailers can develop 3D animations and visual simulations to improve consumer awareness and influence buying decisions. AR helps retailers analyze customer behavior, test their product samples, boost brand engagement, and augment sales.
                  Full-fledged 3D experiences can improve product research and discovery which will result in more sales. Retailers selling automotive, home furniture, consumer electronics, and lifestyle products can drive traction and make unique selling pitches through AR. Studies prove that AR increases the average product (images and videos) viewing time from 30 seconds to eight minutes. Linking purchasing decisions with the shopper’s emotions will eliminate their doubts about the product and increase your sales volume.
                  According to Snapchat, 76% of consumers believe that AR will play an integral role in future shopping, with 57% of consumers planning to increase their AR usage in post-COVID times. AR improves a retail brand’s discoverability and increases a consumer’s likelihood to purchase after an immersive experience. AR experience educates and motivates customers at multiple points in the shopping journey, thereby influencing their purchasing decisions.
                  Today, every retailer needs to pursue an omnichannel retail strategy that revolves around customer-centricity. This requires retailers to personalize their offerings in the best way possible. AR can simplify your personalization efforts as it’s a highly user-centric technology that tremendously transforms the way you market and sell. Augmented retail strategy improves both your business’s bottom line and customer experience.

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                      Today we live in a world where machines possess an extraordinary ability to learn, reason, and make decisions, much like the human mind. This remarkable realm of technology known as Artificial Intelligence is not merely a product of science fiction or futuristic imagination. It has become an awe-inspiring reality that is transforming the landscape of countless industries.

                      But that’s just the tip of the AI iceberg.

                      In mobile development, AI can transform your customer’s device into a personal shopping assistant, a language guru, or a creative photographer all in the blink of an eye. 

                      The integration of AI in mobile app development doesn’t stop there. 

                      It unlocks a realm of possibilities for your customers, from personalized virtual assistants that organize their life, to fitness apps that act as their personal trainers, to healthcare apps that monitor their well-being.

                      But how do we understand the concept of AI in mobile apps?

                      Unraveling Artificial Intelligence in Mobile Apps

                      Simply put, AI is like the brain behind the scenes, making your apps smarter and more interactive. 

                      One of AI’s superpowers is Machine Learning (ML). It’s like a super adaptable brain that learns from data and experiences. Machine learning algorithms analyze massive amounts of information to get better at tasks. They can recognize patterns, make predictions, and even understand your preferences.

                      Another clever component is Natural Language Processing (NLP). It’s like an AI language translator that allows you can talk to your app, ask questions, and it magically understands and responds. NLP allows your AI sidekick to grasp the meaning behind your words, making conversations with your app feel more human-like. 

                      How does it help?

                      Read more: Understanding NLP: Will It Reign Supreme In Near Future?

                      NLP

                       

                      From Mundane to Marvelous – Benefits of AI In Mobile Apps

                      Weaving the powers of AI into your mobile apps can enhance user experience. How? Like a brilliant and intuitive companion, AI-powered mobile apps can provide personalized recommendations. AI algorithms analyze user behavior, learn their tastes, and curate a world of suggestions. 

                      Plus, it learns and grows with them. The more your customers use your apps, the smarter those apps become, tailoring their suggestions to your customer’s ever-changing whims and fancies and predicting their move, and effortlessly serving up what they need.

                      Read more: https://www.fingent.com/blog/is-ai-powered-mobile-app-what-you-need-for-your-business-now/

                      Key Applications of AI In Mobile Apps

                      AI brings a layer of intelligence to your apps that takes them to the next level. Here are some key applications that this has made possible: 

                      1. Voice Assistants and Natural Language Processing

                      40% of mobile users use voice search at least once a day. – Comptia.

                      Natural Language Processing (NLP) enables the integration of voice assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa into mobile apps. No matter how they phrase it, NLP enables your app to decipher the meaning and context of their spoken words. 

                      It is capable of unraveling the intricacies of slang, deciphering accents, and even understanding complex sentences with multiple layers of meaning. It’s like having a language expert at your beck and call. But it doesn’t end there. NLP allows voice assistants to learn from every interaction, becoming more intelligent over time.

                      2. Personalized Recommendations

                      AI algorithms can analyze user data to provide personalized recommendations in mobile apps by utilizing machine learning techniques:

                      • Data Collection: Mobile apps collect user data through various means, such as user registrations, app usage tracking, explicit ratings, and implicit signals like clicks, views, and interactions.
                      • User Profiling: Such data is used to create user profiles that capture individual preferences, interests, and behaviors. 
                      • Pattern Recognition: AI algorithms can identify similarities based on factors like item attributes, past behavior, and user demographics.
                      • Recommendation Generation: Based on the identified patterns, the algorithms generate personalized recommendations. For example, in a music app, the algorithm might suggest songs or artists similar to the user’s previous listening habits or recommend popular tracks among users with similar tastes.

                      The benefits of personalized recommendations for user engagement and satisfaction are significant:

                      • Enhanced User Experience: Users are more likely to discover new content they enjoy and spend more time using the app.
                      • Improved Discovery: Personalized recommendations help users explore new music genres, discover new movies or shows, or find products that suit their tastes, leading to greater satisfaction.
                      • Time and Effort Saving: With personalized recommendations, users can find relevant content more quickly and easily.
                      • Increased User Retention: When users receive preferred recommendations, they are more likely to remain engaged with the app. 
                      • Business Benefits: Personalized recommendations result in improved conversion rates and increased customer loyalty.

                      3. Image and Video Recognition Tasks

                      AI plays a crucial role in mobile apps across industries, including e-commerce, social media, entertainment, gaming, and more. For example:

                      • Facial Recognition: This technology is widely used in mobile apps for various purposes, such as authentication, photo tagging, and personalization.
                      • Object Detection: With AI algorithms, mobile apps leverage object detection for a range of purposes, such as visual search and safety features.
                      • Augmented Reality (AR) Experiences: AI algorithms are employed in mobile apps to enable applications like virtual try-on for shopping, gaming, and navigation.

                      Read Case Study: How Fingent helped build a unique mixed reality application for a leading university that enables users to identify people using facial recognition!

                      Facial Recognition

                      4. Intelligent Chatbots

                      The integration of AI-powered chatbots in mobile apps revolutionizes customer support and interaction by enabling efficient and automated communication with users. Using AI algorithms, chatbots recognize the intent behind user queries and quickly search and retrieve relevant information to address user queries effectively.

                      Success Stories

                      Mobile apps have been able to enhance user satisfaction, drive revenue growth, and achieve operational efficiency, resulting in their success in the mobile app market. Here are some examples:

                      1. Instagram

                      Instagram, one of the “big three” social media platforms, utilizes AI algorithms to provide personalized content recommendations in the Explore tab. This greatly improves user engagement by helping users discover relevant posts and accounts. AI is also used for content moderation, and identifying and filtering out inappropriate or spammy content, thus creating a safer user environment.

                      Impact: AI integration in Instagram has contributed to increased user engagement by facilitating content discovery and improving user safety by detecting and removing harmful content. Today it is 4th most used social media platform and 5th most visited website.

                      2. Uber

                      Uber, a ride-hailing platform, employs AI algorithms to optimize its dynamic pricing system. Machine learning models analyze supply and demand patterns, traffic conditions, and historical data to determine surge pricing, ensuring efficient allocation of drivers and meeting high-demand periods.

                      Impact: AI integration in Uber enables efficient pricing strategies, ensuring the availability of drivers during peak demand and generating increased revenue for the company.

                      In 2022, Uber experienced substantial growth with a revenue of $31.8 billion, marking an 82% increase from the previous year. Furthermore, the number of completed trips also saw an increase, with Uber drivers recording 7.6 billion trips, exceeding the previous peak of 6.9 billion trips in 2019. 

                      3. Amazon

                      Amazon, a leading e-commerce platform, extensively uses AI across its mobile app for personalized product recommendations, dynamic pricing, inventory management, and fraud detection.

                      Impact: AI integration in the Amazon app has led to increased user engagement by providing relevant product suggestions, improved customer satisfaction through personalized experiences, optimized pricing strategies, and enhanced operational efficiency.

                      In Amazon, it was observed that there is a 42% likelihood of a customer proceeding to a prospective product purchase. On the other hand, Walmart and Etsy have recorded figures of 16% and 13% respectively.

                      Amazon’s Alexa has taken over the world’s smart speaker industry, by securing an impressive 26.4% market share.

                      Emerging Trends in AI For Mobile Apps

                      Emerging trends in AI for mobile apps are shaping the future of mobile app development. Here are two key trends:

                      1. Edge Computing: Edge computing involves processing data locally on the device or in nearby edge servers, reducing the reliance on cloud computing. This trend enables AI-powered mobile apps to perform complex tasks and analysis directly on the device, leading to faster response times, enhanced privacy, and reduced dependency on internet connectivity.

                      Implications: The increasing adoption of edge computing enables apps to respond quickly to user inputs, process sensor data in real-time, and provide immediate feedback, leading to faster and more seamless experiences.

                      2. Federated Learning: Federated learning allows AI models to be trained collaboratively on decentralized data from multiple devices without transferring sensitive user data to the cloud. Each device performs local model training, and only model updates are exchanged, ensuring privacy and data security.

                      Implications: Future advancements will likely include greater transparency, explainability, and fairness in AI algorithms to ensure user trust and mitigate potential biases or discriminatory outcomes.

                      Personalize, Engage, and Future Proof with AI

                      In this era of technological revolution, artificial intelligence stands as a beacon of innovation and possibility. AI integration in mobile apps offers compelling benefits such as personalized experiences, improved user engagement, increased efficiency, advanced functionalities, data-driven decision-making, competitive advantage, and future-proofing. 

                      These reasons make AI integration a strategic choice for app developers looking to deliver exceptional user experiences and drive the success of their mobile app projects.

                      By partnering with Fingent, you can leverage our expertise in AI and mobile app development to unlock the transformative potential of AI in your app projects. From custom travel apps to apps using AI enabled chatbots and virtual assistants, Fingent has created unique solutions for clients across the globe. Our commitment to delivering tailored solutions, adherence to data privacy, and end-to-end services make us an ideal choice for AI mobile app development.

                      Contact us, the leading custom software development company, and let’s explore the possibilities together.

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                        About the Author

                        ...
                        Tony Joseph

                        Tony believes in building technology around processes, rather than building processes around technology. He specializes in custom software development, especially in analyzing processes, refining it and then building technology around it.He works with clients on a daily basis to understand and analyze their operational structure, discover (and not invent) key improvement areas and come up with technology solutions to deliver an efficient process.

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                          Today, technology unlocks the value of time, allowing us to easily juggle multiple tasks and accomplish much more in less time. For some time now, SAP has become the backbone of efficient business operations. It has helped many businesses streamline their operations and scale their business to never before imagined heights.

                          Have you implemented SAP yet? If you have, then you must see firsthand how amazing it is! In this blog, we will help you maintain that awesomeness by giving you some great tips on managing and troubleshooting common SAP errors and issues.

                          Why SAP Is No Longer An Option But A Necessity

                          To manage current processes, many businesses still use a wide array of legacy software programs and possibly cloud apps to handle different procedures.

                          Did you know: Enterprises add 1,061 applications on average to their ecosystem. – 2023 connectivity Benchmark Report by Mulesoft Research.

                          In many organizations, it is common for separate departments to purchase and develop their own software solutions, operating independently of one another. This can lead to the use of multiple software programs within a department, which often lack the ability to integrate with each other.

                          A 2023 connectivity Benchmark Report by Mulesoft Research shows that only 29% of the surveyed businesses’ applications are properly integrated.

                          As a result, businesses may struggle to create a unified ecosystem that meets their current needs. To address this, audit your current toolkit and consider implementing a comprehensive ERP solution that can integrate various business operations. SAP solutions offer the ability to integrate these modular apps and create a more cohesive business system. By using a unified approach, businesses can improve their overall operations and drive growth.

                          The report by Mulesoft Research further mentioned that only 36% of enterprises consider the lack of integration between siloed apps the biggest challenge to digital transformation. Now if you aren’t one of them and have already implemented SAP, that is commendable indeed!  –

                          However, the SAP system can be quite intricate. Given that, issues and errors may arise due to various factors.

                          Read more: Driving Business Modernization with SAP!

                          Suggestions And Tips to Manage and Troubleshoot SAP Implementation Issues

                          Here are some suggestions for common SAP errors and issues along with tips to manage and troubleshoot those issues effectively.

                          Issue #1- Slow Performance

                          Various aspects affect performance. These include network issues, database problems, or system overload. SAP performance issues, if ignored, can cause serious problems. To troubleshoot and manage this try the following steps:

                          • Identify the source: Identify the component or area that is responsible for the slowness. You can do this by keeping a tab on SAP performance metrics like response times, resource usage, and so on.
                          • Analyze logs and traces: Use tools provided by SAP to analyze logs and traces.
                          • Monitor hardware and network components: Monitoring servers, storage devices, and network components can help ensure the hardware is adequately configured, updated, and optimized.
                          • Check system performance: Check system performance periodically to identify trends and patterns.
                          • Optimize database: Check for memory leaks and increase database cache if necessary. Perform regular maintenance tasks like defragmentation and indexing.

                          Issue #2 – Authorization

                          Authorization problems may arise if SAP users lack the necessary access to certain transactions or functions. Here are some steps you can take to address authorization issues:

                          • Check who has what authorization: Confirm that users have the appropriate authorizations for the pertinent transactions and functions. The specified user needs a specific authorization object. Use the SE37 transaction or SE80 in test mode. The result table is very compact and easy to understand for authorization experts.

                          To help solve authorization problems, you can ask yourself:

                          1. What data did the user access to avail which function?
                          2. What was the reaction of the system and how should it have reacted?
                          3. How is the authorization check set up?
                          • Verify if the roles and profiles match: Ensure user roles and profiles are correctly assigned.
                          • Use the right tools: Utilize the authorization trace tool to identify any authorization problems.

                          Issue #3 – Data Inconsistencies

                          Data inconsistency problems can occur when data is incorrectly entered or updated in SAP. These issues fall into one or more categories such as unavailable data, internal inconsistency, inconsistent page, and inconsistent page set. To identify and troubleshoot data inconsistencies, try the following steps:

                          • Identify: Identify the database and the table space that contain inconsistent data.
                          • Prevent escalation of the problem: Limit access to the data before an attempt is made to resolve the inconsistency. Doing so prevents subsequent updates to the inconsistent data and thus prevents the problem from escalating.
                          • Verify data: Verify if the data entered and updated is correct in SAP.
                          • Search the data: Locate missing or duplicate data.
                          • Use the right tools: Use the data consistency check tool to identify data inconsistencies.

                          Issue #4 – ABAP Programming Errors

                          ABAP programming errors can have many causes and can interrupt the program. The most common reasons for these errors are non-handled exceptions, or that a handleable exception was not handled, a non-handleable exception was raised, an exit message was sent, or an assertion failed.  Here is what you can do to troubleshoot the issue:

                          • Analyze the error message: Read the error message carefully to understand the nature of the problem. Look for keywords or specific error codes that can provide insights into the issue.
                          • Review the code: Examine the ABAP code where the error occurred. Pay attention to the line number mentioned in the error message. Check for syntax errors, missing or incorrect statements, or any potential logical issues.
                          • Debug the code: Use the ABAP debugger to step through the code and identify the exact point where the error occurs. Set breakpoints in the code to stop execution at specific lines and observe variable values to pinpoint the problem.
                          • Analyze data and variables: Evaluate the data and variables used in the code. Ensure they contain the expected values and are correctly assigned. Use data inspectors, watchpoints, or variable analysis tools to monitor their values during runtime.
                          • Check system logs: Review system logs, such as the ABAP runtime error log (ST22 transaction), to gather additional information about the error. Look for any relevant entries that can provide clues about the root cause.
                          • Apply software patches and updates: Ensure that your SAP system is up-to-date with the latest patches and updates. Some errors might be resolved by applying the relevant software fixes provided by SAP.

                          Issue #5 – Integration Issues

                          Integration issues occur when there are issues with data exchange between SAP and other systems. To troubleshoot integration issues, try the following steps:

                          • Identify the scope and symptoms: Clearly define the integration problem you are facing and identify the specific symptoms. For example, determine if it’s a data transfer issue, communication problem, or functional discrepancy.
                          • Review integration configurations: Verify the integration settings and configurations in both the sending and receiving systems. Check the integration points, interfaces, message types, mappings, and adapters to ensure they are correctly set up.
                          • Check system connectivity: Validate the connectivity between the systems involved in the integration. Ensure that network connections, firewalls, and communication channels are properly configured and accessible.
                          • Analyze error messages and logs: Examine error messages, log files, and monitoring tools specific to the integration scenario. SAP provides various tools like SAP PI/PO monitoring, SAP AIF, or SAP CPI for monitoring and error analysis. Analyze the messages and logs to identify any error codes, timestamps, or specific details that can help pinpoint the issue.
                          • Collaborate with integration partners: Engage with the stakeholders involved in the integration, such as functional consultants, technical teams, or external partners. Collaborate to understand their system configurations, share information, and jointly troubleshoot the issue.

                          Read more: Top Business Benefits to Gain with Fingent’s SAP AMS Services!

                          SAP AMS

                          How Can Fingent Help

                          Automating the monitoring and optimization of SAP performance can significantly enhance your enterprise operations. It is a positive step towards maximizing productivity and efficiency. As a trusted industry leader, Fingent can assist you in optimizing your SAP system and other relevant tools to ensure they function seamlessly within your enterprise.

                          To avoid costly performance and security issues associated with SAP systems, it is advisable to consult our experienced SAP experts. At Fingent, we are proficient in tailoring SAP solutions to meet the unique need of your enterprise. Our team is equipped with global expertise in implementing SAP solutions across various industries and business sizes.

                          Contact us today to explore your SAP options and benefit from a seamless implementation that aligns with your enterprise requirements.

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                            About the Author

                            ...
                            Ashok Kumar

                            Ashok leads Fingent’s SAP Consulting practice for ANZ, SE Asia, The Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and other global clients. More specifically, he helps companies improve operational efficiency by enhancing their digital cores and improving their application integration. Ashok has amassed over 20 years of leadership and consulting experience having worked with Global giants like SAP, IBM Consulting, Capgemini, & Oracle in his previous assignments. Connect with Ashok via LinkedIn and learn how your business can excel with recent SAP trends.

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                              “Cloud computing is really a no-brainer for any start-up because it allows you to test your business plan very quickly for little money. Every start-up, or even a division within a company that has an idea for something new, should be figuring out how to use cloud computing in its plan.” – Brad Jefferson, Animoto CEO.

                              Cloud Application Development, originally known as the modern cloud, was first invented in the 2000s. Today, “The Cloud” denotes servers that can be accessed through the Internet and the crux software and databases that are the backbone of those servers.

                              The cloud has consistently grown from its genesis and is currently the backbone of many leading organizations. In this article, we will look at Cloud Applications developments, their basic framework, advantages, best practices, challenges, and benefits.

                              What Is Cloud Computing? 

                              As the name suggests, cloud computing is the distribution of various software services and the ability to access them proffered by cloud service providers to users or customers over the internet. These infrastructures include tools and applications like software, servers, data storage, networking, artificial intelligence, analytics, and databases. They essentially provide faster progress, more flexibility, and drastically reduce operational costs.

                              Read more: Choosing the right Cloud Service Model for your business – IaaS, PaaS, SaaS.

                              Cloud computing

                              Types Of Cloud Services 

                              There are three main types of cloud settings that are used widely for their efficiency and are generally referred to as “models for cloud development.”

                              1. IaaS –

                              Infrastructure-as-a-Service offers access to essential network structures on the cloud, like storage space, virtual servers, links, and networks for enterprises. All of this can be done without the business needing to purchase or maintain the internet infrastructure.

                              IaaS is also the oldest and most basic cloud computing model. Examples of businesses that utilize IaaS include Google Compute Engine, Azure Virtual Machines, and AWS EC2.

                              2. PaaS –

                              In Platform-as-a-Service service, developers can build or create a cloud application development framework and customize the software however they desire. In the PaaS model, software developers or services rent a cloud solutions company to develop an application.

                              The cloud solutions company then uses the infrastructure and operating systems to create development tools that offer better computing, database, memory, and data storage. Some examples of PaaS providers are Windows Azure and AWS.

                              3. SaaS –

                              Lastly, the Software-as-a-Service model delivers cloud software that grants users access to the internet without needing to install or maintain them.  It is well known for its applications that can be built or developed even on a local terminal and deployed to a cloud-based server. Slack, MailChimp, Gmail, and Salesforce are a few examples of SaaS products.

                              Benefits Of Cloud Computing 

                              Cloud Computing is by far the most cost-effective path that small or large organizations can take. Saving as much money as possible and cutting costs is a vital requisite for any business, and Cloud Computing can evidently help there. Aside from this, Cloud Computing also has other benefits:

                              1. High Availability

                              High availability in a system is undoubtedly a strong benefit for an organization as it will face negligible downtime. Downtime in cloud-based services is counted in seconds instead of minutes or hours.

                              “The primary benefit of moving an organization’s services to the cloud is near real-time deployment capabilities in a highly available architecture.” – John Breth Founder/Managing Principal at J.B.C.

                              2. Faster time to market

                              In a cloud-based application, developers can create new instances or retire them in mere seconds, allowing them to efficiently accelerate development with quick deployments. Cloud computing also supports new innovations and provides a platform for the easy testing of new ideas and designs without hardware limitations or slow retention processes.

                              3. Reliability

                              Reliability refers to how well a service can keep up with the promises it makes while performing tasks. It also fortifies highly available databases from randomly corrupting data records or deleting reports. Cloud computing proffers regular upgrades, updates, and damage control patches and tests its applications to make sure its services are perfect as promised.

                              4. Data loss prevention

                              Data loss is a major headache for most organizations and can lead to many complications, but Cloud computing can help here as well. With cloud computing, your data backup is up-to-date and disaster recovery is exceptionally fast. Uploading data into the cloud for storage can help prevent data loss even during emergencies, such as hardware malfunction, malicious cyber attacks, or simple user errors.

                              5. Automation

                              A great vantage in the world of technology is automation. This makes machines with quick automation a highly sought-after commodity. Every Google Cloud, IBM, AWS, and Azure product has a built-in API interface that makes it programable. Developers simply need to create, configure and demolish cloud-based resources with Software Development Kits (SDKs) written in Java, Python, JavaScript, and C++.

                              What is Cloud Application Development? 

                              Now that we know the amazing benefits of the Cloud, let’s get into what Cloud Application Development is.

                              Cloud Application Development essentially is the creating, testing, deploying, and running of software services in the cloud. They are called cloud software because these applications are built in a cloud-based environment. Cloud Application Development involves various stages of software development; each of these stages devises the application to go live and hit the market successfully.

                              The biggest beneficiaries of cloud applications are business owners. This technology allows businesses to simplify their operations and gradually enhances their bottom line. Cloud-based applications also provide flexibility and enable you to adapt to the latest business trends in order to keep up with competition. Hence, most businesses have started to transition from on-premise to cloud-based software development methods.

                              Read more: Cloud Native: The Modern Way To Develop Software

                              cloud native

                              Cloud Application Development Framework 

                              Cloud App Development Framework is the tools and technologies needed to create, control, and administer cloud applications. The tools provided by Cloud Application Development Framework include developmental tools, middleware technology, administration managing software, and various other Cloud Applications.

                              Some of the more popular Cloud Application Development Frameworks are:

                              1. Java

                              Java frameworks, such as J2EE, Hibernate, and Spring are generally used by beginners because these frameworks make the whole development of strong cloud computing applications process very easy.

                              2. Azure

                              Azure is a famous platform that provides excellent security to cloud computing applications. Developers using this framework can easily integrate applications, systems, and data.

                              3. Google Cloud

                              The Google Cloud Architecture Framework is most famous for its best practices of secure, efficient, resilient, high-performing, and cost-effective applications.

                              Advantages Of Cloud Application Development

                              There are many advantages of Cloud Application Development but listed below are 5 of the most important and prominent ones:

                              1. Scalability

                              Scalability in terms of Cloud Computing refers to the ability of the application to increase or decrease IT resources when demands change. It is one of the greatest features of the cloud as it allows users to scale many machines and processing power simultaneously, making it a highly flexible service.

                              2. Cost Effectiveness

                              Business owners should be very mindful of their expenses and making smart decisions in order to curb extravagant expenses should be second nature to them. Cloud Application Development is extremely cost-effective as it follows a pay-as-you-go technique. Here the costs of using the cloud application are reflected directly in the needs of the customer, making the initial transition to a cloud service less complicated and pocket-friendly.

                              3. Security

                              The Cloud is widely famous for its airtight security and the secret lies in its method of data encryption and transfer of data over networks and storage databases. A report by RapidScale claimed that 94% of businesses noticed a big jump in security after switching to Cloud Computing Applications, and 91% stated that the Cloud makes it easier to abide by government compliance requirements.

                              4. Flexibility

                              Cloud Application Development proffers organizations with extreme flexibility and overall agility. Its top-notch flexibility and improved freedom make a significant impression on the overall efficiency of an organization. A survey conducted by InformationWeek said that “65% majority of respondents stated that the ability to quickly meet business demands was the most important reason a business should transition to a cloud-based environment.”

                              5. Accessibility

                              Due to its previously discussed scalability and flexibility, Cloud Application Development is highly accessible. The Cloud grants users the ability to quickly and easily use and store information anywhere on the internet. An internet cloud infrastructure is reportedly known for increasing an organization’s overall productivity and efficiency simply by making its data easily accessible.

                              Best Practices For Cloud Application Development 

                              The better a Cloud Application Development process is, the more resilient and reliable its application is most likely to be: 

                              • Understanding Business Needs And Requirements: 

                              It is very important to first analyze your business needs and requirements before making any drastic investments. Understand the premise of your technological needs and check your organization’s budget before making the transition to cloud-based application development. 

                              • Leveraging The Right Cloud Services And Tools:

                              Leverage your option in Cloud Services and look for the most beneficial and trustworthy service. Each service has its own data and supports a specific business goal. Ensure that these goals align with your own business goals. 

                              • Building For Scalability And Flexibility:

                              Remember to keep maximum scalability and flexibility in mind when developing your Cloud Application. We have already seen how important these two factors are when it comes to the overall success of a business. 

                              • Emphasizing Security: 

                              Security of the highest quality is the most important factor when developing a cloud application. Secure your business data and emphasize to your partner the importance of data protection. Look for solutions that will respect your need for top-notch security and will provide it perfectly. 

                              • Implementing Automation And Monitoring Tools: 

                              Artificial Intelligence and many more emerging technologies are on the brink of changing the course of the world completely. Ensure to reap the benefits of these technologies as much as you can while developing a cloud application. These technologies can acutely benefit with automation and monitoring of cloud-based applications. 

                              Challenges In Cloud Application Development 

                              Just like any internet application, even cloud applications have their fair share of challenges during development. Listed below are a few of those challenges:

                              1. Security and Compliance

                              Security and Compliance of information is the biggest challenge in cloud application development because of its complicated nature and various operating conditions. These security issues can be rectified by employing encryption, security hardware, and security applications. Users should never cut corners when it comes to security practices when developing a new Cloud Application.

                              2. Integration With Legacy Systems

                              Since enterprise solutions have new applications that replace the legacy side of older applications and since these legacy systems were built without an API approach, it results in the older applications not being able to process newer, more modern technology applications such as IoT apps, Saas apps, and other similar applications.

                              3. Resource Management

                              The scale of modern data centers, the diversity of resource types, and their independent features, and in addition to this, the wide range of objectivities differ from one cloud ecosystem to another. All of these factors, put together, create a wedge in resource management.

                              4. Choosing The Right Cloud Service Provider

                              Finding a cloud service provider that is good at communicating and interpreting your business needs is rare but integral. It does not matter how long you take to find this perfect partner, patiently scrutinize all your options and look for a capable service provider.

                              Best Practices For Cloud Application Development

                              The better a Cloud Application Development process is, the more resilient and reliable its application is most likely to be:

                              1. Understanding Business Needs And Requirements

                              It is very important to first analyze your business needs and requirements before making any drastic investments. Understand the premise of your technological needs and check your organization’s budget before making the transition to cloud-based application development.

                              2. Leveraging The Right Cloud Services And Tools

                              Leverage your option in Cloud Services and look for the most beneficial and trustworthy service. Each service has its own data and supports a specific business goal. Ensure that these goals align with your own business goals.

                              3. Building For Scalability And Flexibility

                              Remember to keep maximum scalability and flexibility in mind when developing your Cloud Application. We have already seen how important these two factors are when it comes to the overall success of a business.

                              4. Emphasizing Security

                              The highest quality security is the most important factor when developing a cloud application. Secure your business data and emphasize the importance of data protection to your partner. Look for solutions that will respect your need for top-notch security and will provide it perfectly.

                              5. Implementing Automation And Monitoring Tools

                              Artificial Intelligence and many more emerging technologies are on the brink of changing the course of the world completely. Ensure to reap the benefits of these technologies as much as you can while developing a cloud application. These technologies can acutely benefit with automation and monitoring of cloud-based applications.

                              Use cases – Cloud Application Development

                              1. Enterprise Applications

                              Major examples of Enterprise Applications are Enterprise Dynamics 365, WordPress, and BambooHR, among many others.

                              2. Mobile Applications

                              Amazon, Shopify etc, are examples of mobile cloud computing and when we use our phones or tablets to track our account balance or make a purchase on e-commerce platforms, we interact with these applications.

                              3. IoT Applications

                              IoT device systems, including Google Nest or Alexa, are examples of IoT applications running on a cloud base. They collect data on the house’s energy usage, analyze the gathered data and make suitable suggestions to the homeowner on how to manage energy consumption.

                              4. E-commerce Application

                              Elastic Beanstalk from Amazon Web Services is used for its online storefront, web apps, and API structure. With this application, online vendors need not know anything about network maintenance to launch and control customized applications quickly.

                              How Can Fingent Help?

                              Fingent top custom software development company is a world-renowned service provider with stable markets and satisfied customers on four continents. Our experts utilize the latest and fast-emerging advanced technology to make your project development process easy and flawless. Their experience in cloud-based technology will aid your business in exploiting all aspects of the cloud. We have our own unique approach to developing a cloud application and have countless customers with happy reviews to back them up. Give us a call, and let us get talking.

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                                About the Author

                                ...
                                Vinod Saratchandran

                                Vinod has conceptualized and delivered niche mobility products that cater to various domains including logistics, media & non-profits. He leads, mentors & coaches a team of Project Coordinators & Analysts at Fingent.

                                Talk To Our Experts

                                  Are you a business owner who is in a quandary about migrating your business to SAP S/4HANA? Do you do it now, or do you wait? Here’s some help!

                                  Most business owners are moving toward SAP S/4HANA at their own pace. Most businesses put away migration due to the lack of urgency. For one thing, they feel that the discontinuation deadline of support ERP support is four years away (2027). Not all agree, though.

                                  24% of businesses are already using SAP S/4HANA.

                                  If this isn’t reason enough, a business should move to SAP S/4HANA to make the project worthwhile on all fronts: SAP S/4HANA is a prerequisite for completing your digital transformation. Without that transformation, you will be left behind your competitors. Worse yet, you will be behind where your users expect and need you to be.

                                  SAP S/4HANA is not just a technical upgrade, it is a business transformation. So, you should not be asking, do it now or wait. Instead, remember the current scenario: it is now or never!

                                  Takeaway: the longer you wait to migrate to SAP S/4HANA, the farther you will fall behind your competitors.

                                  Read more: Strategizing a successful SAP S/4HANA Migration for your business

                                  SAP S/4HANA Migration

                                  Top 10 Reasons Why You Must Migrate Now

                                  The reasons for migration are compelling because the benefits are significant. With S/4HANA, companies can focus on growth and expansion without worrying about the technical aspects of integrating various IT systems.

                                  The benefits of S/4HANA are countless, and it is time for your business to unlock its full potential. Join the league of agile and adaptable businesses today by incorporating S/4HANA into your business model.

                                  Did you know: Increased revenue from functionality enabled by SAP S4HANA resulted in a net profit of 25.2 million?

                                  1. Better Integration and An Intuitive User Experience 

                                  S/4HANA comes with a sleek and user-friendly interface that makes it easy for businesses to design custom apps that work seamlessly across various devices. For instance, a company can create separate apps for sales inquiry, order overview, and sales fulfillment and then grant access to these apps based on the user’s role.

                                  S/4HANA makes it simple to deploy one or many apps across different departments and functions, including sales, human resources, finance, and much more. With better integrations and an intuitive experience, S/4HANA is a smart choice for organizations looking to streamline their operations and boost productivity.

                                  Did you know: Customer retention valued at 8.4 million was made possible due to the capabilities enabled by SAP S/4HANA?

                                  2. Real-Time Analytics

                                  One of any business’s top priorities is access to real-time data. Real-time data can help provide actionable insights on everything – from user behavior and user interactions to business intelligence.

                                  Using a mechanism called a virtual data model, SAP S/4HANA can transform on-the-fly data optimized for transactional purposes into an analytics-ready structure. This solution can benefit users in business processes as they need valuable and relevant insights to help them make the right data-driven decisions on the fly.

                                  SAP S/4HANA Embedded Analytics offers users a fantastic advantage by offering a plethora of preconfigured Business Content in the form of KPIs, analytical reports, predictive and planning scenarios, dashboards, and multidimensional reports that are like advanced pivot tables. This wealth of resources makes it incredibly user-friendly by providing ready-to-use solutions that cater to specific business requirements.

                                  Did you know: Increased revenue from functionality enabled by SAP S4HANA resulted in a net profit of 25.2 million?

                                  3. Enhanced Mobility

                                  S/4HANA is the key to agility and flexibility in the business world. With its easy-to-use interface and flexible deployment options, the system allows companies to seamlessly update their business processes. Add a new sales channel, acquire a new company, or undergo a merger – S/4HANA can handle it all.

                                  Let’s take the example of a company that has acquired another company that uses SAP and non-SAP IT systems. In the past, aggregating data, indexing, and integrating it would have been a daunting task. However, with S/4HANA, the integration process has become seamless and effortless. The system provides an option to bring the system into the SAP cloud without needing to integrate them. Businesses can leverage applications like Simple Finance to aggregate data from all of their acquisitions and subsidiaries without any hassle.

                                  Did you know: Reduced run times are valued at over 2.1 million?

                                  4. Simplified Landscape

                                  SAP S/4HANA has revolutionized the business world by offering a simplified landscape. Businesses can now reduce complexity and streamline operations, thanks to this innovative solution. With SAP S/4HANA, companies can manage their IT infrastructure with ease, freeing up resources to focus on core business activities. From analytics to supply chain management, SAP S/4HANA provides all the support a business needs in a simple, intuitive package.

                                  Furthermore, the system is cloud-ready, meaning that businesses can have access to the latest technologies and innovations without having to continuously upgrade their systems. SAP S/4HANA offers rich functionality and data analytics capabilities, providing businesses with real-time access to critical information and insights.

                                  With a simplified landscape, companies can focus on their business objectives and drive growth, without worrying about the complexity of their IT infrastructure. In conclusion, SAP S/4HANA is the future of business systems. A simplified landscape is the first step toward unlocking the full value of the system and is becoming increasingly necessary. SAP S/4HANA is the perfect solution for businesses seeking a simplified IT environment that is scalable, intuitive, and functional.

                                  Did you know: Increased productivity of IT organization employees is worth $442,971?

                                  5. Advanced Automation

                                  With S/4HANA, businesses can say goodbye to boring, repetitive tasks thanks to the Robotic Process Automation solutions that automate these mundane tasks. This leaves employees with more time to work on important tasks that require special attention. To make things even better, there are over 150 RPA bots available to use with S/4HANA. The integration of AI and ML technologies can provide intelligent insights into data collected from automation, taking things to the next level.

                                  6. Better Data Management

                                  If you run a business, you know how important database management is. Well, with SAP, you can take a deep breath and relax. They got you covered with a bunch of solutions made to make your IT environment even more manageable.

                                  For example, with SAP HANA database administration, all your SAP ERP data is under lock and key and constantly being checked for optimization. You will never have to worry about it being unavailable.

                                  7. Improved Integration

                                  Preparing financial reports for a multinational company with multiple subsidiaries is not an easy job. It is tedious to connect with different groups, collect data and prepare reports. However, with S/4HANA you can easily connect with other people and groups and close books faster. Improved integration enables you to monitor, access, and analyze data from different groups.

                                  Did you know: Accelerated cash flow managing customer orders valued at $439,675?

                                  8. Greater Scalability

                                  As a business grows, it’s crucial to ensure that data storage, access, and processing capabilities are able to scale accordingly. Fortunately, SAP S/4HANA offers a valuable advantage in this area with its ability to easily scale based on concurrent users and associated data volume across various network environments. This means that businesses are able to expand their data models without the concern of decreased performance. With SAP S/4HANA data growth will not impede a business’s ability to keep up with demand.

                                  Did you know: Simplified accounting accelerated collection worth 1.1 million?

                                  9. Enhanced Security

                                  SAP S/4HANA is known for its exceptional data and application security, making it a top choice for many organizations. Additionally, the platform offers secure setups and other benefits. Moreover, privacy features enable compliance with regulatory and compliance requirements.

                                  10. Future-proof your business

                                  SAP S/4HANA is a cutting-edge platform created to cater to contemporary businesses’ and future demands. Its state-of-the-art features will enable businesses to stay adaptable and keep up with the ever-changing business environment, ensuring they stay competitive.

                                  Read more: SAP ECC vs SAP S/4HANA – What should be the next move for your business?

                                  SAP S/4HANA

                                  How Can Fingent Help

                                  From vision to design and delivery to maintenance, Fingent can help bring end-to-end expertise to your business’s digital transformation challenge with SAP S/4HANA. Our team can assist in transforming your strategic goals into a digital framework that streamlines your procedures and simultaneously triggers future innovation.

                                  We offer a range of services, from implementing new systems to converting and consolidating existing SAP Business Suite systems. Our expertise in strategy and delivery enables us to join your journey at any stage, producing a sustainable platform that facilitates the growth of your business. Reach out to us today and let’s get started on this amazing transformation.

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                                    About the Author

                                    ...
                                    Ashok Kumar

                                    Ashok leads Fingent’s SAP Consulting practice for ANZ, SE Asia, The Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and other global clients. More specifically, he helps companies improve operational efficiency by enhancing their digital cores and improving their application integration. Ashok has amassed over 20 years of leadership and consulting experience having worked with Global giants like SAP, IBM Consulting, Capgemini, & Oracle in his previous assignments. Connect with Ashok via LinkedIn and learn how your business can excel with recent SAP trends.

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                                      “A simple rule: always give people more than they expect.”    –  Nelson Boswell 

                                      The cycle of business starts and ends with customers. Keeping them satisfied and happy is the number one rule of any business that dreams of being successful. Customer needs and expectations never cease, so businesses should always be prepared to meet and exceed their needs. Artificial Intelligence has been a substantial help in this area since the late 19th century, and it consistently finds new innovative ways to amplify its presence in modern businesses.

                                      Meeting Customer Needs and Exceeding Expectations

                                      Recent research reported that a good number of executives have already planned to invest more in rising technology to gain a competitive advantage. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, almost all businesses were forced to move to an online platform to survive, further underscoring the need to adopt AI technology.

                                      It is extremely imperative to recognize and address the needs, desires, and emotions of people which change from moment to moment. Businesses have to provide their customers and clients with care beyond purchases and respond to the intricacies in their lives. In a world that moves forward so fast, it’s best not to fall behind.

                                      Read more: Realizing Self- Service in Modern Customer Experiences

                                      self-service

                                      What Is Artificial Intelligence and How Does It Impact Customer Experience?

                                      The textbook definition of Artificial Intelligence is – a semblance of human-like intelligence processed by machines, especially computer systems. AI is used by developers to:

                                      • efficiently perform mundane tasks that humans otherwise do.
                                      • connect with customers.
                                      • recognize patterns.
                                      • solve problems.

                                      AI Customer experience is when artificial intelligence tools are used to learn about customers and improve their business experience. The AI technologies that are famously emerging include machine learning, natural language processing, automation, chatbots, virtual assistants, and even enhanced customer experience platforms.

                                      There are three major ways in which AI impacts Customer Experience –

                                      1. Better Understanding Of Customer

                                      Artificial Intelligence combined with machine learning enhances the gathering and analyzing of social and factual data of customers, which then facilitates businesses to gain an accurate understanding of their customers. AI is known for continuously learning and improving from the data it surveys. This enables it to predict customer behavior perfectly.

                                      2. Real-time Decision Making

                                      Making decisions in real-time is the ability of AI to collect fresh data from current interaction with a customer and make a decision with near-zero delay. It is a very effective marketing strategy and often leads to predictive analysis, which is the process of analyzing statistics, data mining, and modeling to make accurate predictions.

                                      3. Hyper-Personalization

                                      Artificial Intelligence, along with all its advanced technologies, proffers content that is specifically relevant to the customer. This eradicates the need to search for services the customer requires manually and adds a layer of comfort to the business and its customization techniques.

                                      Top Ways Businesses Use AI To Tweak Customer Experience

                                      Following are the top 8 utilities that Artificial Intelligence provides to boost customer experience –

                                      1. Personalization

                                      Businesses can easily gain a clear picture of their customer preferences and requirements by using AI and ML technologies which acquire and analyzes social, factual, and behavioral data. AI is built to predict client behavior by regularly surveying and improving the data it collects. This facilitates companies to analyze customer demographics and personal preferences. This, in turn, highlights the relevant products and resources during the browsing process.

                                      2. Chatbots

                                      A chatbot is a conversational AI using machine learning and natural language processing. It is automated and programmed to pretend to be human and carry out programming tasks based on specific triggers. Its unique ability is to conveniently and efficiently generate conversations between two people.

                                      The most commonly found type of chatbot is a “question-answer bot” —this form of chatbot refrains from using advanced artificial intelligence but instead accesses a smaller knowledge base and utilizes pattern recognition.

                                      Artificial Intelligence powered Chatbots make a business’s presence accomplished by allowing customers to find what they are looking for while simultaneously delivering a seamless experience.

                                      Did You Know: 35% of customers want to see chatbots being used more often to improve communication and offer a better experience overall.

                                      The best examples of Chatbots are – Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, and Google Assistant.

                                      Using simple rules and past interactions, bots provide insightful replies to any query, making their responses accurate, short, and creative.

                                      3. Predictive Analysis

                                      Predictive analytics, by definition, is to use data collected to predict a business’s future. It utilizes statistical algorithms blended with internal and external data to foresee future trends, ultimately enabling businesses to optimize inventory, enhance delivery times, boost sales, and reduce operational costs. A more accurate and punctual prediction occurs when Artificial Intelligence is added to the mix. Predictive analytics can be used by advanced analytics tools and machine learning models across any industry or business function.

                                      4. Voice Recognition

                                      The voice recognition model functions purely with the aid of AI to

                                      • analyze the user’s voice and language,
                                      • learn the words spoken,
                                      • and then bring forth outputs with transcription accuracy as text data on a screen or model content.

                                      With the help of this technology, devices can interact and respond to human questions in uncannily natural language.

                                      With the ability to understand and converse with human language, Voice AI has opened up great opportunities for businesses to serve their customers better. It efficiently speeds up processes, increases productivity, and scales operations.

                                      Approximately 55% of virtual assistant users prefer speech recognition apps be they proffer a complete hands-off operation of devices.

                                      Examples of businesses that integrated AI for voice recognition and have successfully replaced touch-screen devices are – Amazon Echo, Siri, Google Assistant, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and a few others.

                                      5. Sentiment Analysis

                                      A sentiment analysis system collects specific customer feedback and uses it to improve company products and services. When AI technologies are fused with this system, it can identify objects or situations that customers feel any negative emotions towards as expressed in text. AI understands the undertone of a statement rather than simply noting a negative or positive connotation.

                                      Sentiment Analysis is majorly utilized by marketers to better understand their consumers’ sentiments, beliefs, and motives perfectly to make advertising to specific groups effective. It has a wide array of benefits ranging from patient insights and online reputation management to competitor analysis and product development.

                                      Almost all social media platforms use Sentiment Analytics powered by AI. This way brands and companies can keep track of the content being shared and censor or filter content that could evoke negative emotions and cause problems.

                                      6. Customer Journey Mapping

                                      A customer journey map as the name suggests, is essentially the visual representation of the customer’s journey from brand discovery to purchase and post-purchase. It enables businesses to retrace a customer’s footsteps and see where their services might need any improvements or upgrades.

                                      All through this journey, AI and Machine Learning play a vital role in ensuring a headache-free shopping experience. There are three essential stages to customer shopping: the Pre-Purchase, purchase, and post-purchase. With the assistance of AI and ML, customers thread these maps and help brands analyze and prioritize activities that impact customers, boosting internal collaboration and coordination.

                                      The benefits of creating a customer journey map are that it helps:

                                      • streamline the customer experience,
                                      • optimize customer service costs,
                                      • accelerate proactive sales solutions to customer problems, and lastly, boost customer retention rate.

                                      Examples of businesses using customer journey mapping are – Home Depot, JPMorgan Chase, Starbucks, and Nike.

                                      7. Fraud Detection

                                      Fraud detection is another surprising area that AI has a distinguished hold over. AI can work with internal security to help organizations improve and protect corporate activities. Businesses can use AI to examine large quantities of exchanges and unravel misrepresentation patterns.

                                      In the case of online fraud detection and prevention, machine learning consists of a collection of AI algorithms that are specially trained with the company’s data to suggest risk rules. The business owner can then enforce the rules to block or allow certain user actions, such as suspicious logins, identity theft, or sketchy transactions.

                                      When fraud detection is handed over to AI and Machine Learning, businesses reap great benefits like – faster and more effective detection, reduced manual review time, faster predictions with bigger databases, and cost-effective solutions.

                                      8. Personal Data Protection

                                      AI and Data Protection are like two sides of the same coin; both are very important, and one cannot progress without the other. We all see and know that AI technology is advancing rapidly; it raises important questions about the use of personal data and the protection and storage of said data in AI systems.

                                      AI is frequently used to minimize the risk of privacy breaches by encrypting personal data and detecting potential cybercrime incidents. It is, therefore, pivotal for businesses to maintain a balance between technological advancements and artificial intelligence with respect for data protection rules and guidelines.

                                      The main benefit of Data Protection Artificial Intelligence is the elimination of human errors and its keen sense for spotting new trends and patterns.

                                      Amazon, Apple, Facebook, IBM, Microsoft, and many other grandiose organizations have implemented this system, and many more are predicted to follow.

                                      Read more: How AI and ML are reshaping customer experience.

                                      AI and ML

                                      AI In Action – Use Cases

                                      AI has been implemented in virtually every facet of our lives and in every industry imaginable. Here are 3 Use Cases that will give you a gist of how they can be applied successfully.

                                      1. Chatbots Creating Engaging Learning Experiences

                                      Learning experiences become unique and personalized when the right assistance is provided at each stage of learning. That’s where leading educational institutions are now deploying Automated Intelligence-driven ecosystems to facilitate students to interact with AI-enabled Teaching Assistants (AiTA). The system, when tightly integrated with other Teaching Assistant Bots, enables improved interaction, easy instructor-led training, and enhnaces student-instructor relationship.

                                      2. Simplifying Claims Management for Legal Firms

                                      A typical compensation claims processing takes up to three years for case settlement costing an average of $85000. It’s often challenging for legal firms to balance time, money, and the cases in hand. That’s why they are now implementing AI and machine learning to improve performance efficiency. Utilizing AI and machine learning to settle claims can help legal firms reduce costs up to 57%.

                                      3. Netflix Gets You!

                                      Netflix is the largest streaming platform, with more than 200 million customers globally. It gained a majority of its popularity due to its personalization feature. This streaming service uses AI to create a personalized home screen interface for individual subscribers and accounts. When viewers create a new account, they are directed to pick a few of their favorite TV series and movies. The AI at the crux of Netflix analyzes the data fed to it and provides recommendations similar to the favorites picked by the user. It continues to customize the suggestions displayed based on what the user watches.

                                      4. Rolls-Royce Rolls Out Smart, Responsible Manufacturing

                                      To exemplify the impact of AI on Predictive Analytics, we can look at Rolls-Royce, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of aircraft engines. It deployed predictive analytics to help drastically reduce the amount of carbon produced in its engine’s product while simultaneously optimizing maintenance to assist clients and keep their planes flying longer.

                                      5. Ask Julie!

                                      Ask Julie” is Amtrak’s virtual assistant. Amtrak, the national passenger railroad company of the United States has implemented this chatbot to the best advantage. Ask Julie has successfully helped provide Amtrak provide a seamless customer experience to “over 375,000 customers on their website each day and over 30 million passengers on over 300 trains each year.” The result – an 8X return on investment, more effective customer services. and reduced email costs.

                                      Finding The Right AI Partner – A Few Tips

                                      Digitalizing a business can be very daunting, especially when you want to integrate Artificial Intelligence into its core. Finding a partner who understands you and can communicate well with you is quite hard to find, but you must not give up hope! Keep looking because it is better to spend a little more at the start and have a quality setup rather than spend less and have a wobbly foundation that could jeopardize your whole AI implementation. Here are a few tips to keep in mind while looking for a capable AI partner –

                                      1. Priorities

                                      When looking for your potential AI partners, choose someone who can help the business and its employees prioritize and manage workloads.

                                      2. Comprehend The Difference Between Machine Learning And Artificial Intelligence

                                      Although the two may sound like they perform the same functions, do not be fooled. They each have their own region of expertise so look for someone who acknowledges that.

                                      3. Invest In The Right Tools

                                      In the current economy, businesses can not afford to splurge money on luxuries. Pick a partner who understands your company’s budget and can plan a perfect setup for you.

                                      How Fingent Can Help Seamlessly Leverage AI For Customer Experience 

                                      Artificial Intelligence is a wide ocean of opportunities, if you have the right swimming gear, you can glide on its surface. Making the right decisions and trusting the right people with your projects should not be taken lightly. Fingent is committed to providing impactful software solutions to meet business goals seamlessly. Our certified experts focus on client-centered transparency and offer complete services with a wide range of Artificial Intelligence capabilities. Our team can boost your business to be more efficient and robust through intelligent technology. We have nearly two decades of experience and completely understand our client’s needs and requirements. Give us a call and let us know how we can help you.

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                                        About the Author

                                        ...
                                        Tony Joseph

                                        Tony believes in building technology around processes, rather than building processes around technology. He specializes in custom software development, especially in analyzing processes, refining it and then building technology around it.He works with clients on a daily basis to understand and analyze their operational structure, discover (and not invent) key improvement areas and come up with technology solutions to deliver an efficient process.

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