There is a commercial on television right now. A young boy is sitting outside a pastry shop, looking around with giant black goggles strapped to his head. An older man walks by and is understandably baffled. The young boy smiles and lets the man try on his virtual reality (VR) goggles.
Moments later, the older man is acting like a kid again. You don’t even have to see the virtual world he’s exploring to understand the magic of the moment.
And that’s what VR is – magic. For homeowners, it’s a place where dreams come true. In an instant, they are fully immersed in the kitchen or bathroom they’ve always wanted. It is a momentary illusion brought to life by you, the contractor.
To skeptics, VR may seem like flash-in-the-pan technology. But for home improvement contractors, it may be an opportunity to move homeowners further up the sales funnel using cutting-edge technology.
How VR Works for Home Improvement Contractors
To learn more about VR, I turned to 2020 Design, a company that helps contractors create immersive VR mockups. In a matter of seconds, they had sent me a link to one of their models. I tilted my phone up and down and navigated a 360-degree view of a virtual kitchen. It looked and felt like I was in a homeowner’s kitchen.
After your crew takes measurements, 2020 Design’s computer program generates a blueprint. From there, you add the products the homeowner wants: windows, appliances, countertops, even gutters. Then, you bring the plan to life. Using VR goggles and a cell phone, the homeowner explores their new and improved home.
For contractors, VR fits seamlessly into the planning and sales process. You can upload your company’s unique product selection and homeowners can make tweaks as they see fit in virtual reality. It’s easy, it’s fast and most importantly – it’s cost-efficient.
Starting at $20, Google Cardboard goggles can even be printed to match your company’s branding. VR lowers the risk of buyer’s remorse and improves time efficiency. Profit margins rise and the margin of error shrinks. Everyone goes home happy.
The Verdict: VR is Going to be the Real Deal
When homeowners are able to make the most informed decision possible, they are more likely to buy. There will be less room for uncertainty and waffling…because they’ll actually be able to see their project before the first installer swings a hammer.
Is virtual reality everywhere? Not yet. But progressive home improvement companies are going to learn to use this new technology to shorten sales cycles, increase homeowner confidence and deliver a superior experience to their customers.