The Metaverse is an integrated network of 3D virtual worlds. When Facebook decided to change its name to “Meta”, it took the world by a storm of speculation, about whether or not the metaverse is the future of virtual reality and augmented reality. Touted as the next great frontier of technological innovation, four of the biggest tech companies which are Apple, Meta, Microsoft, and Google are each pouring billions of dollars into the development of their own virtual reality.
While there seems to be a slowdown on the hype train of the metaverse, and coincidentally, several critics remain rampant about its future use, as it is currently in the developmental stage. With that in mind, the promise of immersive realism and ubiquity of access for its users have attracted the attention of business leaders worldwide.
However, if it all goes well for the metaverse, there is one industry that will incorporate the technology immediately, namely the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. BPO companies are third-party service providers with their facilities often located offshore, as their operations occur remotely and as a support system for business processes to countless industries in the country. Their goal is to continually improve the services offered to client companies at a cost-effective solution.
How will the Metaverse influence Outsourcing Services?
The metaverse will impact outsourcing in several ways that will benefit them and their customers such as state-of-the-art virtual workspace, improved team collaboration, and potentially, new user engagement opportunities. The onslaught of the pandemic brought an irreversible change throughout the world. Gone are the days of a traditional in-office work setup, now that remote working has become a popular option for companies and their employees, a remote work landscape would be the norm from now on.
Potential changes brought by the metaverse will include a virtual workspace for enhanced collaboration between remote staff and their clients and increased opportunity to engage with customers.
Virtual Workspace
As mentioned above, remote working is here to stay. With that in mind, remote staffing is one of the most significant selling points of outsourcing services, and improvements regarding remote work setups are an attractive venture for BPO companies.
Virtual reality or augmented reality would improve a workplace environment by replacing traditional virtual meeting software such as Zoom or GoogleMeet by introducing an interactive and immersive environment.
BPO companies are one of the most receptive industries toward new technologies. Adopting innovative technologies that would help increase collaboration, and the productivity of remote staff, by having an interactive virtual meeting space between employees is a welcomed development.
New User Engagement Opportunity
The metaverse will introduce new opportunities for businesses, and improvements in the process of digital marketing, e-commerce, and social media. The metaverse would create a physical and tangible social media space that improves interaction with clients/customers. The immersive experience would tackle the current inefficiencies of Zoom and Google Meet.
Improved Team Collaboration
An improved team collaboration increases the productivity and cohesion of a team. Remote working can be challenging for some, especially if the company is inexperienced with such services. However, some outsourcing providers are well-versed in remote work setups. Garnering decades of experience by being located in offshore facilities and managing to make up the difference in time zones and cultural gaps. Collaborating with a BPO company to improve services and processes would allow for the streamlining of solutions provided by the metaverse.
The Bottom Line
Whether or not the metaverse lives up to its expectations, as it is still in the early stages of development, our daily lives will proceed as usual. In the meantime, outsourcing companies will go about their business and wait for the day it is officially released.
