Investing in technology to empower employees

Lowe's Innovation Labs develops virtual reality tools to help train employees and aid customers

Helping people love where they live requires empowered employees. Following four years of learning and leadership in bringing real-life applications of augmented and virtual reality experiences directly to consumers, Lowe’s Innovation Labs is introducing a new iteration of Holoroom How To, called Holoroom How To: Red Vest – an employee training platform that teaches associates how to use specific in-store equipment through virtual reality to help better serve customers.

Lowe’s Innovation Labs found that customers have about a 40 percent greater retention of steps to complete a DIY project when using immersive virtual reality training techniques. Building off the success of Holoroom How To, an experience that gave customers confidence to begin their next home improvement project, Lowe’s introduced the next phase of virtual learning.

The latest version of Holoroom How To was built specifically for Lowe’s associates, providing them with greater project knowledge, more motivation and increased confidence to help address customer’s window fashion needs.

Beyond the educational benefit, the platform projects a life-like simulation that teaches associates every step of the process as they advance through the module. The hands-on practice lets associates learn from potential mistakes without waste of materials or dissatisfied customers.

Beginning in November 2017, Holoroom How To: Red Vest traveled to 10 markets nationwide, including Tampa, Philadelphia and Knoxville. More than 400 associates have tested the experience and more than 90 percent have reported virtual reality training would help them to better serve our customers.

“[Holoroom Red Vest] is a great way to learn in real-life scenarios without the stress of being on the job,” said one associate.

Lowe’s commitment to discovering ways to make the customer experience more seamless doesn’t end with virtual reality training.

Lowe’s Innovation Labs is harnessing the power of robotics, so associates and customers both win. Projects like theLoweBot, the autonomous retail service robot, help free up associates to spend more time with customers, while initiatives like the Lowe’s exosuit demonstrate how soft robotics can assist associates with the physical demands of their job so they can effectively serve customers.