The Vertiv XR app helps to bring critical IT infrastructure to life through the power of augmented reality, providing a virtual “try before you buy” experience not previously available for data center equipment. The app allows you to interact with Vertiv’s state-of-the-art digital infrastructure solutions as if the actual product is in front of you, from the comfort of your home or office or in the very space you need to deploy it. Simply choose a solution to explore, virtually place the realistic 3D model where desired, explore each component in detail, and walk around it to discover all its features from every possible angle. The app is convenient to download from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

With Vertiv XR, you are in control of product exploration, from one end to the other. You decide where to place the model, the features to look at, which functions deserve a more thorough inspection, and when to engage with product experts to tailor the solution to your specific needs. Not only does it provide a showroom-like experience without the hassle of being physically there, but also harnesses the power of AR for the most meaningful experience possible. Leverage the x-ray effects to spotlight the exact subsystem you're most interested in, then add another layer of additional information on your surrounding environment and learn how it will help you achieve your business goals. The app also offers an immersive test drive by leveraging the 3D animations to visualize otherwise impossible to see functional scenarios and invisible features in a comfortable, controlled, and engaging manner.

"When the pandemic struck, we took a step back and reflected on what we were doing for our communities, how we did it, and if it was the right way to move forward," said Sergiu Tiulimeanu, digital experience architect, Vertiv. "As a result, we recognized that the four mega-trends that influence consumer behavior worldwide and across sectors impacted our customers as well: generation shift, business shift, behavioral shift, and COVID-19 shift. After digging deeper into external research, we discovered that Millennials and Gen-Z individuals advancing into buying positions in the B2B landscape are changing the game. These tech-native generations are familiar with and used to leveraging the latest technologies in all aspects of their lives to simplify complex processes, meaning that we have an opportunity to engage with them on their terms by digitalizing and automating pre-sale customer experiences."

Research showed that individuals of these generations place a much higher emphasis on life experiences and relationships, and are much more environmentally aware, so the economic advantage or gain they would get from a transactional relationship is not the lead decision-making factor anymore. The best solution would be embodied by what is offered as an experience. The generational shift greatly influenced the shift in the business sector: businesses started to digitalize heavily, thus reducing their real-estate and embracing remote working, among other changes. Of course, these two shifts then determined another great change in the markets, this time on the consumer behavior side: people started to buy virtually just as seamlessly as they do physically, and at an unprecedented scale. The last global shift, the COVID-19 pandemic, accelerated digital transformation by three to five years, and it strengthened the path to virtualization because physical contact was restricted, travel was no longer possible, and mobility itself was reduced. This experience created a number of new somatic markers and market entry points for consumers, with the newly discovered alternatives now coexisting with the transformed, old ones.

"We found, thanks to the likes of Forrester, Gartner, Forbes, TechRepublic and others, that these shifts were impacting both B2C and B2B.," Tiulimeanu said. 

After that step of the research was completed, it was time to apply scientific methods to the user experience, with rigorous content analysis, factorial analysis, and semi-guided interviews with people in direct touch with the market.

“We appreciate Mission Critical naming Vertiv XR App as the winner of the Software category in the Top Tier Product awards," Tiulimeanu said. "This project has been amazing for our team to work on, and we are excited to share the industry’s first-of-its-kind interactive tool for data center professionals. We are prepared to keep pushing the envelope of possibilities for Augmented Reality in the data center experience space.”