Mini-metaverse for virtual sales trainings

How can VR glasses be used in the insurance industry in such a way that they deliver real added value and are more than just a nice gimmick? The ERGO Group has been using the "Oculus Quest 2" glasses for some time for training its field sales staff. In this way, customer meetings can be simulated using various sales techniques and the sales staff virtually meet different customer personalities. Now the ERGO Group has been nominated for the EFMA-Accenture Awards with its VR sales training.

According to scientific findings, VR experiences are far more successful than other online trainings and appointments - up to 70 percent more effective than web-based trainings, for example. Besides the advanced and immersive experience, an additional side effect is that because of the glasses, none of the participants can answer emails or check messages on their mobile phones during the meeting. In addition, the trainings are flexible in terms of time and can start whenever the salesperson is ready. The tool was developed by the ERGO Academy and the ERGO Innovation Lab in Berlin.

ERGO has created a metaverse landscape with the living rooms of various customers for the soft skills training. Ida Fuchs was also developed as a virtual mentor who sits on the customer's couch. As a coaching avatar, Ida gives advice around the training conversations. "Sure, the virtual 3D world looks animated with the customer as the counterpart, but after a short time you get the impression that the virtual environment is real and you are in a real conversation," says Olaf Reckzeh, speaker at the ERGO Academy, in an article on the subject of VR at ERGO. At the end, the programme gives a score on how the conversations went.