A revolution in the revolution (that of industry 4.0), launched by Natuzzi in the new Augmented Store project. Virtual and augmented reality enter retail dynamics, definitively transforming the customer experience in a positive way.
For the Microsoft Innovation Summit held today at Bocconi University in Milan, Pasquale Junior Natuzzi (Creative Director and Stylist of the company) presented the project and its potential, perfectly in line with the theme of the conference “Transform.Innovate.Grow.”
It is no coincidence that the young entrepreneur is part of the panel of the conference (along with Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft Corporation, in Milan for the first time), given the fact that the computer giant is a partner of the initiative along with Hevolus Innovation, a B2B leader in the world of disruptive technologies (Mixed Reality and Azure, Artificial Intelligence, Microsoft Dynamics and cognitive services) on which Natuzzi relies to update the customer experience and business strategies.
Augmented Store, Natuzzi
The “futuristic” vision developed by the three players consists in a Mixed Reality system positioned in dedicated areas inside the Natuzzi Italia stores, which thanks to the combination of technological solutions (virtual reality, hologram displays, 3D configurators) and existing retail methods sets out to significantly improve the physical experience inside a retail space, along with customer satisfaction. The system has been tested initially inside the Natuzzi showroom in New York on Madison Avenue, during the recent NYCxDesign, with immediate success.
Wearing the special Microsoft HoloLens, visitors enter a virtual showroom – the Natuzzi Augmented Store – where they can view all the decor settings created by the brand, immersed in the moods of the collections, in order to personalize products in real time by changing colors, finishes and/or materials.
The experience is expanded with the contribution of the retail staff, capable of illustrating the interior design model in 3D thanks to the Holoproject technology. It thus becomes possible to stroll through the furnishings, to explore the proposal from every vantage point in actual size, and to finally produce a complete rendering – at the conclusion of the Customer Journey – that can be reviewed on a mobile phone or seen through VR devices in the comfort of one’s home.
“The Natuzzi Augmented Store is a revolution in interior design and decoration – says Pasquale Junior Natuzzi. – We offer consumers the possibility of walking in their homes, virtually displaying our collections without any boundaries. The Mixed Reality system offers us an incredible opportunity to lower stock and inventory in our stores, while increasing sales per square meter.”
The new concept will be extended to the entire Natuzzi retail network before the end of 2020.
