Live streaming demos and support app for our customers

Norbert Seo

Now, Norbert Seo (Division Head Asia & Australia) has a solution: Live streaming demos for our customers and a support app to solve problems straight away via a video link to second level support.

“We came up with the idea long before the corona crisis and we are now delighted that we are able to offer this service to our customers,” Nobert Seo says. Last November, he and his team started to analyze and implement live streaming options. Now all our subsidiaries worldwide are offering live streaming demos. “We are the only company in our sector that supports its customers with live demos. And this is of particular importance under the current circumstances when it is impossible to visit many customers personally and they cannot visit us,” Norbert adds with obvious pride.

These new sales and service tools were developed in-house. The main focus was on the quality of the transmitted image and the security of customer data.

IDEA – Innovation Demonstration Experience App

Over the past few months Norbert and his team have been carrying out tests to implement the live streaming demos.

Eddie Tu (Service Manager, Bystronic Taiwan) conducted the very first live demos in Taiwan: “We send our customers a YouTube link, which they can use to log into the live session. Since we know our customers very well, we can even carry out the demonstrations using parts they produce.”

Upon customer request, the demo can also be adapted to specific cutting or bending conditions during the actual presentation, which can hence be demonstrated live to the customer. Customers can ask questions directly using the live chat app, which are then answered either via the stream or the chat. The team also conducts online training courses for service technicians, sales staff, and hotline operators in this way.

“We conduct the sessions in English and offer technical data sheets in Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese,” Norbert adds.

The demos are available in an online archive and can thus be presented to the customer directly on site whenever required at some later date. It is also possible to use this method to carry out internal training courses.

Norbert sees even more possibilities for the new online demo solution: “All the demos are stored, so that our sales staff can showcase our machines with a simple click during their next customer visit.”

Eddie is convinced that the demos will also serve as an additional “door opener” for potential customers: “In order to motivate our existing and new customers to visit the Experience Center, the first step can be to show them the demos that relate specifically to the machine type and materials they are interested in.”

The IDEA project is being optimized continuously. In the meantime, it is being adapted and implemented around the globe by all Bystronic subsidiaries that have an Experience Center.

Video link to second level support via app

A direct link to the customer via an app. This idea also originated from our colleagues in Southeast Asia. It was first implemented in South Korea.

Norbert explains the new real-time support function: “The customer contacts our second level support in South Korea and then establishes a direct video link using the app. This enables us to offer optimal support.”

The online support service works via the customer’s smartphone, which enables the hotliner to solve the problem quickly and easily using live images. The app includes additional functions such as voice chat, sketching, image sharing, sending text messages to the customer, recording, screenshots, QR code recognition, etc. For this, Bystronic Korea purchased a special license. The standard procedure is as follows:

• The customer calls the Bystronic hotline in the normal way.
• The hotliner sends a message to the customer’s smartphone.
• The customer taps on the link and is connected to the Bystronic hotline.
• Using the camera of his/her smartphone, the customer shows the hotliner the problem, who can then provide direct support.

If the problem cannot be solved remotely, the hotliner deploys a service technician. Initial tests took place at the end of March and the feedback has been very positive, Norbert concludes: “This allows us to provide our customers with very fast and optimal support. And we are also observing how live images make it easier for our hotliners to solve problems.”

GoPro instant shooting

Stand: Alvin Huang (Application Engineer), Screen Controller: Zack Lee (Maketing Manager), they adjusting the the multi-screen position that will be display on the screen when live stream.

Stand: Alvin Huang (Application Engineer), Screen Controller: Zack Lee (Maketing Manager), they adjusting the the multi-screen position that will be display on the screen when live stream.

Preview screen before live stream.

Alvin Huang (Application Engineer),Multi-screen display, Presenters screen.

Alvin Huang (Application Engineer),Multi-screen display, Clear cutting screen

Alvin Huang (Application Engineer),Multi-screen display, BVC operation explanation

Alvin Huang (Application Engineer),Multi-screen display, Detailed parameter description of cutting parts

From the left, Alvin, (Application Engineer) Eddie, (Service Manager) Zack, (Maketing Manager) Jeremy, (Application Engineer), This picture is a member of our team being introduced during live stream.