From the Sales Desk: Virtual Site Surveys

As a product specialist and a hygiene expert, I’m often asked to go into food processing facilities to help prepare for an audit, update, or create a color-coding plan, suggest tools for difficult cleaning problems, or set up best storage practices. When Covid-19 hit in 2020, we realized as a company that we needed solutions for when we’re unable to safely visit facilities for public health, weather, or time constraint reasons.

As a solution, we turned to the Microsoft HoloLens, an advanced headset that uses augmented reality. Now, we can offer Virtual Site Surveys, which are free-of-charge, just like their in-person counterparts. Additionally, virtual versions of these meetings can include representatives from other plants that may have similar issues and layouts.

The HoloLens does require a stable WiFi connection, but once they’re connected and customers receive a quick training session, we’ve heard that they’re easy to use.
Virtual Site Surveys work like this:

1. We meet to set up a time/date for the survey and talk about what you want to focus on.
2. We mail you the HoloLens, and you let us know when it arrives.
3. We help you or your designated team member learn how to use the HoloLens and test the WiFi in the different focus areas of your facility.
4. Together, we walk the facility and review any challenges you’d like help with in real-time during a video conference meeting. Any questions that come up can be answered right away. You can invite as many people as you’d like to be in the room, and they’ll all be able to see and hear what the person wearing the HoloLens experiences.
5. At the meeting, I offer the same support that I would in-person, and we come up with solutions to your needs.
6. You’ll ship the HoloLens either back to us or on to the next facility.
7. Later, you’ll be able to download the updated color-coding plan we discussed and/or a list of products that you showed interest in. You’ll also receive a link with the recorded video conference call.

According to customer feedback and personal experience, Virtual Site Surveys are more convenient, faster, and don’t involve the delays and scheduling headaches that come with traveling. We hope that with the time saved from traveling to every facility, we’ll be able to help more food processors throughout the year.

If you’re interested in a Virtual Site Survey, or you have any questions, please fill out the form here. I or one of my colleagues will get back to you as soon as we can.