24/7 Access for the Rental Industry
Product: JLG Access Your World Virtual Experience
Manufacturer: JLG
Product Category: Miscellaneous
Key Innovation: “Access Your World" is an on-demand digital experience that showcases how JLG is elevating access in the areas of productivity, safety and technology through virtual job sites that feature JLG products and services across multiple applications and stages of construction.
Manufacturer's Description: “Customer interaction has changed in the wake of COVID-19, driving us to think differently about our approach to marketing,” says Jennifer Stiansen, director of marketing, JLG. “‘Access Your World’ is a unique, customer-focused virtual experience that allows visitors to explore and consume information about JLG products, services and technologies, however and wherever they prefer.”
Using 3-D equipment models, Stiansen says that visitors are able to navigate through four different job sites environments to better understand how JLG equipment can be used in specific situations, such as site preparation and steel erection work on the outside of a stadium in the first job site. Doing truss, fit out and finish work on the inside of the stadium in job site #2. Taking on finish and maintenance work within an office environment in job site #3. And, construction, maintenance and landscape work in a retail and entertainment complex in job site #4.
And in each scenario, a variety of JLG products and services are featured in the work, and visitors can click on the machines or solutions they want to know more about gaining access to additional content that will give them the information needed to make informed buying decisions. In addition to featuring virtual job sites, the “Access Your World” event offers equipment owners and end-users the opportunity to view virtual walk-around videos, download product information and apps, view 3D hydraulic schematics, order parts, sign up for training, schedule meetings and ask questions of JLG experts, offering a healthy mix of virtual and “person-to-person” interaction.
“This virtual environment was not designed to be a stop-and-go solution; rather, a start-and-grow experience that provides visitors the flexibility to attend, navigate and absorb content at any time, from anywhere, at their own pace,” says Stiansen.
RER Commentary:
When JLG began thinking of ways to help rental customers to have access to data, machine specs, and a virtual world to learn about the construction industry, they never imagined how far the Access Your World Virtual Experience would take them.
“The experience came out of a demand from our sales team to find ways to be able to touch base with our customers when the pandemic hit, because that obviously disrupted the whole interaction of face-to-face,” says Ashley Soverns, associate marketing manager at JLG. “We were finding that when the travel stopped and our sales team couldn’t visit people, we had to find a tool for them to be able to keep in touch with our customers.”
Thus, the JLG Access Your World Virtual Experience was born.
The creation process wasn’t an easy one as it took six months to create each environment within the program.
“At the beginning we did the trailer simulation and then the fly through videos and then we did another environment roughly six months after. It would take us a couple of months to develop each individual environment before it was ready to launch. It took a little over a year to see everything complete,” Soverns explains.
Access Your World Virtual Experience features 24/7 access.
“We found with doing some research that customers needed this 24/7 access because it wasn’t very user-friendly to only have certain time periods if they couldn’t make it,” Soverns notes.
Through the program, users can see 3D models of JLG machines, different simulation rooms that show what type of equipment is used for each room, and more.
“The experience starts out in a trailer, which is kind of a normal spot on any construction site that can be relatable. From the trailer you can explore training, online parts ordering, 3D schematics and all these areas of our business that have a lot of information in detail. This experience puts it in an environment that’s fun to seek out new information for users,” Soverns says.
Users can see how construction equipment is applied in different working scenarios in four different environments such as a hotel office complex, shopping and entertainment center and an interior and exterior construction of a stadium.
“Within those environments we use machines that are applicable to that specific job,” Soverns says. “Within the office environment you would see a lot of low-level access machines to fix indoor ceilings, things of that nature. Then you move outside to larger job sites, and you see machines such as our 1850 large boom or a telehandler.”
In addition to the four rooms and other services through the program, Soverns says users can even request a meeting if they have more questions. Customers can also participate in surveys such as a rental survey for the rental organization and another for the end users. Those that take the survey can take home a JLG hat.
The program is for anyone within, and those not in industry looking to gain more insight on the industry and on JLG products.
“Users in the industry are always looking for information not only on our new products and how they are applied in a work environment, but also how even our current product lines aren’t used and can be applied," Soverns says. "Sometimes until they see it in an environment, they don’t realize the other applications they can utilize those machines for, so it’s [the program] is helpful in that. There’s also a lot of data in there as well and people are always looking for specs and weights on machines.”
Information is constantly being updated on the program. Soverns says the team is looking at adding potential new environments in the future as well.
“Content, specs, and machine information are things we update continually. We’re hoping to add additional environments like an industrial environment that will show you different machines and different applications, so that’s the future potential with this project as we continue to grow the information and the environment to provide even more to the end users. There’s no final decision on what’s next on our end, but that’s what we’ve been talking about,” she adds.