Blitzz and Vuzix Selected by Belron for Remote Support and Smart Glasses

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Short answer: Belron, the worldwide vehicle glass repair and replacement group, selected Blitzz running on Vuzix M300 Smart Glasses to give its technicians in select US and UK markets hands-free remote video assistance. Field technicians could connect directly to master technicians, share what they see and get guidance without stopping work. Blitzz also joined the Vuzix Industrial Partner (VIP) program as part of the announcement.

Key takeaways

Belron deployed Vuzix M300 Smart Glasses with Blitzz in select markets in the US and UK.
The goal was hands-free remote support for windshield and automotive body repair technicians, to improve service quality and turnaround times.
Blitzz became a Vuzix Industrial Partner (VIP).
Smart-glasses remote support is most useful when a technician needs both hands on the job and expert help is not on site.

This is an archived company announcement. Facts about Belron and Vuzix reflect the time of the original release.

The announcement

Belron will be deploying M300 Smart Glasses into select markets in the US and UK to provide remote video assistance to its vehicle glass repair technicians using Blitzz.

Blitzz, a new Vuzix Industrial Partner (VIP), provides a mobile platform that helps users quickly deploy a video powered remote assistance and collaboration application without any technical development. Blitzz uses AI-powered workflow algorithms and offers equipment specific predictive support.

What Belron said

"We were seeking a hands-free remote telepresence solution to assist our windshield and automotive body repair service technicians to continually drive quality of service and improve turnaround times. Using Blitzz on the Vuzix M300 Smart Glasses will allow our company to collaborate and exchange documents and connect our field technicians directly to our master technicians from anywhere around the globe," commented Kelly Francis, Innovation Solutions Manager at Belron.

What Vuzix said

"We are excited to have been selected as a key technology provider by Belron, a global organization known for their innovation and exceptional customer service. In addition, we officially welcome Blitzz to the Vuzix Industrial Partner program and look forward to expanding our business relationship across their extensive customer base. Collaboration tools like Blitzz allow Belron and organizations like them to exponentially expand their ability to transfer information from the remote, senior experts directly to the front-line field technicians, as a means of delivering next-gen customer and field service," said Paul Boris, COO of Vuzix.

What is smart-glasses remote support?

Smart-glasses remote support puts a camera and a small display on the technician's head. The technician streams a first-person view of the job to a remote expert. The expert sees exactly what the technician sees and talks them through the work.

Because the device is worn, the technician keeps both hands free. They do not need to hold a phone, prop up a tablet or stop to take photos.

How a session typically works

The field technician starts a video session from the glasses when they need help.
A senior or master technician joins from a desktop or mobile device.
The expert watches the live view, asks the technician to move closer or look at a specific part, and gives step by step guidance.
Both sides can exchange documents, such as procedures or reference images.
The technician finishes the job without waiting for an expert to travel on site.

When does smart-glasses remote support help?

Smart glasses are not the right tool for every call. They make the most sense in specific situations.

Situation	Smart glasses	Phone or tablet video
Technician needs both hands on the repair	Strong fit	Harder, device must be held or mounted
Trained employee in the field	Strong fit	Good fit
Customer or homeowner on the other end	Not practical, they will not own glasses	Strong fit, join from a link in the mobile browser
Short, occasional questions	Can be more setup than needed	Strong fit
Repeated, hands-on procedures	Strong fit	Workable

For vehicle glass and body repair, the case is clear. The technician is working with tools on a windshield or panel and needs to keep both hands on the job while a master technician advises.

Benefits for field service teams

Faster expert help: Front-line technicians reach senior experts in minutes instead of waiting for a site visit.
Consistent quality: Master technicians can check work in real time and catch mistakes before the customer leaves.
Knowledge transfer: Newer technicians learn on real jobs with an expert watching.
Wider reach for experts: One senior technician can support many sites without traveling.

Remote video support with Blitzz today

The same idea, connecting the person on site to an expert who can see the problem, now applies across many devices. With Blitzz, customers and technicians join a live video session from a text or email link in their mobile browser, with no app download.

Experts can use an on-screen pointer, markup and augmented reality guidance, bring in another specialist with a multi-party call, and save photos and video to the record with time and location data. Sessions work on weak connections, which matters in garages, basements and rural sites.

About Vuzix Corporation

Vuzix is a leading supplier of Smart-Glasses and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies and products for the consumer and enterprise markets. The company's products include personal display and wearable computing devices that offer users a portable high-quality viewing experience and provide solutions for mobility, wearable displays and augmented reality.

At the time of the announcement, Vuzix held 65 patents and 44 additional patents pending and numerous IP licenses in the Video Eyewear field. The company has won Consumer Electronics Show (CES) awards for innovation for the years 2005 to 2018 and several wireless technology innovation awards. Founded in 1997, Vuzix is a public company (VUZI) with offices in Rochester, NY, Oxford, UK and Tokyo, Japan.

About Belron

Belron makes a difference by solving people's problems with real care. It is the worldwide leader in vehicle glass repair and replacement with brands including Carglass®, Safelite® and Autoglass®.

Building on its existing capability and expertise, Belron is expanding its services to focus on solving problems for people who need assistance with damage repairs to their vehicles and their homes. In 2017, Belron acquired several businesses carrying out Automotive Damage Repair and Replacement (ADRR) and Home Damage Repair and Replacement (HDRR). It also manages vehicle glass and other insurance claims on behalf of insurance customers. Belron served 16.5 million consumers in 2017 in 34 countries, with a focus on service quality.

Original coverage

Frequently asked questions

What did Belron deploy?

Belron deployed Vuzix M300 Smart Glasses running Blitzz in select markets in the US and UK, so vehicle glass repair technicians could get hands-free remote video assistance from master technicians.

What is the Vuzix Industrial Partner program?

It is the Vuzix program for software partners whose applications run on Vuzix smart glasses for enterprise use. Blitzz joined the program as part of this announcement.

Do you need smart glasses to use remote video support?

No. Smart glasses help when the technician needs both hands free. For most customer-facing calls, a phone works well because the customer can join from a link with no app download.

Which industries benefit most from hands-free remote support?

Industries where technicians work with tools on equipment or vehicles, such as automotive repair, field service and equipment maintenance, see the clearest benefit.

Inspection Companies

Customer Support Teams