Fluke Calibration Virtual Lab

Overview

At the start of 2021, with events still being primarily virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Fluke Calibration wanted to experiment with a virtual lab concept that could engage customers with Fluke Calibration solutions to their pain points. Below is the initial project description:

“Undertake an experiment to see if creating a virtual cal lab experience with engaging, visual, interactive content can be used as a vehicle to bring customers and sales associates together for meaningful conversations about customer pain points and Fluke Calibration solutions.

The virtual experience will show a cal lab setup that mimics the calibration workflow and includes both hardware and software, but with a strong focus on identifying with customer problems and pain points. While it looks like a cal lab, it is really more of a show room that shows the customer an aspirational view of what could be, and an interactive demonstration of how Fluke Calibration can solve customer problems.”

Cal lab stakeholder proposal

Virtual cal lab, content

Initial content/ideas from stakeholder

Research

Virtual Cal Lab Objectives

Test whether we can successfully engage customers and sales associates in meaningful conversations via interaction with a virtual environment
Identity answers to questions such as:What is your day-to-day like in your lab?
What equipment do you have?
How old is your equipment?
Are you using software to automate/manage your workflows?

Customer (internal) needs

Virtual with interactivity
Experimental approach; create something quick and release to gain insights
Time and cost efficient

Strategy

Split into two phases: Initial phase & phase 2 if successful
Microsite approach rather than virtual lab experience with illustrations
Narrow content down to the essentials, start with 3 categories
Utilize Ceros platform add interactivity to experience

Since the nature of this project was an experiment (nothing like this had been done before), I emphasized the experimental approach of designing this in phases. Phase 1 would be something that we could produce quickly with the most essential content needed to gain insights from customers. Phase 2 would follow if necessary, utilizing the feedback and enhancing the experience.

The original idea from my stakeholders was to create a full scale virtual laboratory experience that involved illustrations of actual equipment, setup, and workflow. In order to reduce on production time and get something out there quickly to test, I advised that we go with a microsite containing the most essential copy and relevant images from our internal photography library. They agreed to this approach because it was more important to create something and test quickly, rather than spending months on a project that may not prove useful.

In order to make the experience more interactive, I used the Ceros platform, which our team already had a subscription with. This also helped to reduce on cost or having to outsource to an agency.

Virtual cal lab homepage, initial prototype.

Category pages, initial layout

Process

Initial proto

Proto iteration

Solution

Problem/question and then solution format within each main category
Include related resources within each category
Direct customer to speak to Fluke Calibration specialist for follow-up conversations

Once my stakeholders were able to narrow down the three main categories they wanted to address (Asset recall and scheduling; Calibration; Reports, certificates, and billing) we came up with a consistent format within each category. The customer would first arrive at a page posing problems or questions that the user might encounter within their lab. Details about each problem/question would be provided, along with related resources. The call to action would then take the customer to a page with Fluke Calibration solutions that address each of the problems on the previous page. Should the customer want to learn more about these solutions, the primary call to action would allow them to reach out to a Fluke Calibration specialist, where they could have further in depth conversations about their paint points and possible solutions.

Approved proto

Result

Branded Ceros microsite experience
Embedded on Fluke Calibration web pages
Virtual cal lab linked off of Fluke Calibration website

The final result of phase one of the Fluke Calibration virtual lab was a branded microsite experience using the Ceros platform to create interactivity. By simplifying it to the most essential content, we were able to launch the site in roughly half the amount of time it would have taken had we invested in a more high fidelity virtual experience. This allowed the sales and marketing team to gain analytics sooner, to determine if phase two was necessary, or if smaller updates to phase one was needed.