Customer Story: How VR is Unlocking Opportunities at PwC
- March 3, 2025
The Organization
PwC is a multinational business advisory firm offering a host of managed and consulting services. Their Emerging Tech team helps businesses understand rapidly advancing technology and imagine ways to effectively deploy it.
PwC walks the talk when it comes to making the best use of cutting-edge technology. Internally, it uses virtual reality as a tool for training, collaboration, and sales.
The Problem
PwC has a fleet of approximately 300 VR headsets, deployed across multiple departments. Keeping track of those headsets, what content was available on them, and who was using them was frustrating and inefficient.
The Solution
PwC turned to ArborXR’s MDM solution to centralize management of its entire fleet and all its content. It can now manage all devices, updates, and content from a central location.
How VR Transformed Business at PwC
300+
headsets managed using ArborXR’s MDM solution
25,000+
PwC employees that completed VR training
75%
of participants reported a strong emotional response to VR training
4x
more effective than traditional classroom or video lessons
PwC is one of the business world’s most respected names. Company leaders around the globe have cited a seminal study it conducted proving the ROI of virtual reality as a training tool.
“We’ve all known for a long time that VR is a powerful medium, but when you’re trying to convince a board to invest in replacing traditional training with VR, you need proof,” Alex said. “This data helps make the case and gives companies the confidence to invest.”
The study found VR training is four times more engaging than traditional classroom or video lessons. Learners told researchers they felt more confident applying their new knowledge after going through a VR simulation.
The study also proved that VR becomes more cost-effective as it scales. While companies may balk at the initial investment, once the program scales to 3,000 learners, VR training becomes less expensive than traditional methods.
VR Training at PwC
PwC itself invested in VR training with resounding success. In the UK alone, more than 25,000 PwC employees have completed the In My Shoes virtual reality training on diversity and unconscious bias.
“Our In My Shoes empathy training is so impactful because it feels so real,” Alex explained. “What VR does better than anything else is allow users to be there or be them. Being there means going somewhere you can’t physically go. Being them means stepping into someone else’s shoes and experiencing their world.”
Three-quarters of people who have gone through In My Shoes reported a strong emotional response to the experience. The program is so successful, PwC turned it into a product it sells to clients – who report similarly impressive results.
VR for Remote Collaboration
Even with about 1 in 5 Americans working remotely, adoption of virtual reality for remote collaboration has been slow. Still, PwC has seen positive results from bringing its global workforce together virtually.
Alex suspects one reason more companies aren’t using VR for collaboration is because results tend to be anecdotal.
She cited a German study that showed VR improved communication, fostered a greater sense of closeness between employees, and increased satisfaction with employee workshops and conferences.
“These are qualitative results, but I think they’re significant,” she pointed out. “If employees feel a greater sense of belonging, they’re happier and more productive. And that leads to better outcomes.”
VR for Sales and Client Engagement
Immersive technology has been shown to be a powerful sales and demo tool. For example, retailers use augmented reality to show shoppers how items may look in their home.
It can also be a simple way to demonstrate complex concepts to clients. In a recent project, PwC used mixed reality to create an interactive presentation on how AI and blockchain are disrupting the auditing industry.
Geospatial Insights is another immersive program PwC developed for internal use that it now makes available to clients. This enterprise app helps companies assess and mitigate possible climate-related risks.
Though it was developed to predict climate impacts, Geospatial Insights has endless uses for data visualization, from anticipating traffic patterns before a major event to identifying regional buyer behaviors.
PwC and ArborXR
Alex is an experienced VR filmmaker, and ran a VR media production company before joining PwC. Still, her experience did not prepare her for the complexity of managing 300 VR devices.
PwC operates in more than 150 companies and has more than 300,000 employees. Tracking who had access to what content on which devices was a struggle.
“Having an MDM solution like ArborXR has been a lifesaver, It allows us to manage everything centrally, including content and updates. ArborXR has saved us a lot of time and headaches.”
Alex Ruhl
Head of Emerging Tech | PwC
ArborXR’s solution even enables PwC to use the entire fleet at once for large-scale events. Most of the time, though, Alex and her team appreciate the flexibility it allows them to see and manage devices scattered across various locations for a variety of purposes.
What’s Next for VR in Business
VR and other extended reality technologies are already creating real, measurable impacts for companies around the globe.
Between its research and anecdotal evidence from its clients, PwC can attest immersive technology is saving businesses time and money; deepening the emotional intelligence of employees and leaders; improving collaboration; and enabling clear communication of complex challenges and solutions.
However, experts believe we’ve just scratched the surface of VR’s business capabilities. The industry continues its rapid evolution, pushed forward with investment from giants like Apple and Meta.
As businesses adopt or expand extended reality programs, it will be increasingly important they find a reliable way to manage content and devices. Get a demo of ArborXR’s scalable solutions.
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