We’ve reached a point where technology is no longer the limiting factor in modernizing field operations. The tools are here. Augmented reality (AR) and remote support platforms are proven. The question is no longer can they deliver value, but why so many organizations fail to see that value realised.

Why does this happen?

At Kognitiv Spark, we’ve worked with global industrial leaders and defence agencies alike, helping them deploy AR-based remote support at scale. When done right, the results are transformative: real-time guidance from experts across continents, reduced downtime, fewer errors, and significant cost savings. But we’ve also seen initiatives fall flat, not because of the technology, but because of missteps in approach, planning, and alignment.

Below, we explore why remote support adoption fails and how you can sidestep the most common pitfalls. If your organization is considering extended reality (XR) tools for remote support, these insights could be the difference between success and frustration.

The Common Pitfalls of Remote Support Implementation

Let’s begin with the challenges: In our experience, six issues can derail remote support pilot projects:

Lack of IT Involvement
Too many projects hit a wall because IT wasn’t involved early. Even if timelines are flexible, excluding IT early can lead to infrastructure mismatches, integration problems, or delays down the line. Their insight is essential to ensure smooth deployment and long-term support.
Poor Go-Live Planning
Many companies underestimate how long it takes to go live with a remote support solution. Don’t forget, you have to onboard not only field workers but also the experts they’ll be working with. The best approach is to work backwards from a clear go-live date and build a realistic deployment plan.
Unclear Budget Ownership
Without clarity on who owns the budget and who influences spending decisions, deployments stall. Involving system integrators or procurement early can reveal hidden bottlenecks and help secure stakeholder buy-in.
Mismatched Use Cases
This is a big one. AR is not a magic bullet for every problem. A common misstep is choosing a “nice to have” use case rather than one tied to real pain points. Ideally, you can choose a use case that a) addresses a genuine problem and b) involves a series of air-tight key performance indicators that can prove AR is solving that pain.
Hardware or User Mismatch
Today’s AR hardware is more robust and user-friendly than ever, but it still requires the right user group. If the task isn’t critical or the users aren’t tech-ready, adoption can stall before it starts.
Internal Buy-In Issues
Sometimes, even when the use case is strong, teams don’t know how to buy or drive change within their own organizations. Without internal champions or a clear change management plan, promising pilots can grind to a halt.

So how do you avoid these issues?

The answer lies in careful preparation and a well-structured pilot project.

Step 1: Pause and Assess Your Situation

Before diving into technology procurement, take a step back and assess your operational needs. Start by asking these questions:

What key challenges must we solve in the next six months?
What’s driving these challenges?
What metrics are suffering, and who is most affected?
What past attempts have failed, and why?
What happens if these challenges aren’t resolved soon?
Are stakeholders open to trying emerging technologies?

This exercise will help you determine if AR is the right solution for your current problems. If it is, you're ready to define a targeted pilot program with clear goals and relevant use cases.

Step 2: Identify Pain Points and Match Them to Use Cases

Not every operational problem is suited to AR. Start by identifying where inefficiencies or costs are highest. Ask:

Where are we losing money?
What’s driving our largest operational expenses?
What’s holding back our productivity both organizationally and at the individual worker level?
Where are our resource gaps?

This exercise should produce a list of promising use cases that AR could significantly improve. We recommend two to five use cases. Focusing on a small group of scenarios provides you with a broader view of impact without diluting the pilot. A single use case may not yield enough data, while too many can lead to confusion and complexity.

Step 3: Define a SMART Scope

Once you’ve selected your use cases, build a pilot plan using the SMART criteria:

Specific: Outline the precise problem you’re solving and how AR will help.
Measurable: Define KPIs that will let you evaluate success.
Attainable: Ensure goals are realistic given your team, budget, and time.
Relevant: Make sure the pilot aligns with broader business goals.
Time-Based: Set a clear timeline for preparation, testing, and evaluation.

Crucially, define what the pilot will NOT include. This helps prevent “scope creep”, which kills too many tech projects. Include both frontline users and leadership in defining goals. Alignment between users and decision-makers dramatically increases the likelihood of success.

We recommend you allow one month for preparation and onboarding, three months for testing, and one final month for evaluation.

This structure provides a balance between rigor and realism.

Step 4: Define Key Performance Indicators

No pilot should proceed without clear, measurable KPIs. These should tie directly to the operational issues you’re trying to solve. Good examples include:

Equipment downtime
Travel costs
Task error rates
Time-on-task
First-time fix rate
User satisfaction

Don’t neglect soft KPIs like knowledge retention or staff engagement. They may be harder to measure, but they can significantly affect long-term success.

Make sure you have the tools and infrastructure to track these metrics accurately. Assign an accountability coach to oversee measurement and ensure the solution gets the attention it deserves. This person should be empowered to track performance, engage users, and course correct as needed.

Step 6: Execute with Intention

Let’s be honest, AR pilots aren’t always easy. They require change, patience, and sometimes additional budget. In the first few weeks, excitement can fade, or internal resistance can build. That’s why planning and support matter so much.

A meaningful pilot is your best chance at long-term success. When done right, AR pilots not only validate the technology’s potential, they also build confidence among users, uncover unexpected efficiencies, and lay the groundwork for scalable deployment.

If your pilot is mapped clearly, executed thoughtfully, and measured rigorously, it can be a powerful first step toward modernizing your field operations.

Step 5: Establish Baseline Metrics

You can’t measure improvement if you don’t know where you started. Once KPIs are selected, gather baseline data for each. If that data isn’t readily available, you may need to implement new measurement tools now, not later.

Use existing systems where possible, but be open to adapting processes to ensure valid comparisons. Clear before-and-after data will allow you to quantify ROI and determine whether to scale.

Final Thoughts: Build the Right Foundation

Remote support solutions, especially when powered by AR, can be transformative. But they don’t succeed on technology alone. Organizational readiness, clear planning, stakeholder alignment, and thoughtful measurement are just as important.

Take the time to get the early steps right. Start with a focused, strategic pilot. Engage the right internal teams. Work with an experienced vendor. And always, always measure your outcomes.

Because when it comes to digital transformation, success isn’t about trying the newest thing, it’s about making the right thing work, for the right reasons.

Why Remote Support Adoption Fails And How to Get It Right