Exide Industries Limited: Pioneering Remote-as-a-Service through Augmented Reality

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges for businesses worldwide. With operations halted and supply chains disrupted, Exide Industries Limited (EIL), a prominent name in India’s battery sector, found itself at a pivotal juncture. It had a machine imported from Italy that was critical to its manufacturing operations sitting uncommissioned due to travel restrictions. An innovative solution was proposed to adopt an augmented reality (AR) solution for remote support, which could potentially transform EIL’s manufacturing operations, but also raised questions about the feasibility and implications of integrating this technology. EIL had to weigh strategic, operational, and technological considerations to decide whether to embark on this technological innovation and service transformation path during a global crisis.

This case is designed for graduate and post-graduate students specializing in business administration, technology management, digital transformation, innovation management, and entrepreneurship. After engaging with the case study and completing the assignment questions, students will be able to do the following:<ul><li>Explore how EIL’s chief of manufacturing navigates the adoption of AR-based remote services during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing strategic decision-making and the challenges of cross-functional collaboration.</li><li>Examine the transformative potential of AR technology for EIL’s operations during crisis situations and its impact on the company’s competitive positioning.</li><li>Use the Business Model Canvas framework to systematically evaluate EIL’s decision to adopt a remote as a service (RaaS) model, focusing on its strategic, operational, and financial dimensions.</li><li>Investigate how AR technology and shared services in manufacturing (SSiM) may evolve EIL’s operational efficiency and market positioning over the long term, considering the immediate benefits and potential future challenges.</li><li>Analyze the challenges and complexities driving organizational change at EIL in adopting AR and RaaS, focusing on stakeholder engagement, leadership roles, and ethical considerations.</li></ul>

• Crisis Management
• Technological Innovation
• Operational Efficiency
• Strategic Decision-Making