Communication and Collaboration

For many, Second Life presents a very attractive alternative to conference calls and video conferences. Enterprises already regularly use SL for meetings, conferences and connecting dispersed teams. Seeing a talking head on a computer screen doesn't add much value, but in Second Life you can chat, make gestures, and interact in 3-D.

The real breakthrough for Second Life as a learning application is the full integration of voice capability. Instead of having to rely on instant messaging and chat, users can now speak to each other via voice in 3-D. The voices of nearby avatars sound louder than avatars that are farther away, and voice from avatars to your right feed through the right speaker.

Sales & Marketing

The first step into Second Life is often a store built for marketing and branding purposes. Many consumer goods, automotive, media and financial services firms (from Nissan to Adidas, from Swiss bank BCV to Reuters, from the BBC to Harvard University) are exploring Second Life as a new channel for sales, customer relationships, teaching and media distribution.

From building islands to promote recording artists, to launching a new car simultaneously in the real world and SL, to customizing a shoe in SL to be bought in the real world, these organizations are pioneering the medium.

Technology companies are also exploring the medium for corporate sales and services. IBM is a leader in this area, having recently opened a new Virtual Business Centre which experiments with Virtual Worlds as a sales channel. The ability to work with a client in a visual and immersive environment, will only be an advantage as products and services get more complex.

Education and Training

The immersive virtual environment is extremely conducive for teaching, from language to tech training and on-boarding. There are currently hundreds of educational sites within Second Life, and over 2000 participants in their dedicated education community what will continue to develop and grow.

Hundreds of colleges and universities are already teaching classes in Second Life. Scores of universities have entire campuses in the virtual world, and Harvard is teaching classes in the space for credit. Clearly, many of the world's largest organizations believe that Second Life is going to be a big part of their futures.

Prototype testing and getting Feedback

Companies are using SL to test and develop products.

Starwood Hotels, for example built a new concept hotel within SL as a test environment before their real world launch of Aloft Hotels, using the SL members' feedback to refine their plans before starting construction and franchising. You won't be able to check into aloft, Starwood's new line of moderately priced, loft-style hotels, until the first quarter of 2008. But in September, you can wander into the lobby of its digital Doppelganger inside the popular online world of Second Life.

For Starwood, opening aloft in Second Life is a way to test-market the hotel's design and rapidly prototype the evolving concept. For instance, staffers will observe how people move through the space, what areas and types of furniture they gravitate towards, and what they ignore.

The project is also an effort to tap consumers for ideas but the ultimate goal is, of course, to attract hip, youthful, tech-savvy customers to the aloft brand. For that reason, the virtual hotel will remain online, as an interactive marketing tool, even after the real-world buildings open.

Luxembourg in Second Life

Minister Krecké opens Luxembourg's first virtual office in Second Life !

GAX Technologies, IT Solutions was the first in Luxembourg to launch its virtual office in Second Life. Minister Krecké, using his avatar (character) in Second Life, officially opened the GAX Technologies' virtual office by unveiling the GAX Technologies sign and by planting the flag of Luxembourg outside the office in Second Life.

In November 2007, GAX Technologie organized 'Working-Worlds', the first virtual job fair for Luxembourg. At the moment GAX Technologies is the specialist of Second Life and hopes to share its knowledge with (not only!) Luxembourg based companies and institutions, wanting to enlarge their possibilities in this 3D world.