11 Things to Ask Your 360° Virtual Tour Vendor Before Starting Your Project

So you've decided to get a 360° virtual tour created for your business. Now it's time to get down to the nitty and gritty details with your vendor. Whether you are still comparing or have decided on one, these are some basic questions that you should have ready to get a more holistic view about your 360° virtual tour, and which company you should choose to support your project.

What commonly asked question would you like to ask virtual tour vendors? Let us know and we can list it in this article for your future reference.

1. What technology do you use for your 360° virtual tour? 

Every 360° virtual tour vendor would employ different types of technology to create their projects, which would often result in different outcomes. 

Ask them about the key equipment, software, and platforms used to produce their interactive experiences. Assess the image resolution, lens quality, and specialised features lead to their high-quality panoramas. You would also want to understand how sophisticated their software are in stitching and editing the images, as well as whether their virtual tours can be integrated seamlessly on different devices.

2. Can you show us your portfolio? 

An established virtual tour vendor would have their portfolio readily available to put the spotlight on their previous clients and projects. Here are some things you can examine to gauge their overall ability to deliver a compelling 360° virtual tour that is aligned with your objectives: 

• Past projects: This is a good indication of their technical expertise, user engagement features, quality, and creativity. 
• Similar projects from your competitors: This can help you understand if they can understand your industry needs or have worked on projects that have impressed you in the past.
• Diversity of industries: This can show the virtual tour vendor's versatility, and their ability to creatively adapt different features to suit your needs.

3. What features can you include? 

360° virtual tours are more than just the imagery; features and fuctionalities help give it flavour, ensuring that it has elements to enhance user engagement and carry your brand message. The most common features you should expect are a responsive design and interactive hotspots that can integrate  information, images, videos and audio. 

Beyond that, you should assess the vendor's capacity to include additional features, such as audio narration, background music, avatar introduction, floor plans, maps, and more. These serve to captivate your audience and give the virtual experience another layer of immersion. Look out for features that hit the mark with your marketing needs to fully maximise the virtual tour capabilities.

4. What is the expected turnaround time? 

Understanding the expected turnaround time for your project is important especially if it is time sensitive. Be upfront with your vendor about the projected timeline, and set realistic expectations. If your virtual tour involves shooting a real-world space like an entire property or show unit, you would need to factor in the time to stage your property, and allow the photographers to capture the content. You would also need to consider the timeline with your marketing and promotional schedule to make sure the project is delivered timely.

At Actsugi, we generally deliver our first draft in as fast as five working days after the photography session. This ensures you have enough time for quality assurance and any necessary changes.

5. How much does it cost to create a 360° virtual tour? 

Every vendor has their own pricing structures, so be sure to clearly define the budget for your virtual tour project. Typically, you would be expected to provide your project requirements, such as how many areas to cover and any special features needed, before the vendor provides a cost breakdown. Give as many details as possible so that your vendor has a clear picture of your expectations. 

Be sure to discuss about any additional costs that may be incurred, such as the hosting or maintenance fee. Transparent communication is essential for making well-informed decisions and avoiding any financial surprises down the line.

6. How will my 360° virtual tour be integrated with my website or platform? 

To make sure that your 360° virtual tour can be properly integrated in your website or platform, do ask your vendor about the technical aspects of embedding the end product. Some of the important things you would what to discuss are the device compatibility, responsiveness and user accessibility. 

Experienced virtual tour vendors would also be able to show you examples of how previous clients have showcased their 360° virtual tours seamlessly on their website, apps, or even during events and exhibitions. 

7. Is the 360° virtual tour compatible with mobile devices? 

There are approximately 4.88 billion smartphone users across the globe in 2024, which translates to roughly 60.42% of the world’s population. Making sure your 360° virtual tour can go mobile is essential in this day and age, especially if you want to capture your target sudience today. 

Check if the virtual tour is accessible and has a responsive layout across all kinds of devices, including websites, mobile phones, tablets and VR headsets. 

8. Can the 360° virtual tour be updated in the future? 

Businesses evolve, and so should your 360° virtual tour. A good virtual tour has the potential to scale or be modified, so that this valuable business asset can stay relevant and be used for a long time. Here are some things you can consider: 

• Different phases: Whether it is budget constraints or renovation concerns, you may want to cover selected areas in another future phase. 
• New or replaced panoramas: Understand how it works if you need to incorporate new panoramas or replace existing ones. This would make a difference for businesses that want their virtual tour to reflect the real space. 
• Ad-hoc updates: Check with your vendor on their flexibility with changing parts of your virtual tour at a later. Alternatively, they may even provide a content management system (CMS) that lets your team updates independently.

9. What do I get after completing the 360° virtual tour project?

Consider what are the deliverables of the project. Some vendors offer more than just the link to your 360° virtual tour. They may also have marketing items that can equip you with all the tools you need to make full use of your virtual tour. Be sure to look out for responsive support and comprehensive training modules that can can empower your team to manage the virtual tour better. 

10. Who owns the 360° virtual tour assets?

Before entering an agreement with your 360° virtual tour vendor, do discuss and determine the ownership of the virtual tour assets, such as the panorama images. This is good to know for future usage, marketing, and distribution purposes. 

Over the years, our team at Actsugi has encountered several clients who were unable to retrieve certain assets from their previous vendor due to file incompatibilities or unclear ownership structure. It is best to smoothen such details out so that you can prevent potantial conflicts regarding the intellectual property arising from the project. 

11. Can I get analytics and insights from my 360° virtual tour ? 

Having actionable insights is a great way to inform future marketing strategies and optimise your business performance. Ask your virtual tour vendor about the analytics and reporting capabilities available to you with your virtual tour. For example, what kind of metrics you can expect to see, and how easy it is for you to access all the data you need. 

Find the Right 360° Virtual Tour Provider for You

Asking the right questions can help you narrow down your choices and find the right virtual tour provider for you. This is crucial because you would want to choose a vendor that can maintain a long-lasting relationship and meet your requirements in terms of features, budget and support.  

Actsugi is a virtual tour and digital content creator based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We create immersive 360° virtual tours for property with user-friendly layouts, high-quality 11K photography, true-to-life 3D renders, and a variety of storytelling features. Our virtual tours are optimised for web, mobile, tablets and VR devices - so they can be viewed anywhere and anytime across the world. Our team is based in Malaysia, and is able to accept work globally.