New research shows that businesses can achieve revenue and productivity gains by optimising frontline workflows with AI, automation, and data tools.
The study, by Zebra Technologies and Oxford Economics, found retailers reported a 21 per cent improvement in customer satisfaction, manufacturers a 19 per cent increase in employee productivity, and transport and logistics (T&L) leaders a 21 per cent productivity lift.
Oxford Economics estimated that the top 20 companies in each sector on the Forbes Global 2000 list could each earn an average of US$3 billion in additional revenue and US$120 million in profit by improving workflows.
Tom Christodoulou, Sales Vice President of Australia, New Zealand, India, and Sub-Continent at Zebra Technologies, said Australian and New Zealand businesses in the retail, manufacturing and logistics industries are being redefined at the workflow level, where speed, visibility, and precision drive growth, elevate frontline productivity and improve customer experiences.
“By embracing intelligent operations, organisations can simplify complexity by combining the best of advanced technologies like AI, automation, and machine vision with their frontline teams. This combination empowers them to navigate rapid change and thrive in competitive markets.”
The report, Impact of Intelligent Operations, found retailers achieved up to 1.8 percentage-point increases in revenue growth and profitability through inventory management, while manufacturers saw revenue growth rise by 2.4 points and profitability improve by 1.4 points through quality control. T&L firms boosted revenue growth by up to 3.4 points with similar gains in profitability by optimising delivery and inventory workflows.
The research also showed AI adoption is expanding, with retailers piloting tools for loss prevention and inventory optimisation, and more than two-thirds of T&L organisations and nearly half of manufacturers using AI for forecasting and predictive analytics. Advanced tools such as RFID and machine vision are also improving operational visibility and efficiency.
Source: www.c-store.com.au
