New research from Zebra Technologies and Oxford Economics showcases how improving frontline workflows with modern technologies like AI, automation, and data improves profitability and enhances the customer experience.
The research also highlights the transformative impact that improved workflows can have within the retail, manufacturing, and transportation & logistics (T&L) industries.
For example, retailers reported a 21% improvement in customer satisfaction; manufacturers cited a 19% increase in employee productivity; and T&L leaders reported a 21% increase in productivity with better workflows. In addition, the study indicates AI investments help organisations achieve realtime visibility, generate actionable insights, and improve efficiency.
If the top 20 organisations from the Forbes Global 2000 list in each of these industries – retail, manufacturing, and T&L – achieved meaningful improvements in their frontline workflows, Oxford Economics estimates that each company could potentially earn an average of $3-billion in higher revenue – and an average of $120-million in added profit.
Organisations which embrace intelligent operations – integrating advanced technologies like AI, automation, and data with human expertise to optimise business processes – report significant gains. The study titled, “Impact of Intelligent Operations” indicates:
- Retailers achieved up to 1,8-percentage-point increases in revenue growth and profitability through improvements in their prioritised workflow of inventory management.
- Manufacturers optimising their top workflow of quality control and assurance saw revenue growth uplift by 2,4 percentage points and profitability improvements of 1,4 percentage points.
- T&L firms optimising key delivery and inventory workflows experienced a revenue growth increase of up to 3,4 percentage points with a similar increase in profitability.
“Retail, manufacturing, and logistics are being redefined at the workflow level – where speed, visibility, and precision drive growth and elevate frontline productivity and improve customer experiences,” says Joe White, chief product & solutions officer at Zebra Technologies. “Intelligent operations simplify complexity by combining the best of advanced technologies with the people on the frontline, enabling organisations to adapt to rapid change and thrive in competitive markets.”
According to the study:
- Retailers are piloting AI to address critical areas like loss prevention, risk detection, and inventory optimisation.
- Over two-thirds of T&L organisations and nearly half of manufacturers are deploying AI for inventory management, demand forecasting, and predictive analytics.
- Advanced tools, such as RFID and machine vision, are central to enhancing operational visibility and efficiency across industries.