Legendary ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky famously said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” In the highly competitive footwear retail market, this translates to an absolute truth: you miss 100% of the sales you cannot fulfill.
Retail associates often face overwhelming app fatigue. Disjointed communication tools and isolated point solution applications cause unnecessary friction during their daily shifts.
The Wall Street Journal recently recognized Zebra Technologies as a global Top 10 company for AI Readiness. Earning a spot next to major tech innovators validates our strategic focus on AI for the frontline of business.
For years, a significant hurdle blocked the path toward truly intelligent, automated operations on the manufacturing floor. In environments prioritizing network integrity, particularly in automotive production, strict policies often ban Bluetooth® devices.
The energy at our recent Channel Partner Summit in Orlando felt palpable. Everywhere you turned, conversations buzzed with the potential of AI.
A recent story that caught my eye involved a rather audacious theft. Somewhere on a route between Italy and Poland, thieves made off with a truck carrying twelve tons of chocolate bars.
After two decades in the transportation and logistics (T&L) sector, I find its constant motion continues to fascinate me. Our industry serves as the circulatory system for the global economy, and its pulse reflects the pressures and priorities of our time.
After navigating the energetic cacophony of NRF 2026, one thing is abundantly clear: the retail industry's conversation around AI has pivoted from the theoretical to the practical.
The devices that power your frontline are the heart of your operations. Your Zebra scanners, printers, and mobile computers function as the critical link between your physical and digital worlds.
In today's fast-paced digital economy, the frontline of business pulses with activity.
Each January, the tech world converges on Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), offering a preview of the future. We see smarter homes, next-generation gadgets, and brilliant displays.
Cybersecurity discussions usually focus on server racks and cloud infrastructure. Executive teams spend millions fortifying data centers against external intrusions. Yet, logistics risk profiles expand dramatically at the physical point of parcel delivery.
Retailers today navigate a fiercely competitive environment. Consumers expect, and demand, seamlessly connected shopping experiences, whether they shop online or in-store.
The manufacturing landscape across the Asia Pacific region faces a profound operational shift. As organizations digitize their factory floors and supply chains, they encounter a critical intersection of human workforce dynamics and technological advancement.
In my years leading technology and product teams, I have witnessed a fundamental shift in how businesses operate. The frontline, once disconnected from the digital core, now stands as the epicenter of value creation.
Increasingly, healthcare workers are facing the threat of workplace violence. In fact, studies have shown that healthcare workers are five times more likely to be assaulted than any other profession.
Every day, your frontline workers navigate a complex world of tasks. They operate vehicles on highways, forklifts in warehouses, and equipment on airport tarmacs. In all these environments, a common, persistent risk exists right in the palm of their hands.
The retail landscape continues its rapid evolution, especially across the Asia Pacific region. Today’s shoppers enter stores with high expectations for a digitally enhanced journey.
In part one of the series, I shared my experience attending Zebra’s inaugural RFID Forum in Prague. As we continue our journey through our first-ever RFID Forum, it’s evident that RFID is not just a buzzword but a pivotal technology driving tangible change across industries.
Chuck Bolen explores the critical importance of mobile device security for businesses, drawing a unique analogy to jeans with “holes.” The article highlights the potential risks of cybersecurity breaches, emphasizing that both small and large businesses can suffer lasting consequences. Bolen engages with mobile device security experts Erv Comer and Adam Arruda to discuss whether there’s a definitive approach to mobile security or if it’s more nuanced, based on risk tolerance and vulnerability.
In the fast-paced world of retail, staying ahead of changing consumer demands is more challenging than ever. As retailers strive to enhance customer experiences and maintain competitiveness, many are turning to the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI). Zebra Technologies is at the forefront of this movement, offering AI solutions that unlock the potential of frontline operations, allowing retailers to make smarter business decisions.
Discover how AI can streamline your software testing processes while understanding the potential risks it may introduce to your business. Learn the essential steps to ensure trust in your testing results and maintain the software’s performance and objectivity. Optimize your testing strategies with a balanced approach to leveraging AI effectively and safely.
An RFID thread connected to the right frequency makes it easy for manufacturers to relay critical intel on garments to retailers and shoppers.
In the second episode of Conversations with a CNIO, we tackled one of the most pressing and sensitive issues facing healthcare today: workplace safety and violence. As someone who has spent years navigating hospital floors and collaborating with healthcare leaders, this topic is deeply personal to me. Chad Salahshour, CEO of 911Cellular, one of Zebra’s valued channel partners, joined me to share his insights on how innovative technologies can enhance safety measures in healthcare environments.
Retail has always fascinated me. It’s a dynamic industry that demands constant attention to detail, an ability to adapt, and a focus on solving problems that can threaten both profits and customer trust.
I’ve spent over four decades working on technology solutions that support businesses, and I can confidently say there’s never been a more exciting or challenging time to innovate for the frontline. Recently, I joined a webinar with guest speaker Denise Lund, Research Vice President, Worldwide Telecom and Unified Communications at IDC and my Zebra colleague Bethany Wiegand. The discussion centered on the mounting pressures of the retail frontline and how Unified Communication and Collaboration (UC&C) solutions, like Zebra Workcloud Sync, are stepping in to help.
Working in retail today is more challenging than ever. The pressure on frontline workers has reached unprecedented levels, with 59% of them considering quitting their jobs in the past year alone.
The challenges facing AI today, such as data scarcity and quality concerns, might seem daunting, but they also present an opportunity. By turning to the wealth of data generated on the frontline, businesses can create more intelligent, efficient, and adaptive systems.
Frontline workers are the backbone of retail operations, yet their challenges often go unnoticed. From juggling demanding schedules to managing inventory discrepancies and navigating volatile pricing environments, the frontline faces significant hurdles daily. We offer solutions designed to address these pain points head-on. Through Workcloud Shift, Workcloud Inventory Visibility, and Workcloud Lifecycle Pricing, we are transforming how frontline workers do their jobs, fostering connected collaboration, and driving operational excellence.
In the fast-paced world of technological innovation, government contractors find themselves at the forefront of a digital transformation imperative. As these organizations strive to meet strict audit requirements and manage vast inventories of government property, modern RFID technology emerges as a beacon of efficiency and accuracy.
Retail operations generate vast amounts of data every day. This data, which includes sales transactions, inventory levels, customer interactions, and employee actions, holds the key to understanding and resolving operational issues. However, traditional data analysis methods often fall short, struggling to address the multi-step nature of many retail problems.
Looking to simplify your inventory management processes in secure facilities? Let’s talk about how RFID technology can make things easier and more efficient for you!
It’s a given that managing inventory in secure controlled environments can be challenging. But with recent advancements in offline RFID and barcode technology, you can enhance security and efficiency without the hassle of manual methods.
Imagine a world where your inventory counts are fast, accurate, and save you precious time. Even in facilities like SCIFs (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities) where stringent security protocols govern every aspect of operation to safeguard classified or restricted information.
Strict access control measures require personnel to have security clearances for entry and regulate the use of equipment, ensuring that items like cameras, scanners, and computers adhere to rigorous security controls.
Zebra’s inclusive, innovative culture ensures our employees are empowered to bring their whole selves to work every day. Find out how.
The thinking used to be that a warranty plan was enough to protect business mobile devices, scanners, and printers. Here’s why that thinking has proven to be flawed.
There are many things happening behind the scenes from a security and performance perspective that requires intervention (and likely an upgrade) right now if you're front-line workers are using older Android mobile devices. Find out which Android devices are affected and how their continued use could impact your business.
Curious about Zebra's AI practices? Want to confirm we're acting responsibly and making decisions with your best interests in mind? This is how we’re working to build trust in our systems and help protect your interests when using any Zebra technology solutions that leverage AI.
There are so many new technologies being touted for healthcare, and so many new ways of working. Which ones really make a difference? One Zebra deeply embedded in the healthcare community provides her take based on others’ stories she heard at HIMSS '24.
Shoppers expect the same things from retailers they always have, including convenience and quality. But it’s seemingly more difficult for retailers to deliver those things now. Why is that? And what can they do to fix it? Here's one retail strategist's perspective.
Would they be able to communicate with first responders, customers, and each other in real time…even when they couldn’t talk?
Two healthcare and pharmaceutical sector experts say resistance to change is causing many organizations to miss out on the benefits of automation and experience preventable disruptions in their operations. Yet, there are many ways you can turn DSCSA requirements into business advantages...if you're open to automating certain parts of your business. Find out how.
You can’t just bolt on AI and expect things to get better. If you don’t take these steps first, AI use will only add to your care team’s workload, detract from patient care, and multiply your IT spend.
While buying technology online for your business can be convenient in the short-term, in some situations buying from a sales rep can save you time, budget, and a headache long-term. Here's when you should buy online versus direct from a person.
Whether you’re just starting to use 1D barcodes or you thought it was time to move past barcodes, you need to understand the new dimension that 2D barcodes will add to patient care and supply chain management.
Do you know exactly when, where and why losses are happening within your operations? If not, it will be hard to figure out how to prevent them, fix inventory distortion, and eliminate friction within your operations. So, let’s talk about loss detection.
It's standard procedure for you to get a wristband when you go to the hospital as it helps healthcare providers confirm your identity and update your patient records. But have you ever stopped to think about how much this technology actually helps you get the care you need? Lorna Hopkin didn't until recently, when a trip to the "birth place" of Zebra wristbands helped her appreciate just how much this technology is protecting her and her family every day. Find out what she learned.
As sustainability reporting leaps up boardroom agendas, a byproduct of enhanced visibility is uncovering the most secretive malware.
The traditional 1D barcode scanner isn’t going to help you see and intervene when losses occur at the point of sale (POS). Nor will it reduce the number of interventions required by retail store associates or restaurant workers. But retail leader Mark Thomson has seen something that will. He explains in his latest blog post.
Security-minded solution architects from Google Cloud and Qualcomm explain how far you’re going to have to go – and the lengths to which they’re going – to help protect your organization’s data.
What is it about telnet that makes it possible for modern warehouse devices to continue to run it?
Were exactly should RFID, machine vision and other automation technologies be used within the reverse logistics chain? Alex Whiting, founder of MiTEQ, reveals what he’s found to work best.
Need to connect your Zebra printers to a new Android mobile device? Or want to know how to initiate a print job from a Zebra Android mobile device? There's an app for that...and it's free! Here’s everything you need to know about how to download and use the new Zebra Print app to print labels, PDFs, images, and more while on the move.
Two AI experts explain how exactly you can maximize your margins by integrating, adopting, and executing AI-powered solutions.
AI is changing the future of advanced analytics and anomaly detection in retail. Here’s how.
Do you dread the day you have to migrate to a new Android OS? Are you delaying the move to Android 14 because you fear it will be too much work? According to one solution architect, doing these things should help reduce your anxiety. They may even prompt you to get excited about migrating applications to A14 (or whichever OS is next for you) rather than dreading or delaying it and paying the price.
Technology, like medicine, is only effective if the right formula/dose is prescribed and “taken as directed.” Here are the three habits you need to adopt now if you want to avoid the side effects of “wrong” technology decisions and ultimately get relief from the "triple squeeze" choking your business.
If you want to know exactly where your Zebra Android mobile devices are within your facilities, the you'll want to find out how the 802.11mc fine time measurement (FTM) locating feature works. You'll also want to turn it on across your Wi-Fi network and Zebra devices. (There's no extra cost.) Learn more.
The features and functionality of the cameras, sensors, and scanners used across your vision system won’t matter if you don’t have the right software underneath. Software is the glue. So, I'm curious: Did you closely inspect the software needed to run each of those pieces of hardware before buying them? Did you consider how easy (or difficult) it would be to get all the software platforms to work together as part of "one system"? Or have you found the software complicating things since putting those new hardware components in place? No matter your answer, you need to read this post.
Responsible AI development, training, testing, and use require ongoing engagement and foundational practices to ensure long-term success and ethical implementation. Here is what you need to do to get started, whether you're an AI model developer, tester, or user.
The food wasted annually – the ~1.3 billion tons of food that ends up in the landfill – contains enough calories to feed approximately three billion people for a year! So, why is even a single person experiencing food insecurity or hunger right now? There is clearly enough food being produced to feed everyone on the planet today and then some. In this blog post, Leo Lowy takes a closer look at the root causes of food waste and loss as well as the technology tools that could be applied right now to stop food waste in its tracks at a global level. Read his recommendations.
There is so much that can be done on planes, in airports, and on the tarmac to make the air travel experience so much smoother. Fortunately, it sounds like some very smart tech upgrades are going to be made by airlines to improve the passenger experience amidst competing priorities and regulatory pressures. Find out what will likely be changing soon (and what changes are already starting to land).
Identity Guardian uses face biometrics and an encrypted barcode to prevent unauthorized users from seeing sensitive business data – and help authorized users access that data faster. Here’s how it works.
Find out why you must put your workers’ mobile experiences first when modernizing your SAP warehouse. Plus, learn about the seven things you must do to ensure you are addressing your frontline warehouse workers’ needs when making warehouse management system (WMS) and workflow changes.
PacSun thought it was struggling to meet e-commerce demand because of poor forecasting. Come to find out, that was only half the story (and issue). Find out what we learned once we started investigating the source of its fulfillment challenges, as it may be a hidden problem in your operations, too.
AI, robots and other automation technologies will help you drive operational improvements sometime in the future. But, today, you need to be using voice-command automation (which is not the same thing as the voice-directed picking “solutions” you’re struggling with today.) Find out how voice-command automation differs from the other ways your frontline workers are using voice technology today.
When it comes to technology implementations, there's never benefit in trying to go it alone. You always need to bring in someone who knows the technology tools you want to use. They'll help you get things working perfectly. But should you try to find one partner who can “do it all”? Or is it better to assemble a team of experts to help you manage the IT/OT convergence and achieve your business objectives? Larry Walsh, CEO and Chief Analyst, Channelnomics, helps answer those questions.
Learn more about what type of data is flowing from Zebra’s technology systems into ServiceNow asset management systems to help you keep tabs on all your assets without doing more than lifting a finger.
We’ve added some new functionality to Zebra DNA Cloud as requested so you can more easily manage your workforce mobility solutions, including Workstation Connect.
Though meant to reduce theft, locking up products in your stores may be causing losses by deterring impatient shoppers from completing their purchase or complicating inventory management. Consider this instead.
Allyship may not be as narrowly focused as you might think. Find out what it really means and takes to be an ally.
Let’s talk about why enterprise mobility solutions are better suited than consumer market offerings in retail, hospitality and other business applications based on what we've learned the past two-plus decades.
AI does not start and end with ChatGPT (or whatever other generative AI is creating the most buzz). So, let’s talk about what AI means for your business, including your workers.
Not sure how to accelerate digitalization or meet efficiency standards in your hospital? Find out what one healthcare volunteer suggests after working in National Health Service (NHS) wards for a while and understanding what it really takes to take good care of patients – and take care of all patients that need consultations.
Puneet Shetty, Vice President of Product Management, Celona explains when private 4G/5G/CBRS wireless networks will prove more reliable and cost effective.
The RFID tag is not the next evolution of the barcode. It is technology you should treat as complementary to barcodes. Here’s why.
Our experts explain the cost of giving your front-line workers the wrong type of mobile device for barcode scanning applications
The more mainstream AI becomes in business, the more important it becomes for developers and engineers to adopt best practices – and for technology buyers and IT managers to understand those practices. So, we asked an AI expert to share the practices he and his team use to bring AI into production, including the use of ML Ops.
If it feels inconvenient to have to buy all new reusable bins or recyclable serving utensils, find out what one global QSR chain is doing to conveniently maintain operations, meet sustainability goals and comply with multiple plastics bans.
Learn why (and how) you should migrate from ITS Mobile, SAPConsole and Windows mobile apps to “Mobile Inventory Templates,” and what the process was like for two global companies that have already migrated.
If your employees transition between multiple roles each day, you need to consolidate their “profiles” onto a single device so they can flip between tasks and teams faster. Here’s how.
With it becoming more challenging than ever to make money in retail, it’s crucial to streamline your store operations in line with the new “Modern Store” framework introduced at NRF.
Did you know there are Wi-Fi 6 printers available or that you might need to switch to one? Learn more about how they work and how you can prepare for the transition to Wi-Fi 6 - and Wi-Fi 6 printers.
There’s far more to consider than the “total cost of ownership" when deciding whether to set up a private wireless or Wi-Fi network, and consistency is worth more than anything when it comes to wireless connectivity in the workplace, says one mobility expert.
Retail, logistics, shipping, and warehouse teams are having to move more cold chain goods every day. So, they will appreciate how the Zebra RS6100 can survive extreme temps and help them maintain a steady tempo in and out of freezers.
You may need to change how you think about, choose, and implement technology for your healthcare system to make progress against these your patient care, compliance and telehealth priorities. Here's why.
How much memory do you really need to keep your mobile device from crashing? We ask a mobility expert to explain the (semi-simple) math you should do before buying a device that you’ll be using for business purposes.
Find out how OCR Wedge enables you to automatically capture VIN, TIN and license plate data across automotive supply chains, stores and service centers using only a handheld mobile computer.
Investment arms of major banks are facing reputational and financial headwinds due to non-compliant communication breaches. Investing in your branch communication technology today can help avoid similar crises. Find out how.
We are asked a lot of questions about why enterprise mobile devices should be the only type of devices used for business applications when consumer devices are being marketed for business use, too. Technology Solutions Engineering Fellow Bruce Willins attempts to answer them all now.
Perishable good restocks require precise inventory planning by retailers. That’s why predictive ordering AI/ML algorithms may be some of the best innovations since sliced bread. Find out how they work.
Consumers and retail associates who participated in Zebra's 16th Annual Global Shopper Study hope AI will change the retail experience, and top AI engineers think gen AI will change the retail experience. But how? That's what Zebra's EMEA Retail Industry Leader, Mark Thomson, and Zebra's Senior Director of AI and Advanced Applications, Stuart Hubbard, share in this latest blog post, which includes a very candid video chat about where the greatest potential for gen AI is proving to be in retail right now.
It may be tempting to push customers toward staffed checkout lanes instead of self-checkout (SCO) to reduce losses. However, doing so could push your most loyal customers away. So, let’s talk about ways to stop SCO-related shrink.
In her first interview since becoming Zebra's Chief Supply Chain Officer, Tami Froese talks about her disciplined approach to collaboration, execution and performance measurement – and what supply chain “resiliency” really means.
Did you know that you don’t always need real-time visibility into trailer location to prevent goods losses on the road and labor-related losses in your retail stores, warehouses and distribution centers? Learn more.
It could be a win-win to let employees use personal devices on the clock. However, more businesses are starting to backtrack on BYOD. Why? Hear both sides of the story.
What questions should you be asking mobile device manufacturers about security in your solicitations? And what are Zebra’s responses to these questions? We ask a mobile security expert to weigh in on both.
Here are some calculations to run and often overlooked factors to consider before you think that a consumer mobile device is going to be “cheaper" than one purpose-built for business or industrial use cases.
ID checks, citation issuance and incident reporting require data precision. Yet, records systems are rife with typos. That’s why more agencies are taking a second look at OCR technology.
Shoppers want more autonomy. They also want more on-demand associate assistance (when needed), along with faster payment experiences. Here are some easy ways to give them everything they want.
Privacy isn’t born out of traditional cybersecurity tactics. It must be treated as a separate but equal action, according to Dr. Ann Cavoukian, creator of the international “Privacy by Design” framework. Find out what you should be doing differently to protect your customers and reduce your company's liability when handling customer data..
It’s not helping you as a home health provider or your patients if you’re “making do” with manual processes or “finding workarounds” when your tech doesn’t work. So, let’s get you set up correctly.