Modern warehouse operations face constant disruptions. Finding effective solutions for volatile consumer demands and labor challenges requires a strategic approach rather than piecemeal technology adoption.
At the start of each year, CES offers a compelling glimpse into the future of technology. While much of the focus is on the latest consumer innovations, I find the most impactful story of technological evolution unfolds outside the main event.
As leaders in the manufacturing industry, we constantly navigate a landscape of disruption. From volatile supply chains and fluctuating market demands to persistent labor shortages, the pressure to perform is immense. Many of us have turned to digital transformation as the answer, and rightly so.
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.
Bringing our partners together from across Latin America for our Channel Partner Summit always creates a unique and powerful reminder that our greatest achievements happen when we work in concert toward a common goal.
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.
Product recalls represent a massive threat to food and beverage manufacturers. One industry financial analysis estimates the average direct cost of a single incident at $10 million.
AI commands headlines and captures imaginations, promising a future of unparalleled efficiency. Yet for executives leading operations in retail, manufacturing, and transportation, the practical application of AI often feels distant from the hype.
A significant shift is coming to the European retail landscape. New regulations signal the end of wasteful practices and the beginning of a more transparent, circular economy.
A striking paradox is unfolding in boardrooms worldwide. Companies are investing heavily in AI, yet a recent Hoover Institution study found over 80% of them report no meaningful productivity impact.
I recently had the privilege of joining a host of industry leaders and innovators at the 40th GS1 Global Healthcare Summit. The energy at the conference felt distinct. In every session and conversation, a shared purpose resonated: to tackle the immense pressures on our healthcare systems not as individual organizations, but as a connected ecosystem.
The energy at our recent Channel Partner Summit in Orlando felt palpable. Everywhere you turned, conversations buzzed with the potential of AI.
As leaders in the manufacturing sector, we stand at a pivotal moment. The pressures of global competition, rising consumer expectations, and supply chain volatility push us to innovate constantly.
AI-driven frontline operations will require companies to develop new capabilities that augment their current approach. Previously we explored how Asset Visibility delivers a complete, real-time view of the entire frontline environment, critical to provide AI models with knowledge of the current situation.
The air at a FIRST® Robotics competition crackles with a unique energy. You feel a powerful mix of excitement, intense focus, and pure ingenuity.
In logistics, what you can’t see can hurt you. Every moment a package is unaccounted for between scans represents a blind spot, a gap in the story of its journey.
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.
When we work together with our partners, colleagues, and technology experts, we feel a powerful sense of community and shared purpose.
Retail associates often face overwhelming app fatigue. Disjointed communication tools and isolated point solution applications cause unnecessary friction during their daily shifts.
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.
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.
In my conversations with customers and manufacturing leaders across Vietnam, there is a palpable energy right now. As global supply chains diversify, our local manufacturing sector is experiencing breathtaking growth.
In today’s demanding business environment, challenges like labor shortages and supply chain disruptions test the resilience of every organization as the pressure to deliver better results with fewer resources is constant.
If you attended the National Retail Federation (NRF) Big Show this year, you might have seen a few eye-catching cars navigating the busy streets of New York, wrapped in the iconic Zebra stripes and featuring our name alongside our latest acquisition, Elo.
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.
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.
Picture this: it is the peak of the holiday shopping season. Every register has a long line, associates race to fulfill online orders, and the stockroom buzzes with activity. Suddenly, a handheld scanner in a key department stops working. The frontline associate feels stranded.
The familiar barcode, a staple of commerce for over 50 years, triggers the checkout beep we all know. It reliably tells a scanner a product's identity, its Global Trade Item Number (GTIN).
Earlier this year, at our Channel Partner Summit, the buzz of excitement was unmistakable. The conversations with our partners, the lifeblood of our ecosystem, consistently circled back to a significant evolution in our industry.
In today's fast-paced digital economy, the frontline of business pulses with activity.
Latin America’s fields and farms feed a significant portion of the world. The region produces more than a third of global agricultural exports, from Colombian coffee to Brazilian beef.
Across the transportation and logistics industry, AI continues its transformation from a future concept to a daily reality. In the back office, leaders successfully leverage AI and intelligent software solutions to refine demand forecasting and optimise asset visibility.
In the fast-paced world of retail, your team relies on a growing arsenal of mobile devices. Handheld computers manage inventory in the aisle, tablets process sales from anywhere on the floor, and wearables keep associates connected and informed.
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 logistics and postal leaders, the last mile has become the most critical and complex part of the entire supply chain. The pressure to improve its efficiency is immense, driven by the relentless growth of e-commerce, soaring customer expectations for speed and the high operational cost of failed deliveries.
Manufacturing and logistics leaders face a complex, shifting landscape. The relentless pace of e-commerce, persistent labor shortages, and rising consumer expectations demand a new approach to operational strategy.
Zebra's Channel Partner Summit provides a vital opportunity to connect with the partners who help us deliver solutions to our customers every day. This year’s conversations centered on Winning Together.
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.
After more than two decades in nursing, I witnessed firsthand the constant race against time. Clinicians rush from patient to patient, their days a whirlwind of alerts, calls, and documentation.
Inside a bustling food and beverage facility, the smooth movement of materials dictates the pace of production. Any delay in getting raw ingredients to the line or moving finished goods to the warehouse creates a bottleneck.
Healthcare professionals today navigate immense pressure. Disconnected systems and administrative burdens often pull their focus from the critical work of patient care.
If you’ve ever managed a team on the frontline, whether in a warehouse, a hospital, or a retail store, you know how challenging the work can be.
You need more than the “stakeholders” involved from day one on healthcare modernization porjects because buy-in on new technology toolsand processes starts – but doesn’t end – at the top of your healthcare organization. Found out whose opinion and support matters most so that you can invite the right people to inform your RFID-projects
Before a pair of shoes reaches your doorstep, it may pass through up to 30 touchpoints where Zebra products, solutions, or workers using Zebra devices play a critical role in its journey.
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.
As the backbone of retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation and logistics (T&L) businesses, frontline workers drive results. Yet, according to Korn Ferry, a new study reveals that more than three-quarters (77%) of these workers believe senior leaders fail to understand their daily challenges.
As Zebra rolls out its refreshed brand, I realize how privileged our role is as Independent Software Vendors in applying this new messaging around mobile devices.
It’s a Monday morning, and I am in a busy Accident & Emergency (A&E) facility at my local hospital. A young boy in a school uniform nurses a sore wrist and a workman wearing a high visibility jacket leans back in a wheelchair amidst a sea of injured humans.
I am drawn to extraordinary people. People that do things above and beyond the call of duty. My friendship group comprises sports champions, business entrepreneurs and adventurers. Intelligent, confident people that excel in a multitude of outlets, and rarely follow the norm. Which is why I felt so at home. I was surrounded by a room full of people I felt in awe of. Not sports heroes or boardroom execs but people that show up every day and make the world a better place. People that deal with the deprived, those with complex health issues - physical and mental. They operate calmly in situations that would fill me with fear. The most unsung of heroes. Community nurses.
Today is an important day for Zebra as the company unveils its brand refresh. While our logo hasn’t changed, our new brand platform, “Better Every Day” represents a strategic evolution and tighter alignment with modern technology trends which recognize the impact that automation and AI are having on frontline workflows.
As business leaders, we constantly look for ways to streamline operations, empower teams, and deliver better results. If you’ve ever wondered how AI could make your frontline team’s workday smoother, more efficient, and maybe even a little less stressful, the Frontline AI Summit offered some exciting answers. Hosted by Zebra Technologies, this event brought together some of the sharpest minds in the industry to talk about how AI is already transforming operations and what’s next.
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.
The way we work is changing, and it’s happening fast. Across industries like manufacturing, retail, and transportation and logistics (T&L), businesses are embracing smarter, faster, and more connected ways of working. Why? Because the world demands it. Customers expect flawless service, employees want meaningful roles, and companies need to stay resilient in the face of constant change. But how do we get there? The answer lies in intelligent operations.
Turnover rates for warehouse and storage workers remain significantly higher than in other sectors. According to recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, annual churn in transportation, warehousing and utilities is currently around 43%.
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.
When Kevin Lawton, host of The New Warehouse Podcast, visited the Zebra Robotics demo center in San Jose, we didn’t just demonstrate Zebra Symmetry™ Fulfillment. We put him to work.
With just a few minutes of instruction, Kevin went through a complete warehouse workflow, from building a cart at induction to picking items in the warehouse and unloading finished orders at a packout station.
“I had minimal — minimal — training on this. So you can see how easy it is,” Lawton said after completing his first day on the job.
In addition to giving Kevin an immersive experience, I sat down with him and Cody Upp, Zebra’s head of commercial robotics sales and solutions, to record a full podcast episode. Here are some of the high points from our interview.
In today’s fast-paced industries, ranging from logistics to retail and manufacturing, the need for precision, efficiency, and real-time visibility into assets has become a critical factor for success. Organizations under constant pressure to streamline operations want to cut costs and maintain agility, making it essential to adopt tools that enhance productivity and simplify complex workflows.
Explore the transformative role of AI in healthcare in “Are Hospitals Taking a Gamble on AI? Part Two” by Lorna Hopkin, Marketing Lead at Zebra Technologies. Discover how AI is enhancing triage processes, optimizing patient wait times, and supporting healthcare professionals with intuitive tools. This insightful article delves into AI’s ethical considerations, data challenges, and the importance of patient-centered care. Learn why investing in AI isn’t a gamble but a strategic move towards a smarter, more efficient healthcare system. Join the conversation on AI’s potential to revolutionize patient outcomes and healthcare delivery.
Every September, we at Zebra Technologies take time to reflect on what truly drives our success: the extraordinary people and organizations that make up our partner ecosystem. This year, as we mark the fifth anniversary of Partner Appreciation Month, it feels especially meaningful. Five years of celebrating the collaboration, innovation, and trust of the people and partnerships that define Zebra’s success.
The scarcity of labor resources and high costs of robotics ownership are pushing fulfillment companies to rethink their automation strategies. Zebra addressed these challenges head on in a recent Making the Case report published in collaboration with Modern Materials Handling.
This report delves into the top challenges fulfillment operations are dealing with on the robotics front today. It reveals how a collaborative approach to autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) can help you overcome automation hurdles, operate more efficiently, and enhance overall performance and profitability.
Amidst rising demands, global competition, and evolving consumer expectations, manufacturing operations must adapt to thrive. The research we recently unveiled with Oxford Economics sheds light on how intelligent operations can unlock transformative efficiencies throughout manufacturing operations.
The study titled, “Impact of Intelligent Operations” quantifies the benefits of workflow optimization and identifies how intelligent automation transforms manufacturing performance. It also reveals a compelling case for adopting intelligent operations to improve quality, reduce costs, and unlock new growth opportunities.
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.
Transportation & logistics (T&L) leaders confront a fast-moving landscape where agility and precision define success. Our study titled, “Impact of Intelligent Operations” which was done in collaboration with Oxford Economics offers fresh insights into how intelligent operations transform this vital industry.
A distribution center (DC) operator and a Wi-Fi solution architect explain why it often feels like such a struggle to get wireless system settings just right in warehouses (no matter how much technical investigation and adjustment occurs.)
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.
Recognition feels good, but it seldom comes from solitary effort. It grows from a shared purpose and collective dedication.
In the fast-paced world of frontline operations, where distribution centers race to ship packages, retail stores are crowded with shoppers, and manufacturing plants strain to meet tight schedules, it is increasingly difficult to orchestrate all the simultaneous activities it takes to be successful. Companies are finding that they need to track more information than ever – accurate, real-time information.
If you're an SAP customer looking to migrate from SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA to better support frontline workers and back-office processes, you may be wondering: "Should I choose SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) or Stock Room Management (SRM)?" This post will help you arrive at the right answer for your business.
Retailers today face mounting pressure to evaluate their pricing strategies with precision. Yet, the real challenge lies in identifying which metrics truly reflect success.
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.
In the fast-paced world of technology, we know that achieving milestones is all about teamwork. Here at Zebra Technologies, we’re fortunate to have a strong culture driven by our employees and incredible customers and partners whose collaboration inspires us to achieve more every day.
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.
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.
In the dynamic world of frontline operations, the spotlight has been on optimizing workflows through Asset Visibility, a critical pillar of operational intelligence discussed in my previous blog post.
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.
If you're a healthcare provider or administrator who wants to reduce the shocks and stress felt when the world seems to shatter - or just simply grows bigger - you need to make one simple change today then repeat tomorrow. Don't wait "for the money to come in" or a policy push to make the changes needed to improve care capacity or quality. The team at Hull University Hospital didn't. It took a pragmatic approach to modernization and has made great progress with Scan4Safety and strategic RFID implementations in a short period of time. So, if you're not sure what to do first (or next), the story and advice shared in this blog post might help you get the answers you need...or at least know the right questions to ask of the right people.
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.
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).
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.
If you’re only thinking about which mobile applications you need to develop or download to support workers, they may not be getting what they really need to be effective at their jobs. That's one of the reasons why you need to put more thought into your software decisions. Find out the other reasons why you need to look closer at the software you're running across your operations.
Bluetooth has become ubiquitous over the last 20 years. (30 billion devices using Bluetooth.) But can it really get even more widely deployed (or better) than it is today? Inventor Jaap Haartsen has some interesting thoughts on what may happen in the next 20 years. Check it out.
Zebra CEO Bill Burns highlights some notable accomplishments of Zebra employees, partners, and customers in his latest blog post about the impact of culture on a company.
As sustainability reporting leaps up boardroom agendas, a byproduct of enhanced visibility is uncovering the most secretive malware.
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.
What is it about telnet that makes it possible for modern warehouse devices to continue to run it?
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.
Cleaning up the physical space and processes in your receiving area might feel like a big step, but it’s the best first step given receiving sets the tone for the rest of your warehouse operations. Here are eight things you can do to drive noticeable improvement quite easily.
What can different wireless and location technologies really do? What can they not? If you want truth and transparency, read this blog post. It sheds light on some eye-opening facts.
There's a lot more to consider than just the temperature rating when choosing a handheld mobile computer or tablet – or even an RFID reader, barcode scanner, printer, or wearable – for use in cold chains (or cold weather). So, Andre Luecht took the time to detail what other factors influence the performance of technology devices, accessories and supplies in different types of cold settings so that you always make the right choice for your operation the first time.
Bob Bova, President and CEO of AccuspeechMobile, sits down with Andre Luecht, Global Strategy Lead for Transport, Logistics, and Warehouse at Zebra, to provide his honest take on why you may be struggling with your voice technology.
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.
Unlike most clinicians, nurses at Hull University Teaching Hospitals don’t have to worry that patient care will be compromised due to missing equipment or medical supplies shortages. Why? They’ve found an unconventional but effective ‘cure’ using RFID. Hear about the inventory management solution that is helping clinicians focus on patient care.
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.
No matter how much technology enables to run your business more efficiently, people are still the ones responsible for your success (and developing the technology that allows you to work in new, better ways so that success becomes possible). So, it's time to give credit where credit is due - and make sure we're thinking about technology in the context of human impact.
Some say now’s the time to take the road less traveled. We say it’s now or never. If you keep doing the same things you’ve always done, especially if you’ve typically avoided AI, you’re going to keep feeling the grind.
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.
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.
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.
When you're traveling, you shouldn't have to spend hours in line trying to get into the country. That's why you might want to visit Cyprus, where government officials have found a way to accelerate visitor documentation checks and reduce queues to get into the country.
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.