Zebra Technologies announced easy-to-deploy, cost-effective solutions to streamline retailers’ operations from front-of-store to the warehouse. In today’s on-demand economy, these solutions help retailers improve inventory management and increase store associate productivity which ultimately elevates the customer experience.
With the growth of e-commerce, online purchases and in-store click & collect, retailers need solutions that deliver precise in-store physical inventory counts. SmartCount™ is a turn-key software and scanner solution that gives retailers a single view visibility of their physical inventories in real-time, enabling more efficient, cost-effective full-store and cycle count inventory events with minimal disruption to daily operations. SmartCount analytics capabilities direct store associates on what merchandise, in which stores, to count. This solution improves overall inventory accuracy and stock visibility which elevates the in-store shopper experience and enhances sales.
Leveraging its Android™ expertise, Zebra introduces two new form factors to its market-leading Android portfolio: the EC30 Enterprise Companion mobile computer and the ET51/ET56 rugged tablets.
The ultra-small, lightweight EC30 simplifies employee communications and task management, enabling front-line workers to scan barcodes and run key business applications. Offering core functionality and connectivity with comprehensive voice capabilities to keep workers on task and productive, the EC30 can withstand continual everyday use. As a multi-modal wearable solution, it improves front-line store associate productivity and customer service. It also supports the updated version of Workforce Connect™ powered by Savanna to deliver enhanced collaboration including voice, Push-To-Talk and enterprise messaging for sales associates.
Workforce Connect powered by Savanna also includes a new feature which provides customized worker profiles. This new tool enables retailers to optimize team productivity by dynamically uploading user profiles to the EC30 and other compatible Zebra mobile computers. It enables efficient user profile management and authentication to retailers’ directory services. This provides a personalized user experience depending on the needs and tasks of specific workers, meaning that one Android Zebra device can be optimized for use by several store associates across shifts.
“Zebra’s new inventory management and staff enablement solutions drive efficiency into store associate workflows, improve inventory accuracy and enable more productive customer interactions,” said Anees Haidri, Retail Practice Lead, Zebra Technologies. “The easy-to-deploy SmartCount solution and cost-effective EC30 Enterprise Companion give retailers a performance edge while delivering an enhanced shopper experience.”
The Android ET51/ET56 rugged tablet provides staff associates with a familiar consumer-looking device that has enterprise-class durability, data capture functionality and a range of accessories that retailers need for enhanced operations, greater efficiency and elevated shopper satisfaction. The EC30 and ET51/ET56 include Zebra’s Mobility DNA™ suite of end-user application development tools and utilities to simplify management, strengthen security, and aid migration from legacy devices. Each device includes built-in support for at least the next two generations of Android, as well as Zebra’s LifeGuard™ for Android, which extends the service life of Zebra’s Android-based devices by three to five years to further improve the return on investment.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Zebra extends its Android portfolio with easy-to-deploy, cost-effective solutions that improve retailers’ operations from front-of-store to the warehouse, helping them gain and maintain their competitive advantage.
- SmartCount delivers enhanced inventory accuracy and stock visibility by enabling in-store physical inventory events that minimize disruption to operations.
- The new EC30 enterprise companion, specially designed for portability, helps provide the right communication and task management workflow tools.
- The Android ET51/ET56 rugged tablets combine a consumer-like design with enterprise-class functionality required for in-store and warehouse operations.
- Workforce Connect powered by Savanna connects to customer’s authentication and directory services to automate the generation of user profiles across devices and optimizes user profile management to increase efficiencies and reduce costs.
