Podcast

Tim Rowland on retail robotics and the future of senses

November 04, 2020 | By Tim Rowland

Meet Tim Rowland:

Tim Rowland is CEO of Badger Technologies, a product division of Jabil - a $26 billion technology and supply chain solutions global company. Badger Technologies provides actionable data and analytics for retail operations through automation solutions that include a fully autonomous robot to address out-of-stocks, planogram compliance, price integrity, and other operational inefficiencies.

What you will learn from this podcast:
• Why getting the right product at the right price and in the right amount is becoming more and more difficult for both CPG manufacturers and retailers. Listen to how Badger Technologies and robotics are solving this through "seeing".

• Tim explores the concept of "hidden products" - products that are not "shown" in the correct manner on shelves - as well as "hidden price promotions". Promotions are often delayed due to the slow process of getting the actual new sales tag on the shelf or the reverse, with sale promotion tags hung for too long and appearing out of date. With robotic technologies like Badger, old challenges can be addressed effectively.

• How robotics can not only assess the status of products on the shelf and price promotion compliance but also help grocery stores, supermarkets and hypermarkets assess floors for spills and hazardous conditions. This helps both shoppers and retail staff encouraging visits and ensuring stores are both clean and safe.

• More interestingly, some larger supermarkets and discount stores are using robotics to assess promotional display compliance in aisles ensuring that every marketing dollar is spent accordingly. Display compliance gives CPG manufacturers an "eye" on what is happening in-store and potentially issues contractual penalties for retailers' non-compliance.

• Tim also covers the challenges in having robots in supermarket stores and implications of human traffic and their advantages: an ability to scan 40,000 individual store products, responding to hazardous conditions, promotional compliance - all in around 3 hours!

• Will robots replace supermarket workers? Tim shares his views on robots and the human labour force; you will be surprised with his insight.

• We close with a fascinating view of future robotics in retail stores. Can robots sense "freshness" and ensure our fresh fruit, vegetables and dairy are about to expire?

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