Webcast Recap: Robotics Accelerates Retail Digitization

Grace Bultman | 5 October 2022

In a recent webcast, Matt Kohler, Bastian Solutions’ Applications Director, and other industry leaders discussed how both online and traditional retailers can take advantage of automation as peak season approaches. A key topic discussed during the webcast was the importance of collecting and analyzing data to provide timely and actionable insights for customers.

Not only did the COVID-19 pandemic accelerate e-commerce demand; it also altered consumer expectations of fast and accurate order fulfillment. From unloading trucks and pallets to taking inventory in warehouses and each picking, industrial robotic solutions can assist shorthanded operations at each step.

Here are a few takeaways from the discussion.

Identify Where Value Can be Added

An important factor for a company to address digitalization is knowing their main obstacles within the business. There are many businesses who already understand exactly what those are, however, many businesses often need help with where they should look to resolve the obstacles, such as automation. Labor has become increasingly harder to find. Adding automation can help prioritize where current employees can add more value.

Data for an Improved Experience

It is important optimal data is provided for digitalization, to ensure the most appropriate solution is designed for the customer. If the data is not thorough, this will put a material handling company at risk of creating a suboptimal solution that will not meet the ROI for the use of the solution. The ability to collect data in real time to update software databases allows customers to get supplementary benefit – faster updates, improved customer experience and more – out of the automation that has been implemented.

Employee Training & Support

When implementing an automated material handling system, supporting the facility on an ongoing basis is important. Bastian is aware of this and works to ensure facility employees are trained on common recovery processes. On occasion, there is a circumstance that was not foreseen, and Bastian understands 24/7 customer assistance is key to any operation. As premier automation integrators, Bastian’s service technicians are experts in maintaining and servicing a variety of material handling equipment.

Interested in retail ecommerce automation and robotics? The webinar recording is readily available on our website for viewing.   

Author: Grace Stafford