El 75% de los millennials abandona sus compras en tiendas físicas para acabar comprando online, principalmente por la falta de existencias

Seis de cada diez compradores cree que las cajas de autoservicio mejoran la experiencia de los consumidores

Zebra Technologies Corporation  ha anunciado los resultados de su duodécimo estudio anual, Global Shopper Study, el único estudio del sector en el que se analizan las actitudes y el comportamiento de los compradores, los dependientes en las tiendas y los ejecutivos del sector, y en el que se examinan las tendencias del comercio y las soluciones tecnológicas con incidencia en los patrones de compra de los consumidores.

Según este estudio, el 75% de los compradores millennials encuestados y más de la mitad (53%) de la generación X indican que han ido a tiendas físicas y han dejado  sus compras para acabar comprando los productos online. Las principales causas que explican esta decisión son los problemas en la gestión de stock, en particular, la falta de existencias. Tanto los compradores como los dependientes expresan su descontento con estas faltas de stock, y el 43% de los dependientes menciona las quejas de los clientes sobre la falta de inventario como su mayor fuente de frustración, mientras que el 39% de los compradores ha abandonado una tienda sin realizar compras debido a este problema.

Por otra parte, las tecnologías relacionadas con las cajas de autoservicio (o automáticas) tienen cada vez mayor aceptación en las tiendas minoristas. El 40% de los compradores afirma que ha usado estos sistemas de autocobro en los últimos seis meses y el 86% indica que se siente cómodo con esta tecnología. Adicionalmente, la mayoría de los consumidores (58%) –especialmente los millennials (70%)– sostienen que las cajas de autoservicio mejoran la experiencia de los consumidores. La mayoría de los dependientes (54%) también indica que las áreas de cobro con empleados son menos necesarias con la nueva tecnología que automatiza el proceso de pago. Casi nueve de cada diez ejecutivos del sector retail (87%) creen que las cajas de autoservicio liberan a los empleados de la tienda para brindar un mejor servicio a los clientes, y el 81% asegura que empezaba a ver un retorno de su inversión en esta tecnología.

“Nuestro estudio muestra que, aunque mejorar los servicios ayudaría a retener a los clientes actuales y atraer a nuevos, los retailers tienen que asegurarse de que funcione lo fundamental: disponibilidad de sus productos, facilidad para localizarlos, devoluciones y cambios”, apunta Anees Haidri, director de estrategia global de Retail de Zebra Technologies. “Para ganarse compradores hoy en día, los minoristas tienen que ofrecer una experiencia multicanal y sin fallos , y hacer uso de la tecnología para ofrecer servicios más personalizados en la gestión del inventario y llevar a cabo operaciones más inteligentes”.

Mejorar la experiencia de los consumidores será crucial para que los clientes vuelvan, pero existe una importante desconexión entre las expectativas de los ejecutivos del sector minorista y las de los consumidores. De hecho, el 77% de los directivos cree que los clientes están satisfechos con la experiencia en sus tiendas físicas, mientras que sóo el 57% de los consumidores afirma que está satisfecho. El estudio también ha identificado grandes diferencias de percepción entre los dos grupos en relación con los procesos de devolución y cambio: el 59% de los consumidores se siente satisfecho, mientras que el 80% de los ejecutivos percibe satisfacción en estos procesos. Las inversiones realizadas en la tecnología móvil, sin embargo, han conseguido acercar la opinión de dirección y empleados, ya que el 85% y el 73%, respectivamente, creen que dotar a los empleados con la última tecnología mejora la experiencia de sus clientes.

Los retailers también están intentando mejorar la experiencia en sus tiendas físicas con el uso de la robótica. Solo el 7% de los consumidores encuestados interactuó con un robot en un establecimiento físico en los últimos seis meses, pero casi tres cuartas partes (72%) indican que se sienten cómodos con los robots. El 32% de los dependientes afirma que le preocupa ser remplazado por robots.

RESULTADOS POR REGIÓN
Asia-Pacífico

• Casi la mitad de los compradores encuestados (49%) indica que prefiere comprar online debido a las facilidades para realizar devoluciones.
• El 53% de los compradores utiliza su dispositivo móvil o la aplicación de la tienda para realizar sus compras en la tienda física.

 
Europa y Oriente Medio

• Dos terceras partes (66%) de los compradores indican que están satisfechos con la posibilidad de pagar desde cualquier lugar en la tienda.
• Solo el 14% de los compradores confía plenamente en los retailers en relación con la protección de sus datos personales.

 
América Latina

• El 71% indica que las cajas de autoservicio le ofrecen una mejor experiencia de compra, y el 64% prefiere usar esta tecnología en lugar de pasar por una caja atendida por un dependiente.
• Más de ocho de cada diez compradores (83%) están interesados en recibir cupones o dinero en efectivo a cambio de esperar hasta cuatro días para recibir una compra realizada online.

 
América del Norte

• Solo el 6% de los compradores afirma que confía plenamente en los retailers en relación con la protección de sus datos personales, la cifra más baja de todas las regiones.
• Durante la campaña navideña, los compradores de esta región esperan gastar el 58% de su presupuesto para regalos en tiendas físicas.

 

Pulse aquí para DESCARGAR EL ESTUDIO

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METODOLOGÍA DEL ESTUDIO
El duodécimo estudio anual de Zebra sobre los consumidores incluye la opinión de aproximadamente 4.811 compradores, 1.100 dependientes y 435 ejecutivos del sector minorista en las regiones de América del Norte, América Latina, Asia-Pacífico, Europa y Oriente Medio. El sondeo fue realizado por Qualtrics en agosto-septiembre de 2019.

Lakeland chose Zebra’s Android-based TC51 mobile computer for its ease of use and performance. This deployment improves in-store efficiency and customer service levels.

Combining its Android platform with Zebra Mobility DNA and LifeGuard toolkits ensures Lakeland has invested in a secure, flexible, future-proof solution.

Zebra Technologies Corporation announced that Lakeland, a specialist retailer in home cooking, baking, cleaning and laundry products, has deployed Zebra® TC51 Android touch computers in its 67 stores to boost productivity and enhance customer service.

To stay competitive, Lakeland continued with its Android™ strategy which meant replacing its legacy Android tablets used in store for inventory and product information. Lakeland’s new partner, Peak-Ryzex, a Zebra® PartnerConnect Premier Solutions partner, recommended a comprehensive and cost-effective solution. The TC51 touch computer with Zebra OneCare support helps customers maximize device uptime and business performance. On average, two to three Android devices with a five-slot cradle are deployed per store.

“Our store associates love the TC51 high-resolution screen, excellent sound quality, processing speeds, durability and design,” said Emma Kay, IT & Development Manager, Lakeland. “We see the benefits of deploying the best price-performance device on the market for our needs, backed up by Zebra’s best-in-class Android and aftercare support. We expect mobile computing to play a growing role in our stores of the future.”

Lakeland’s IT team developed its applications for order management, global ticketing, shelf-edge pricing and product labelling and used SOTI Stage to integrate them to the devices. Store associates using the TC51 can easily access these applications and perform in-store tasks such as inventory, price checks, goods receipt and price markdowns. With access to extensive product information covering all stores’ inventory, stock history, product videos and warehouse purchase order dates, store associates can pinpoint product information for customer enquiries. Benefits include a quicker, more streamlined and efficient operational process that enhances shopper engagement and increases sales.

“Equipping store associates with the right solution to engage with shoppers and deliver the quality of service they require is critical for retailers,” said Mark Buckley, Account Manager, Zebra Technologies, United Kingdom. “Lakeland’s deployment of Android TC51 devices combined with Zebra Mobility DNA and LifeGuard, ensures the company has invested in a long-term, secure, flexible, future-proof solution that delivers a performance edge, improves product availability and ultimately, customer satisfaction.”

Peak-Ryzex manages Lakeland’s Zebra LifeGuard™ for rapid security and OS updates through over-the-air roll-outs across the country. Zebra’s Mobility DNA™ solution also enables Lakeland’s enterprise integration and application needs. All these result in minimizing in-store operation disruptions, saving time and costs for Lakeland.

Los lectores de sled RFID y los ordenadores móviles aumentan la precisión de stock en la tienda y mejoran la experiencia del comprador

La solución RFID implementada beneficia a Celio al lograr un inventario preciso en tiempo real, en todos los canales de compra

Celio optimiza el inventario en la tienda con una tasa de fiabilidad de más del 98%

Zebra Technologies Corporation , compañía innovadora que ofrece las soluciones más avanzadas y cuenta con socios capaces de optimizar el rendimiento empresarial, ha anunciado que Celio, minorista especializado en moda para hombre, ha implementado más de 750 lectores de sled RFID RFD8500 y TC51 Android™ táctil en sus 720 tiendas europeas para su estrategia de solución de cumplimiento omnicanal y optimización de herramientas de venta.

Para mejorar su oferta omnicanal, Celio trabaja buscando obtener la máxima fiabilidad de su inventario en tienda y utiliza estos datos “en tiempo real” para optimizar la experiencia del cliente en la tienda actual y la web, así como la funcionalidad click & collect y otros futuros canales. La implementación de esta solución integral de movilidad RFID ha ayudado a Celio a optimizar su flota de dispositivos europeos con ordenadores táctiles que ejecutan todas las aplicaciones de su tienda. Hub One, socio de Zebra desde hace mucho tiempo, integró e implementó esta nueva solución para la recepción de mercancías, control de inventario, gestión de inventario y click & collect con lectores de sled RFID, ordenadores móviles táctiles y la aplicación de nube de identificación NEPAD.

“Seleccionamos el RFD8500 por su rendimiento de lectura RFID que minimiza el tiempo de inventario a la vez que alcanza un nivel casi perfecto en la precisión del stock“, afirma Sylvie Leclercq, RFID Project Manager de Celio. “En el entorno exigente de la moda minorista, los dispositivos TC51 no solo ofrecen un diseño ergonómico y un excelente rendimiento para ejecutar aplicaciones, sino que además garantizan la longevidad y el soporte del producto a lo largo del tiempo, asegurando que siempre tengamos herramientas operativas en la tienda“.

Con estos dispositivos de Zebra, las tiendas asociadas de Celio pueden completar inventarios semanales con un promedio de 40 minutos. Gracias a esto, Celio logra una tasa de fiabilidad de inventario de más del 98%, permitiendo un stock optimizado en la tienda a través de una mejor reposición de existencias. Además, la solución RFID permite una gestión del 100% de los productos desde la recepción hasta la transferencia.

“Trabajar con nuestros socios, Hub One y NEPAD, para proporcionar una solución integral de movilidad y RFID ha permitido y nos permitirá aumentar el servicio al cliente y la calidad“, comenta Sébastien Wisznewski, Account Manager de Zebra Technologies. “Finalmente, Celio ha obtenido una ventaja competitiva y ha optimizado su rendimiento empresarial“.

Acquisition strengthens Zebra’s position in the rugged mobility market and advances our Enterprise Asset Intelligence vision

Zebra Technologies Corporation  and Xplore Technologies Corporation announced that their boards of directors have approved a definitive agreement in which Zebra will acquire all outstanding common stock of Xplore for $6.00 per share in cash. Under the terms of the agreement, Zebra plans to effect the acquisition via a tender offer.

Over its 22-year history, Xplore has established a leading position as an innovative developer of semi-, fully- and ultra-rugged tablets, 2-in-1 laptops, and a range of performance matched accessories. Xplore’s highly differentiated products are designed to withstand demanding conditions across diverse end markets. These products serve existing vertical markets for Zebra such as retail, manufacturing, transportation & logistics and healthcare, and provide an inroad into new markets including oil & gas, utility, government and public safety. Xplore generated revenue of $87 million in the 12-month period ended March 31, 2018.

“In today’s on-demand economy, investments to digitize operations are central to our customers’ strategies. The acquisition of Xplore enhances our product lineup and gives Zebra a complete rugged tablet portfolio that enables our customers to gain a performance edge,” said Anders Gustafsson, chief executive officer of Zebra Technologies. “We’d previously outlined potential areas of expansion that are a natural fit for Zebra and its Enterprise Asset Intelligence vision, and this acquisition is aligned with that strategy. The addition of Xplore provides access to a great team and great products in an attractive market and should enable us to grow the category double digits going forward.”

Xplore’s offerings complement Zebra’s industry-leading enterprise mobile computing, data capture, and printing portfolios, which will now serve a wider range of enterprise customers and accelerate growth. Zebra’s scale, vertical market expertise, and go-to-market footprint will create substantial synergies. Zebra expects this transaction to be neutral to its non-GAAP earnings for 2018, and accretive beyond this year.

“We are excited to join Zebra, the worldwide leader in enterprise mobility and visibility. This acquisition validates the incredible work our team does every day to develop innovative solutions and serve our customers,” said Tom Wilkinson, chief executive officer of Xplore Technologies. “Our products are a natural fit for Zebra, creating a comprehensive rugged mobility portfolio that stands against any competitor.”

Terms of the Transaction
Zebra is effecting the acquisition through a public tender offer for 100% of the shares of Xplore. In connection with the execution of the merger agreement, certain Xplore shareholders have entered into tender support agreements with Zebra pursuant to which they have agreed to tender their shares to Zebra’s offer. The aggregate consideration of the transaction, including assumed indebtedness, is expected to be less than or equal to $90 million. Zebra expects to fund the transaction with a combination of cash on hand along with fully committed financing available under its credit facility. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2018.

PJT Partners is acting as financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis LLP is acting as legal advisor to Zebra. Sheppard Mullin is acting as legal advisor and Duff & Phelps provided a fairness opinion to Xplore.

Staff and Clinical Logistics Center paramedics leverage clinical mobility solution with enhanced communication platform to improve patient outcomes

Zebra Technologies Corporation  has announced that Nemours Children’s Health System selected a clinical mobility solution to improve patient care, efficiency and reduce alarm fatigue. Nemours integrated Zebra’s TC51-HC touch computers and Voalte’s software with its electronic health records (EHR) to allow paramedics in its Clinical Logistics Center (CLC) to more efficiently monitor and care for patients and communicate with nurses and staff at its campuses in Delaware and Florida. Voalte is a Zebra PartnerConnect Premier Solution Partner and Healthcare Solution Specialist, and subsidiary of global medical technology company Hillrom.

Nemours’ CLC is an entirely new approach to patient care and is modeled on systems used by air traffic controllers and NASA’s Mission Control Center. Trained paramedics at the high-tech center use Zebra’s TC51-HC with the Voalte Communication Platform to monitor the health of 250 patients at both locations, manage alarm escalations and communicate with patients when needed. Paramedics have quickly shared critical information with the nearly 700 caregivers armed with Zebra TC51-HC resulting in patients receiving life-saving care faster.

Nemours Children’s Health System replaced its consumer smartphones with Zebra TC51-HC touch computers equipped with the Voalte Communication Platform to streamline caregiver communications and improve patient care.

“We chose Zebra’s TC51-HC touch computer because it offers significantly more capabilities than consumer smartphones,” said James Schnatterer, Clinical Applications Manager at Nemours Children’s Health System. “The Zebra mobile computer is a durable, hospital-grade device that is easy to clean and disinfect. It provides better performance and battery life for a full shift which is critical to our staff. Additionally, it’s purpose-built for the healthcare environment and workflows which enables us to connect the right patient to the right care resulting in improved patient outcomes.”

Approximately 700 paramedics and caregivers use the Zebra TC51-HC touch computers to quickly share critical information and improve the efficiency of patient care processes.

CLC paramedics monitor alarms and only forward critical alerts to nurses’ Zebra mobile computer. Using these devices, Nemours saves approximately $6 per patient per day. They also help reduce alarm fatigue for nurses as they no longer spend time tracking down false alarms which represented 20 percent of the critical alerts received.

“Leading healthcare providers like Nemours utilize clinical mobility and communications solutions to give caregivers a performance edge,” said Chris Sullivan, Global Healthcare Practice Lead, Zebra Technologies. “With the TC51-HC touch computer, Nemours equipped CLC paramedics and caregivers with real-time communications and information to ensure patients receive the right care at the right time – helping reduce medical errors and enhance the overall quality of care.”

Nemours has also used the Zebra mobile computer to improve the efficiency of processes such as room turnover. The staff now tracks room readiness using four buttons on the nurse call panel, which delivers immediate updates to key personnel to efficiently prepare a room for the next patient.

Nemours’ CLC paramedics use the TC51-HC touch computer to communicate with nurses at two facilities and only push the most critical alerts to reduce alarm fatigue.

Business innovators and software developers can now build scalable, data-focused applications and solutions

Zebra Technologies Corporation  has introduced Savanna Data Services, a cloud-based capability that provides a more complete business picture to help transform operations. This new capability is part of our breakthrough data intelligence platform – known as Zebra Savanna™ – which allows adopters to collect and process data from Zebra hardware in real time, turning raw data into actionable insights. The platform is designed to help unlock the potential of data to build more intelligent, productive applications and solutions.

“We recently used the Savanna platform to enhance our ability to deliver customers a complete view of their operations,” said Justin Griffith, CTO, StayLinked, also an ISV partner with Zebra. “We were able to easily link to the Savanna platform, extract valuable Zebra device information as well as complement and enhance our StayLinked iQ data, allowing us to help our customers accurately measure everything that impacts productivity to give them a competitive edge.”

The new Savanna Data Services make intelligent edge device data including third-party data services available via application programming interfaces (APIs) to Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), software developers and business innovators. Savanna Data Services will empower business innovators and software developers to build cutting-edge solutions pertinent to individual business and customer needs, without the expense of maintaining and managing their own platform. The tools can be accessed at any time to integrate Zebra’s existing hardware, software and data ecosystems for maximum effect. Ultimately, using existing APIs shortens development cycles which further reduces costs such as maintenance, access and management.

“Savanna Data Services enable the creation of bespoke, innovative and compelling solutions that will revolutionize how enterprises operate,” said Drew Ehlers, Global Director, Portfolio Marketing, Enterprise Software, Office of the CTO, Zebra Technologies. “Our new developer experience allows users to exclusively leverage intelligent edge device data along with third-party data services via APIs through the Savanna platform to completely transform workflows, identify supply chain bottlenecks and produce outstanding business outcomes.”

Coupled with Zebra’s recent announcement of its plan to acquire Profitect, these new offerings further expand Zebra’s software capabilities and broaden Zebra’s commitment to deliver intelligent edge solutions. The future combination of real-time data that Zebra solutions capture with Profitect’s access to operational data, machine learning, and prescriptive analytics will further enable Zebra’s partners to empower front-line workers – across all industries – with the insights they need to make better, faster, smarter decisions.

“Our close collaboration with Zebra on its Savanna platform has enabled us to develop an automated solution for our manufacturing customers,” Brooks Canavesi, Sales Director, Problem Solutions. “We analyze data in real time via IoT devices which has resulted in enhanced operational visibility and increased safety around critical manufacturing facility infrastructure.”

Business innovators across retail, healthcare, transportation & logistics and manufacturing as well as software developers involved in printing, scanning, barcoding, RFID and indoor location tracking solutions will have access to vital maker APIs, blockchain traceability, barcode intelligence and recall notifications. All hosted on the Zebra Developer Portal, Savanna Data Services will be sold via a web-based, self-service model and can be accessed 24/7.

“We commonly hear the themes of pace and agility from our retail customers which particularly impact the supply chain. Savanna has provided us with the tools to iterate our click and collect solutions at the pace the market requires,” said Gary O’Connor, CTO, Doddle. “As a simple use case, we have used a print from cloud API to reduce the deployment time of our ‘ship from store’ proposition. Longer term, Savanna is a key component of our returns platform – using the blockchain ledger to distribute data across the supply chain to enable intelligent decisions – reducing handling costs and getting items back on sale more quickly.”

“We selected Savanna’s print API and blockchain authentication engine to enable total transparency for our customers needing accurate visibility of their raw materials used during the production and distribution process,” said Sameer Parekh, CEO, Qodenext. “This automation has resulted in significant inventory management savings as well as increased productivity and staff optimization. One customer has subsequently received intellectual property protection in the United States using the traceability solution in its manufacturing process.”

ABOUT SAVANNA DATA SERVICES

• Savanna Data Services are part of Zebra’s intelligent edge platform that supports rapid application development for ISVs, software developers, and business innovators.
• Savanna Data Services have the capability to connect real-time intelligence edge device data, product and services portals, third-party data services such as blockchain ledgers and other third-party data sources to the platform.
• Savanna Data Services can deliver raw data, analytics and event triggers through APIs to simplify application development and lower costs.
• ISVs, software developers and business across the retail, healthcare, transportation & logistics and manufacturing sectors will have access to APIs available through the Zebra Developer Portal.

Zebra Technologies Corporation has announced that it has completed its acquisition of Profitect Inc., a privately-held, leading provider of prescriptive analytics for the retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) industries. Financial terms of the acquisition are not being disclosed.

Using machine learning and prescriptive analytics, Profitect’s solution identifies opportunities to positively impact sales and margin for some of the most recognized retail and CPG brands in the world. Profitect uses data from across the value chain for improving inventory and pricing accuracy, out of stocks, supply chain inefficiency, unsellable merchandise, and assortment discrepancies. The solution identifies a potential opportunity and can generate suggested actions, sending them directly to a worker’s mobile device, providing step-by-step instructions for resolution. By enabling users to understand and act on data, Profitect customers typically realize sales lift, as well as margin and labor productivity improvement enabling a better overall consumer experience.

Zebra will also leverage the investment to accelerate the development of its Savanna data platform through the acquisition of Profitect’s technology, talent, and skillsets. Combining the real-time data that Zebra solutions capture, with Profitect’s access to operational data, machine learning, and prescriptive analytics, Zebra will work with its’ partners to empower front-line workers even more – across all verticals – with the insights they need to make better, faster, smarter decisions.

“The acquisition of Profitect expands our relevancy deeper and wider in global retail operations while advancing our software capabilities to make our Enterprise Asset Intelligence vision even more accessible,” said Anders Gustafsson, Chief Executive Officer of Zebra Technologies. “We have had a strong relationship with Profitect for the past five years through Zebra Ventures, and we are excited to take our strategic investment to the next level by welcoming the Profitect team to the Zebra family.”

“We are excited to join Zebra and bring our award-winning prescriptive analytics solution to every worker at the edge,” said Guy Yehiav, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Profitect, who will be a key leader in the business integration. “Together we will ensure the workforce of the future is more connected and optimally utilized. We value Zebra’s support and expertise over the past five years as a key venture capitalist. I’m proud of the contribution that Profitect’s solution will bring to Zebra and look forward to working closely to deliver prescriptive analytics as part of its innovative and broad solution portfolio.”

Trusted advisor continues legacy of guiding enterprises through digital transformation

Zebra Technologies Corporation celebrates its 50^th anniversary as it continues to empower the front line of business. Since the inception of its first printing prototypes in the late 1960s, Zebra has evolved into a trusted advisor to its partners and customers based on its legacy of innovation to help transform the enterprise.

When Zebra and its partners deliver a performance edge to front-line employees, nurses spend more time at the bedside with a patient resulting in higher quality care, and retail associates check inventory and complete transactions without leaving the shopper’s side. When Zebra integrates mobile printing and data capture solutions with cross-technology indoor location solutions, manufacturing plants and distribution centers become smarter environments in which production, fulfillment and shipping efficiencies are dramatically increased.

“We are proud to celebrate our half century milestone with our customers across the retail/ecommerce, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, healthcare, government and other industries,” said Anders Gustafsson, Chief Executive Officer, Zebra Technologies. “While Zebra has changed its stripes over the years, we are well-positioned to accelerate our strategy. With our network of specialized partners, we will continue to deliver industry-tailored solutions at the enterprise edge where there is an amazing amount of new growth and opportunities.”

Zebra marks this 50-year milestone as a result of its consistent focus on the company’s guiding principles. As digital technology transforms the edge of the enterprise, Zebra’s purpose-driven design builds in ease of use, security and ruggedness with front-line users, workplace and workflows in mind. Zebra enables customers to create smart, data-powered environments to better reflect what is happening at the edge of their operations rather than relying on traditional systems of record. And connected, collaborative mobile workflows powered by Zebra innovations allow those on the front line to optimize in-motion operations while linking together teams, assets and systems to deliver best-action guidance for business-critical decisions in real time.

Over its history, Zebra has continuously innovated within its core set of technologies and created completely new categories to fuel next-level performance for its customers. An increasing amount of its innovation stems from advances in software and data services. In particular, the Zebra DNA™ suite of applications, development tools and utilities powers the printers, scanners and mobile computers within its portfolio. Plus the Savanna® platform underpins both Zebra’s intelligent edge solutions and a new category of cloud-enabled applications developed by Zebra partners.

Another example of this long-standing commitment to innovation is the industry’s introduction of the industry’s first all-imager bioptic. The next generation version of it is the MP7000 scanner/scale, which was Zebra’s first entry into the popular grocery checkout segment.  As David Krebs, Executive Vice President, VDC Research recently shared on Zebra’s Your Edge blog, “Taking advantage of the entry provided by the scanning technology transition/upgrade cycle and leveraging its already strong footprint in the retail sector, Zebra’s bioptic scanning business has outpaced the overall market in 2018. Moving forward, Zebra appears well-positioned to continue to support retailer’s POS scanning modernization efforts.”

With over 4,400 U.S. and international patents issued and pending based on organic innovation, Zebra has also increased its investment in disruptive technologies, bolstered by several acquisitions in recent years that include Motorola Solutions’ Enterprise business, Xplore Technologies Corporation and Temptime Corporation. Zebra Ventures, the company’s strategic investment arm, continues to invest in early stage companies such as the most recent example: Locus Robotics.

Multiple industry leading organizations have recognized Zebra. For example, this year Gartner recognized Zebra as a Visionary in the Magic Quadrant for Indoor Location Services, Global for the second consecutive year. In addition, Zebra has received top international product design honors including the recent iF Design Award for the ZC100/300 series card printers. 2019 also marks Zebra’s fourth straight year on Forbes’ 2019 list of “America’s Best Employers.” And for the third year in a row, CRN has given Zebra a 5-Star rating in its 2019 Partner Program Guide, recognizing the strongest, most successful partner programs in the channel today.

As part of its philanthropic efforts, Zebra is paving the way for future science and technology leaders through its support of FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). For more than 20 years, Zebra employees have mentored robot-building teams. This year, the company also provided one of its location solutions, Dart to gather real-time data on robot movements to optimize FIRST robot competition gameplay and enhance the spectator experience.

From the introduction of its first printer to its leadership today as a trusted advisor, Zebra continues to work with its partners and customers to transform the enterprise from the edge and is committed to helping them uncover future opportunities to make faster, smarter business decisions.

TC56 touch computer drives faster accuracy, enhanced customer service and increased sales

Zebra’s TC56 touch computers are used by 3,800 InPost couriers to help reduce delivery times by up to 10%.

The Android-based, purpose-built solution has enabled digital transformation across InPost’s organization by consolidating user workflows.

Zebra’s OneCare comprehensive service contract enhances business continuity and lowers TCO.

Zebra Technologies Corporation today announced that InPost, a leading international operator of self-service parcel lockers, is using a Zebra solution as a key driver for international growth. The company has equipped 3,800 field service workers with Zebra TC56 touch computers with Android™  to ensure faster, more accurate service results, reducing delivery times by up to 10%.

To remain competitive and satisfy customer requirements, InPost embraced the latest technology and migrated to an Android platform by replacing its Windows tablets with Zebra TC56 touch computers. The InPost devices are equipped with MobiCourier app provided by OpenNet.pl, an InPost independent software vendor and Zebra’s partner specializing in comprehensive IT solutions for enterprises in the courier and logistics services sector.

“In order to continue to have a competitive advantage and meet customer needs, the company digitally transformed itself by switching to an Android-based platform. We replaced Windows tablets with TC56 mobile computers with a touchscreen,” says Rafał Brzoska, President of InPost. “The new devices are equipped with software from OpenNet. As our field couriers are on the customer satisfaction front line, we had to equip them with the latest technology. Zebra TC56 touch computers meet our demands for durability, uptime, and security – enabling our teams to work better and more efficiently. They’re small, easy and comfortable to use.”

The solution consolidates daily field courier and proof of delivery operations onto a reliable, rugged and ergonomic tool for InPost couriers, thus reducing human error and paperwork. The company is now able to relay customer account information, route guidance and other crucial data to its mobile workforce in real time using TC56 touch computers to help optimize processes and improve delivery times. What’s vital to businesses today and in the future is the continuity of business operations and the ability to maintain predictable running costs. The Zebra OneCare™ comprehensive support ensures all accidentally damaged units are quickly repaired and replaced, thus ensuring a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) compared to consumer Windows tablets previously used by InPost.

“InPost is an innovative company that is taking on the challenge of meeting today’s consumer demands of increased convenience and flexibility,” said Fred Bismuth, Vice President Sales, Eastern Europe, Zebra Technologies. “In today’s on-demand economy, Zebra’s purpose-design in its Android devices have enabled Inpost to improve workflow, increase customer satisfaction and maintain its performance edge.”

Acquisition extends Zebra’s supplies portfolio and advances Enterprise Asset Intelligence vision

Zebra Technologies Corporation today announced that it intends to acquire Temptime Corporation, a privately-held developer and manufacturer of temperature monitoring solutions for mission-critical applications in the healthcare industry.

Founded in 1987, Temptime is the leading developer of highly differentiated technology with approximately 90 issued patents in place. This technology visually notifies users if medical and biological products and shipments have experienced a temperature deviation. Temptime is the leader in designing and manufacturing a time-temperature monitoring product portfolio that meets the strict specifications of the largest global health organizations’ vaccination programs. Temptime serves every global manufacturer that participates in these programs.

“The acquisition of Temptime advances the integration of smart supplies into our Enterprise Asset Intelligence vision as we incorporate temperature-monitoring capabilities,” said Anders Gustafsson, chief executive officer of Zebra Technologies. “This acquisition aligns well with our strategy to expand into high-growth areas that are a strong fit for Zebra. We have the unique ability to scale this technology deeper into the healthcare industry and drive it into other key opportunities such as food safety that can benefit from increased asset visibility.”

“We are very excited to join Zebra and work together to advance our technology from visual to digital temperature indicators. This will enable us to more quickly accelerate our innovation to benefit our customers,” said Renaat Van den Hooff, president and chief executive officer of Temptime, who will be a key leader in the business integration. “Zebra’s expertise in healthcare complements our commitment to supporting our humanitarian mission of improving global health.”

Zebra expects to fund the acquisition of Temptime with a combination of cash on hand along with fully committed financing available under its credit facility. Zebra expects this transaction to be immediately accretive to earnings. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019. Financial terms of the acquisition are not being disclosed.