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As many as 70% of Indian and Asia Pacific (APAC) warehouse decision-makers are planning to automate workflows by 2024 for more customer-centric tasks, according to a study from Zebra Technologies. The study further confirmed that 58% of warehouse decision-makers plan to deploy radio frequency identification (RFID) technology by 2028 which will help increase inventory visibility and reduce out-of-stocks.
As per the study, over the next five years, a majority of warehouse decision-makers plan to deploy fixed, passive or handheld RFID readers and fixed industrial scanning solutions that can better track assets, workers and goods throughout the warehouse environment.This year marks the 50th anniversary of the invention of RFID, which has become a problem-solving tool for front-line workers in warehouses and other industries.
Accelerating modernization to manage returns
Globally, 73% of warehouse decision-makers have or will be accelerating timelines of modernization projects, with decision-makers in APAC similarly align at 69%. This should help with returns management which climbed to the top operational challenge cited by nearly half of warehouse decision-makers surveyed (47% globally, 40% in APAC) — the study records an increase of 5 percentage points year-over-year in the APAC region
This comes about as majority of warehouse decision-makers (76% globally, 75% in APAC) say they are under pressure to improve performance while adjusting to shifting consumer ecommerce demands. Inaccurate inventory and out-of-stocks continue to significantly challenge productivity according to nearly 80% of warehouse associates and decision-makers. In fact, both groups — associates (82% globally, 79% in APAC) and decision-makers (76% globally, 79% in APAC)—acknowledge they need better inventory management tools to achieve better accuracy and determine availability. To combat these issues, a significant portion of decision-makers (91% globally, 88% in APAC) are addressing this need, citing plans to invest in technology to increase visibility across the supply chain by 2028.
Optimizing operations to Increase Visibility
Warehouse decision-makers are also expanding their front-line workers by automating their warehouses to ultimately optimize their operations and increase their inventory visibility. According to a recent study by Interact Analysis, despite a recent slowdown in demand for automation projects (in part due to a reduction in warehousing construction), this demand is expected to return to growth in 2024.
Close to half of warehouse decision-makers believe automation increases worker efficiency and productivity by reducing manual picking, order errors and cycle time. Meanwhile, around eight-in-10 warehouse associates globally (81%) and in APAC (78%) agree using more technology and automation helps them meet or exceed productivity goals.
Sustainability matters
Warehouse decision-makers are choosing solutions based on their ability to help them build sustainable operations, driven largely by regulations, energy costs or shortages along with customer, worker and investor expectations. For example, 77% of global warehouse decision-makers are focused on reducing emissions and waste while 84% warehouse decision-makers recognize the importance of their warehouse technology solutions maximizing battery life. These sentiments are echoed within APAC as well, with 74% and 78% of APAC decision-makers resonating in these areas respectively.
Key regional findings
Asia Pacific (APAC): A majority of APAC warehouse associates and decision-makers are on the same page regarding the importance of achieving better accuracy and determining availability. Seventy-nine percent of both groups surveyed acknowledge they need better inventory management tools to drive these outcomes.
Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA): 43% of EMEA warehouse decision-makers cited returns management as the top operational challenge -– an increase of 12 percentage points year-over-year.
Latin America (LATAM): 83% of LATAM warehouse decision-makers say they are under pressure to improve performance while adjusting to shifting consumer ecommerce demands, the most of any region.
North America: 85% of warehouse associates in the region are concerned about managing workload and stress levels to meet productivity goals, exceeding the global average of 79%.
As per the study, over the next five years, a majority of warehouse decision-makers plan to deploy fixed, passive or handheld RFID readers and fixed industrial scanning solutions that can better track assets, workers and goods throughout the warehouse environment.This year marks the 50th anniversary of the invention of RFID, which has become a problem-solving tool for front-line workers in warehouses and other industries.
Accelerating modernization to manage returns
Globally, 73% of warehouse decision-makers have or will be accelerating timelines of modernization projects, with decision-makers in APAC similarly align at 69%. This should help with returns management which climbed to the top operational challenge cited by nearly half of warehouse decision-makers surveyed (47% globally, 40% in APAC) — the study records an increase of 5 percentage points year-over-year in the APAC region
This comes about as majority of warehouse decision-makers (76% globally, 75% in APAC) say they are under pressure to improve performance while adjusting to shifting consumer ecommerce demands. Inaccurate inventory and out-of-stocks continue to significantly challenge productivity according to nearly 80% of warehouse associates and decision-makers. In fact, both groups — associates (82% globally, 79% in APAC) and decision-makers (76% globally, 79% in APAC)—acknowledge they need better inventory management tools to achieve better accuracy and determine availability. To combat these issues, a significant portion of decision-makers (91% globally, 88% in APAC) are addressing this need, citing plans to invest in technology to increase visibility across the supply chain by 2028.
Optimizing operations to Increase Visibility
Warehouse decision-makers are also expanding their front-line workers by automating their warehouses to ultimately optimize their operations and increase their inventory visibility. According to a recent study by Interact Analysis, despite a recent slowdown in demand for automation projects (in part due to a reduction in warehousing construction), this demand is expected to return to growth in 2024.
Close to half of warehouse decision-makers believe automation increases worker efficiency and productivity by reducing manual picking, order errors and cycle time. Meanwhile, around eight-in-10 warehouse associates globally (81%) and in APAC (78%) agree using more technology and automation helps them meet or exceed productivity goals.
Sustainability matters
Warehouse decision-makers are choosing solutions based on their ability to help them build sustainable operations, driven largely by regulations, energy costs or shortages along with customer, worker and investor expectations. For example, 77% of global warehouse decision-makers are focused on reducing emissions and waste while 84% warehouse decision-makers recognize the importance of their warehouse technology solutions maximizing battery life. These sentiments are echoed within APAC as well, with 74% and 78% of APAC decision-makers resonating in these areas respectively.
Key regional findings
Asia Pacific (APAC): A majority of APAC warehouse associates and decision-makers are on the same page regarding the importance of achieving better accuracy and determining availability. Seventy-nine percent of both groups surveyed acknowledge they need better inventory management tools to drive these outcomes.
Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA): 43% of EMEA warehouse decision-makers cited returns management as the top operational challenge -– an increase of 12 percentage points year-over-year.
Latin America (LATAM): 83% of LATAM warehouse decision-makers say they are under pressure to improve performance while adjusting to shifting consumer ecommerce demands, the most of any region.
North America: 85% of warehouse associates in the region are concerned about managing workload and stress levels to meet productivity goals, exceeding the global average of 79%.
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