Organisations across retail, manufacturing and transportation and logistics are unlocking multi-million-dollar profit gains by modernising frontline workflows with AI, automation and real-time data, according to an expanded study by Zebra Technologies and Oxford Economics.

The global study, which surveyed leaders across the three sectors, found that manufacturers improving supply chain and inventory management reported potential profit gains of US$6.6 million for a typical organisation, while modernising maintenance workflows delivered a further US$6.2 million uplift. Retailers modernising point-of-sale operations unlocked potential gains of US$4 million, and transport and logistics firms optimising shipping and loading workflows saw potential increases of US$2.8 million.

Productivity and retention gains follow workflow upgrades

• 56 percent of manufacturers reported productivity gains from modernising production lines.
• 54 percent of transport and logistics organisations that improved picking and packing operations reported increased operational speed.
• 34 percent of transport and logistics firms also saw improvements in staff retention and employee satisfaction after optimising these workflows.

“For Singapore businesses, the next phase of digital transformation is not simply about adopting more technology,” said Joelle Booi, Country Lead for Singapore, Zebra Technologies. “In a tight labor market where organizations must maintain high standards of speed and service, modernizing frontline workflows helps teams make faster decisions and achieve more with the resources they already have.”

AI adoption accelerates across all three sectors

The research points to a clear acceleration in AI adoption. Half of manufacturers seeking to improve production lines identified AI as their top technology priority, while interest in AI for shipping and loading workflows nearly tripled among transport and logistics organisations still looking to modernise.

“This updated research confirms that intelligent operations deliver a quantifiable human and financial impact, simplifying complexity, elevating frontline productivity, and improving engagement,” said Tom Bianculli, Chief Technology Officer, Zebra Technologies. “As a leader in AI for the frontline, we see how embedding intelligence directly into daily workflows turns insights into measurable action, unlocking the next wave of productivity and value for our customers.”

Zebra was recently recognised by the Wall Street Journal as a top ten company for AI readiness in its inaugural “Best Companies for the Future” report.