Zebra Releases New Industrial Automation Insider Podcast Episode

Just when you thought you could take a breather, the returns start flowing into your stores and warehouses, adding an additional burden on your supply chain and bottom line. But what if there was a way to relieve both of those burdens? What if you could better vet the items being returned to improve routing, prevent overstocks, generate more revenue from resales and reduce waste? What if returns could become a profit center versus a loss leader? Would you invest in certain technologies to automate part of the reverse logistics process, assuming they don’t further deplete your resources? 

I’m assuming you would. That’s why I invited Alex Whiting, founder of MiTEQ, to join me on the latest episode of the Industrial Automation Insider. He and his team have been working with retailers, warehouse operators, 3PLs and others in the reverse logistics chain to strategically automate the returns process, including decisions about whether items should be restocked, redistributed, recycled, or otherwise disposed of.  

Hear all about:

• The types of industrial automation technologies he’s been working with customers to implement to improve reverse logistics, and why RFID and machine vision are among those proving to deliver the greatest return on investment (ROI). 
• The different ways that strategic automation techniques in the reverse logistics process are impacting front-line workers (labor) and customers (loyalty). 
• How much process re-engineering may or may not be required along with these technology investments to facilitate more efficient returns and reverse logistics processes in your value chain. 
• Where you should focus first from both a digital transformation and process re-engineering perspective if you want to reduce returns-related losses and increase revenue from restockable items. (Should it be the store at customer service? The warehouse receiving dock? Somewhere in the middle?

Click here to see the watch or listen to the full podcast.