Warehouse technology critical to staying ahead, say retailers

Research from leading automation and robotics integrator Inteq reveals that over half of retailers (58%) believe their existing systems to fulfil orders have negatively impacted their ability to serve customers well.

Inteq surveyed directors and senior leaders across the UK retail and eCommerce sector to uncover how increasing investment in robotics and automation technologies would enable businesses to improve their ability to meet the needs of consumers.

Upgrading existing logistics infrastructure emerged as a key priority, with over half (56%) reporting1 that their current facilities are impacting business growth.

However, selecting the right partner is crucial for long-term success in achieving this growth, as organisations face challenges such as maintenance complexity (34%) and technical integration issues (32%).

Despite these obstacles, 88% said investment in robotics and automation would help manage peak periods and increased demand.

Furthermore, the payback on efficiency gains is clear. The research shows that nearly 7 in 10 (69%) retailers are seeing the benefits of robotics and automation in under a year . Specifically, retailers are benefitting from increased operational efficiency (41%), scalability (28%) and accuracy (26%).

Scott Merrick, Managing Director at Inteq, said:

“Retailers clearly understand the value that robotics and automation can bring to their operations – from improved efficiency and flexibility to increased accuracy. That’s why everything we do is about engineering smarter businesses in order to drive impactful growth and change.

“At Inteq, we believe the key to unlocking growth starts with the software. It can be hard for businesses to keep pace with fast changing robotics and automation technology and innovations, with organisations looking at projects on a piecemeal basis and feeling stuck with their legacy solutions.

“That’s why we have developed IWS, our Intelligent Warehouse Software platform which is truly hardware agnostic, removing complexity and providing a bespoke solution that blends together different hardware solutions to unlock significant competitive advantages.”

Inteq’s retail sector report, Fit for growth, delves into the research in more detail and the way businesses can achieve a profitable future through robotics and automation. Read the report here.

 

About the research:

Censuswide conducted research amongst 250 individuals working in £10m+ turnover UK retail and eCommerce companies at Director level or with some influence over their company’s supply chain between 15.07.2024 – 22.07.2024. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.