As the majority of retailers embrace in-store technologies that improve business and store team performance, Simbe Robotics, a provider of robotic store intelligence solutions, has launched two new, cutting-edge product capabilities.
The announcement marks one of Simbe’s largest software updates to date and extends the value of its web platform – as the only platform with proven results at scale used by dozens of retailers across three continents globally.
The first solution, Simbe Mobile, is a configurable mobile application that puts Simbe’s Store Intelligence platform in the palm of store teams’ hands, offering prioritized inventory and pricing tasks, near real-time data analytics, planogram compliance and more, on any device.
The second is a breakthrough Simbe Virtual Tour feature that empowers retailers to view their stores from anywhere at an unmatched depth and frequency.
This provides retail teams with remote insights to optimize store layouts and make strategic decisions with ease, saving significant resources while ensuring store operations and product presentation standards.
Greg Buzek, founder, president and principal analyst of IHL Group, says: “Retailers have, historically, relied on costly capture services to take one-time snapshots of stores on an annual basis.
“At the same time, we know store teams across retail sectors yearn for more advanced, user-friendly tools that drive efficiency and effectiveness in day-to-day store operations.
“Because of solutions like Simbe’s that support both corporate and store-level objectives, top retailers gain unprecedented insight into store and inventory conditions.”
Simbe mobile features and functionality
Through Tally, the world’s first autonomous item-scanning robot, Simbe collects terabytes of data using advanced computer vision technology that stationary devices and other solutions on the market can’t offer.
In addition to capturing high-quality store intelligence data that provides retailers with true visibility, Simbe has developed industry-leading ways of making that data accessible and actionable.
Store teams using Simbe’s platform receive reports, dashboards, and recommendations through both a web application and, now, a configurable Simbe Mobile application that is available on multiple devices – including iOS, Android and Zebra – and offers:
Simplified task management: Simbe Mobile streamlines retail operations by prioritizing daily inventory and pricing tasks in a way that’s intuitive and easy to follow, drastically improving workflows, productivity and technology adoption.
Enhanced inventory monitoring and responsiveness: Simbe Mobile increases efficiency with key inventory dashboards and reports, as well as a product scan feature that speeds inventory checks, enabling proactive management and improved customer service.
Remote compliance assurance: Simbe Mobile ensures high standards of store compliance and strategic product placement through capabilities like planogram execution and its new Simbe Virtual Tour solution.
Simbe virtual tour features and functionality
With Simbe’s industry-leading Simbe Virtual Tour function, accessible through both its web and mobile applications, retailers gain frequent access to high-definition, 360-degree views of their store interiors that can be navigated remotely and with ease. Specific capabilities include:
Extensive virtual store navigation: Simbe Virtual Tour provides a complete virtual store view, saving retailers time and travel costs. This not only supports advanced operational planning and troubleshooting, but also serves as a powerful tool for optimizing product merchandising and stocking strategies.
Improved remote oversight: Simbe Virtual Tour represents a revolutionary approach to store monitoring by enabling frequent, autonomous interior scans, transforming expensive annual processes into cost-effective, continuous oversight.
Unmatched visual views: Through Tally, Simbe captures detailed snapshots and time-lapses of each aisle at multiple heights to provide diverse views of retail interiors and a near real-time understanding of store and shelf conditions.
Market impact and benefits
Brad Bogolea, CEO of Simbe, says: “We are thrilled to equip our valued retail partners with groundbreaking solutions that power a radical new approach to capturing and understanding store data.
“The quantifiable outcomes that our global customers produce every day affirm that only Simbe delivers the advanced technology retailers need to quickly prioritize inventory tasks from most to least urgent, verify stock levels before the pre-dinner rush, implement seasonal promotions, remotely assess high-risk areas to enhance theft prevention and more.”
According to Coresight Research, an overwhelming majority of retailers experience significant challenges in managing core business functions like pricing and promotional execution (96 percent), planogram compliance (93 percent) and out-of-stocks (92 percent).
Meanwhile, other studies have shown that taking inventory is the worst task according to store associates, most of whom wish they had better technology tools at work.
Store teams that have access to proven, scalable solutions like Simbe’s cite multiple benefits spanning productivity, sales and margin.
A recent survey of nearly 200 store managers found that Tally makes their jobs easier (90 percent) while also helping them sell more and increase consumer loyalty by improving the shopper experience (85 percent).
The platform enhancements announced today will bolster the value of Simbe’s platform for retailers and their teams.