New AI tool to help retailers with improved efficiency & customer experience

Tech major Honeywell has announced an update to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning into its Guided Work Solutions. The company says the idea is to help bring greater operational efficiency and better shopper experiences to retailers in today’s competitive landscape. 

According to the company statement, Honeywell Guided Work Solutions’ AI-driven speech technology enables in-store associates to perform tasks like click-and-collect order fulfilment, shelf restocking, and returns processing with speed and efficiency. The development of an AI-enhanced solution to streamline retail operations also supports Honeywell’s portfolio alignment to three compelling megatrends: automation, the future of aviation, and energy transition.

“By combining headset-enabled speech direction with software that offers insights and analytics built on Honeywell Forge architecture, the updated solution walks retail associates through workflows in real-time. Associates simply talk into a hands-free headset and then receive specific directions and confirmation they are selecting the right items. With the integration of AI, the solution can understand employees’ speech in more than 48 different languages, despite variations in tone, dialect, and pronunciation, informs the company.

“The retail landscape has undergone a significant transformation, particularly with trends like buy online, pick up in-store, and the advent of highly personalized shopping experiences,” said David Barker, President of Honeywell Productivity Solutions and Services. “As retailers seek ways to improve their operational performance and enhance the customer experience, Guided Work Solutions is the ideal tool to accomplish these goals. It harnesses the strengths of AI technology to empower retail associates to serve in-store customers in a more efficient manner.”

Honeywell Guided Work Solutions helps retailers build a competitive advantage and optimize daily operations by increasing productivity, decreasing training time, and cutting out-of-stock items on shelves, thereby facilitating potential for greater in-store sales, says the company. 

The company further informs that since launching Honeywell Guided Work Solutions in 2018, it has enabled retailers to improve productivity by more than 30% over radiofrequency (RF) scanning and to reach upwards of 99% accuracy in product picking.* 

“As a result, store managers can make improved use of limited labor resources by leveraging time savings to reallocate their workforce to other value-added activities or to increase the number of orders fulfilled within the same timeframe,” it adds.