Simbe Robotics, a pioneering force in retail automation based in South San Francisco, has announced a significant expansion of its Store Intelligence systems. The company, known for its innovative approach to retail technology, has introduced two groundbreaking features that promise to revolutionize how retailers manage their stores and inventory.

The retail industry has long grappled with challenges in key areas of operations. According to Coresight Research, an overwhelming majority of retailers face difficulties in pricing and promotional execution (96%), planogram compliance (93%), and managing out-of-stocks (92%). Furthermore, inventory management has been identified as a particularly painful point for store associates, who have expressed a strong desire for more effective tools.

In response to these industry-wide challenges, Simbe has developed two new capabilities: Simbe Mobile and Simbe Virtual Tour. These additions represent some of the company's most substantial software updates to date, designed to enhance the value of its Web platform currently utilized by dozens of retailers across three continents.

Simbe Mobile: Putting Intelligence in the Palm of Your Hand

The first of these innovations, Simbe Mobile, is a configurable mobile application that brings the power of Simbe's Store Intelligence platform directly to store teams. This app offers a range of features including prioritized inventory and pricing tasks, near-real-time data analytics, and planogram compliance tools.

At the heart of Simbe Mobile is the data collected by Tally, Simbe's autonomous item-scanning robot. Using advanced computer vision technology, Tally captures terabytes of data in ways that stationary devices simply cannot match. This wealth of information is then processed and made accessible through the Simbe Mobile app, available on iOS, Android, and Zebra devices.

Key features of Simbe Mobile include:

1. Simplified task management: The app streamlines retail operations by prioritizing daily inventory and pricing tasks in an easy-to-follow format, improving workflows and productivity.
2. Enhanced inventory monitoring: With key inventory dashboards and reports, as well as a product-scan feature, the app enables more efficient and proactive inventory management.
3. Remote compliance assurance: The app ensures high standards of store compliance and strategic product placement through planogram execution capabilities and the new Simbe Virtual Tour feature.

The effectiveness of Simbe Mobile has already been praised by industry partners. Phil Gazzillo, senior director of regional operations at BJ's Wholesale Club, noted, "Simbe's mobile app is easy to use and allows us to resolve issues efficiently. It provides quick access to data and helps us proactively restock items. It's a value-add for our team and helps us provide even better service for our members."

Simbe Virtual Tour: A New Perspective on Store Management

The second major addition to Simbe's platform is the Virtual Tour feature. This innovative tool allows retailers to view their stores remotely with unprecedented depth and frequency. Accessible through both web and mobile applications, Simbe Virtual Tour provides high-definition, 360-degree views of store interiors that can be easily navigated from anywhere.

The Virtual Tour feature offers several key benefits:

1. Extensive virtual store navigation: This tool enables advanced operational planning and troubleshooting while also supporting the optimization of product merchandising and stocking strategies.
2. Improved remote oversight: By enabling frequent, autonomous interior scans, Simbe Virtual Tour transforms expensive annual processes into cost-effective, continuous oversight.
3. Unmatched visual views: Through Tally, the system captures detailed snapshots and time-lapses of each aisle at multiple heights, providing diverse views of retail interiors and a near-real-time understanding of store and shelf conditions.

The Impact on Retail Operations

Simbe's Store Intelligence platform, enhanced by these new features, has already demonstrated significant benefits for its users. A recent survey of nearly 200 store managers revealed that 90% felt the Tally robot made their jobs easier, while 85% reported that it helped increase sales and consumer loyalty by improving the shopper experience.

Greg Buzek, founder, president, and principal analyst at IHL Group, highlighted the transformative potential of Simbe's technology: "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."

Brad Bogolea, CEO of Simbe, expressed enthusiasm about the new capabilities: "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."

As the retail landscape continues to evolve, Simbe Robotics stands at the forefront of innovation, providing retailers with the tools they need to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and stay competitive in an increasingly challenging market. With its latest upgrades to the Store Intelligence platform, Simbe is poised to play an even more crucial role in shaping the future of retail technology.