The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry is undergoing significant transformations due to the increasing adoption of technology. Automation application in FMCG businesses, such as Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Intelligent Automation (IA), has become an inevitable trend for optimizing production and distribution processes.
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A New Wave of Technology Trends in FMCG
Digitalization is now essential in FMCG, driven by shifts in consumer behavior during and after the pandemic. Companies were forced to innovate, adopting technologies that allowed them to remain accessible to customers. Some of the remarkable trends in recent years that can be pin-point in this year were:
Big Data with Actionable Insights
Businesses nowadays own a vast amount of data to interpret. In today’s data-driven world, enterprises must ensure their data is clean, accurate, and actionable to develop strategies that resonate with value-driven consumers. This is especially vital as FMCG companies increasingly adopt automated systems to manage and analyze large datasets.
Google Clouds reports that 82% of shoppers prefer brands whose values align with their own, highlighting a shift toward greater transparency and authenticity. To meet these expectations, FMCG companies must gather precise data on both purchasing behaviors and consumer values to tailor their offerings effectively.
AI & IoT
According to US Market report, the global generative AI market in FMCG is expected to grow from $7.9 billion in 2023 to $57.7 billion by 2033. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now widely used to improve demand forecasting accuracy. In addition, McKinsey Digital notes that AI-driven forecasting can reduce supply chain errors by 20-50%, cutting lost sales and product shortages by up to 65%.
IoT technology is making significant strides in the FMCG industry by facilitating real-time inventory management. This approach is not limited to large corporations; startups like Coolmat.io also leverage IoT to track refrigeration and shelving, ensuring that businesses can efficiently monitor stock and avoid inventory shortfalls (StartUs Insights)
Automation and Robotics
FMCG companies must acquire or maintain competitiveness, productivity, real-time traceability, and operational efficiency. Therefore, automated processes and exceptional customer experiences are essential for success in today’s landscape. The rising need for efficiency and cost control is fueling the adoption of automation and robotics within FMCG manufacturing and supply chains, enhancing processes like inventory control, order handling, and product packaging. Warehouse robotics, in particular, reduces reliance on manual labor while speeding up operations.
RPA and IA in Action for FMCG Businesses
In short, the fast-paced nature of the FMCG industry requires companies to adapt daily. The need to reduce time, minimize errors, and handle large volumes of manual and repetitive tasks is becoming increasingly essential. So, how can RPA and IA help your business? These technologies can assist by:
- Supply Chain: Automate order processing by extracting data from SAP every 5 minutes, receiving batch Excel files with all necessary order details, validating them against inventory levels, and updating the ERP system, eliminating the need for human intervention.
- Finance & Accounting: Streamline invoice processing by automating the scanning, verification, and data entry of invoices directly into the system.
- Human Resources: Automate tasks such as employee onboarding, timekeeping comparisons, tax code searches, and labor contract updates.
- Customer Service: Use RPA and IA for efficient inventory control and delivery tracking, reducing the need for human oversight. Automate order checks and delivery note creation.
Valuable Lessons for Automation Application in FMCG Businesses
- Human efficiency is fundamental for growth: According to Strategic Market Research, 98% of IT leaders emphasize that automating operations is critical for generating financial returns. As RPA and IA help automate repetitive tasks, businesses can increase efficiency. It can also allowing human employees to focus on strategic, value-added work. In fact, Slack State of Work Report reveals that automation helps workers save an average of 3.6 hours per week. Just imagine the compounded savings over months or years!
- From data automation to customer insights: A success story is Unilever, where managing fragmented data across separate brands poses a challenge, obstructing the ability to gain comprehensive customer insights. To tackle this, Unilever deployed the Utop platform to improve customer engagement. By scanning receipts in modern trade channels, the company gains key insights into shopper behavior. This has driving effective promotions and personalized campaigns. As a result, Unilover has gained in over 5 million customer data points, 95% extraction accuracy, and a 27% revenue increase.
“By collecting high-quality data, Utop enables us to tailor value propositions to each Shopper and lower our marketing operational expenses with adaptable promotions. Automation and Pre-Made Templates” – Nguyen Bao Tri | Country Head of IT – Unilever Vietnam
- Cost efficiency is still key for every business: According to Deloitte Insights, cost reduction is a top priority for many organizations that choose intelligent automation as a solution. By automating labor-intensive tasks, businesses reduce costs related to labor, training, and turnover. RPA and IA improve resource allocation and process efficiency, leading to significant savings and increased profitability.
With the benefits of RPA and IA, choosing a reliable partner is essential. FPT’s leading provider of intelligent automation solutions, serves nearly 4,000 enterprise customers across 21 countries as of Q3 2024. Known for its effectiveness and excellent customer support, this track record ensures FMCG businesses achieve high satisfaction when implementing akaBot for automation optimization.
Conclusion
Automation has become a pivotal element driving significant results for FMCG businesses. It optimizes human efforts, reduces costs, predicts consumer behavior, streamlines supply chains, personalized shopping experiences, and maximizes ROI.
In the digital transformation race, FMCG companies must stay ahead to remain competitive. With akaBot as a partner, we believe your business will successfully seize opportunities and overcome challenges during this critical phase. Learn more about us at: HERE
akaBot (FPT) is the operation optimization solution for enterprises based on the RPA (Robotic Process Automation) platform combined with Artificial Intelligence, Process Mining, OCR, Intelligent Document Processing, Machine Learning, Conversational AI, etc. Serving clients in 21+ countries, across 08 domains such as Banking & Finances, Retail, IT Services, Manufacturing, and Logistics…, akaBot is featured in “Voice of the Customer” for Robotics Process Automation” by Gartner Peer Insights, G2, and ranked as Top 6 Global RPA Platform by Software Reviews. akaBot also won the prestigious Stevie Award, The Asian Banker Award 2021, Everest Group’s RPA Products PEAK Matrix® 2023, etc.
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