Hy-Vee partners with robotics firm Simble Technologies to deploy artificial intelligence-powered robots. The collaboration aims to provide a better buying experience to its customers. The autonomous inventory management and retail intelligence robot named Tally will be deployed in Hy-Vee stores located in various regions of the United States, including Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri.
The artificial intelligence-enabled robot can maneuver autonomously across the entire store to scan over ten thousand products in grocery and health & wellness sections. The robot ensures that every product is in stock and is placed at the right spot to make it easier for customers to spot them.
Tally also checks and displays prices and promotional offers on products. Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Hy-Vee, Luke Tingley, said, “By employing Tally, we can continue providing that excellent service by reducing out of stocks and empowering our store teams with real-time insights to ensure the best customer experience across the board.”
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The impactful insights generated by Tally can help stores reduce out-of-stock products up to 30%. It also aids businesses in making better decisions regarding order forecasting and optimizing store layout to increase sales.
San Francisco-based robotics startup Simbal Technologies was founded by Jeff Gee, Mirza Shah, and Bradley Bogolea in the year 2014. The company specializes in developing automation solutions for the retail industry that helps enterprises optimize their workflow. Simble has received a funding of $26 million to date from investors like Venrock, FutureShape, Valo Ventures, and Tectonic Ventures.
The company’s flagship product, Tally, is already being used in Hy-Vee stores located in Ankeny, Lincoln, and many more. Co-founder and CEO of Simble Robotics, Bradley Bogolea, said, “No other retail solution supports store teams the way Tally does. The pandemic truly created a ‘new normal’ for grocery that has illuminated the need for a greater frequency and fidelity of in-store data.”
He further mentioned that Tally provides a cost-effective solution to grocery stores that helps them provide improved customer experience and an enjoyable working environment for their employees.
