Heightened investment in disruptive technologies and enterprise-class devices will empower the majority of front-line workers by 2023

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill., USA — March 20, 2019 — Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), an innovator at the edge of the enterprise with solutions and partners that enable businesses to gain a performance edge, today announced the results of its latest vision study on the Future of Field Operations. The study reveals mobile technology investment is a top priority for 36 percent of organizations and a growing priority for an additional 58 percent to keep up with rapidly evolving and increasing customer demand. The findings indicate investments will be made in disruptive technologies and enterprise mobile devices to enhance front-line worker productivity and customer satisfaction in field operations including fleet management, field services, proof of delivery and direct store delivery workflows.

"Driven by the acceleration of e-commerce along with customer's heightened expectations and more focus within companies on differentiating service levels, the field operations industry is rapidly adapting the way it looks at its mobile technology investments," said Jim Hilton, Director of Vertical Marketing Strategy, Manufacturing, Transportation & Logistics, Zebra Technologies. "Our study shows how growing challenges related to the on-demand economy drive organizations to adopt transformative, disruptive technologies such as augmented reality and intelligent labels to provide visibility and integrate business intelligence for a performance edge."

KEY SURVEY FINDINGS

Equipping front-line workers with enterprise mobile devices remains a priority to stay competitive.

• The survey shows today only one-fifth of organizations have a majority of their field-based operations using enterprise mobile devices. This is estimated to reach 50 percent in five years.

• Respondents indicate most organizations intend to invest in handheld mobile computers, mobile printers and rugged tablets. From 2018 to 2023, handheld mobile computer usage with built-in barcode scanners is forecasted to grow by 45 percent, mobile printers by 53 percent and rugged tablets by 54 percent. The higher levels of inventory, shipment and asset accuracy provided by using these devices is expected to increase business revenues.

• A key driver of productivity, efficiency and cost-savings in field operations is ensuring ruggedized enterprise devices replace traditional consumer ones. Nearly 80 percent of respondents usually or always conduct a total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis of business devices prior to making a capital expenditure. Only 32 percent of respondents believe that consumer smartphones have better TCO than rugged devices.

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