# How can businesses digitalise supply chains to meet demand?
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-10-25
Category: TRADING
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/trading
Meta Title: Boost Manufacturing Efficiency with Smart Glasses for
Meta Description: Discover how digital transformation with smart glasses can enhance safety, efficiency and accuracy in manufacturing and logistics operations.
URL: https://financedigest.com/how-can-businesses-digitalise-supply-chains-to-meet-demandhtml

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_By_ **_Dr Hendrick Witt,_** _Chief Product Officer at_ [_TeamViewer_](https://www.teamviewer.com/en/)

The pandemic, as well as geopolitical challenges, have triggered a rise in digitisation across sectors and manufacturing is no exception. With [British manufacturers facing the largest shortage of workers since 1989 according to PwC](https://www.pwc.co.uk/industries/manufacturing/insights/annual-manufacturing-report.html), efficiency in manufacturing is now more important than ever. Therefore, di [gital transformation has become a top priority for manufacturers in the UK](https://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/successful-innovation-using-iot/) to meet supply demands. But the opportunities for digitalising supply chains are just beginning.

**Tackling supply chain issues head on**

Whilst manufacturers are [feeling the effects](https://www.financedigest.com/consumer-durables-sector-still-feeling-the-effects-of-recession.html "Consumer durables sector still feeling the effects of recession") of labour shortages, more still needs to be done to address this issue-at-large. To do this, manufacturers [must first recognise the potential](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-firms-must-step-up-exploration-off-norway-to-unlock-potential-npd.html "Oil firms must step up exploration off Norway to unlock potential -NPD") that digitalisation has to offer their sector. In 2021, r [esearch by the Handelsblatt Research Institute and TeamViewer](https://www.teamviewer.com/en/company/press/europe-wide-study-high-potential-for-digitalization-of-logistics/) found that only 33% of logistics companies in Europe had a digital transformation strategy in place. Even more surprisingly, [research by TeamViewer](https://www.teamviewer.com/en/content/work-40-research-report/) this year found that only 45% of manufacturing and logistics workers believe that digital communication technologies and collaboration software will become relevant to their industry.

Businesses need to invest in digitalising the entire [supply chain](https://www.financedigest.com/minimising-supply-chain-cyber-risks-by-asking-the-right-questions.html "MINIMISING SUPPLY CHAIN CYBER RISKS BY ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS") to make it more resilient and agile, in order to prepare their businesses for a highly dynamic and constantly changing global economy. Frontline workers can be supported with [digital technologies to assist with meeting supply demands](https://www.financedigest.com/veraviews-welcomes-hoopla-digital-as-a-demand-partner.html "VeraViews Welcomes Hoopla Digital as a Demand Partner"). Without the deployment of the right solutions, companies are at risk to be [left behind](https://www.financedigest.com/click-and-collect-or-get-left-behind.html "Click and Collect or get left behind") because of failing to act on their full digital potential. So, what more can be done to digitalise the frontline?

**Working smart with smart glasses**

Manufacturing and logistics [workers can be equipped with smart glasses to improve their daily performance working](https://www.financedigest.com/1-in-5-uk-workers-believe-there-is-a-gender-divide-with-work-uniforms.html " 1 in 5 UK workers believe there is a gender divide with work uniforms") on the shopfloor. Smart glasses [work by projecting instructions directly into the workers](https://www.financedigest.com/apples-australian-workers-go-on-christmas-strike-demanding-better-wages-work-terms.html "Apple’s Australian workers go on Christmas strike demanding better wages, work terms") view, using augmented reality (AR) like a head-up display in a car, helping frontline workers with safety and efficiency. Wearing [smart glasses also allows the worker to be hands-free for the physical activity with automated](https://www.financedigest.com/improving-your-home-with-smart-automation.html "Improving Your Home with Smart Automation") documentation of work steps, increasing the workers capacity and productivity.

For instance, smart glasses can assist in the food industry, using [artificial intelligence](https://www.financedigest.com/artificial-intelligence-goes-global-demand-for-ai-reaches-four-continents-in-three-months-new-figures-from-synechron-show.html "Artificial Intelligence goes global: demand for AI reaches four continents in three months, new figures from Synechron show") to validate the quality of goods through image recognition. For this the [software running on smart glasses compares the actual versus target states of manufactured products](https://www.financedigest.com/workplace-planning-software-cuts-costs-and-improves-employee-wellbeing-and-productivity-a-win-win-for-all.html "Workplace planning software cuts costs and improves employee wellbeing and productivity – a win-win for all"), increasing the accuracy of the worker and the outcome for the customer.

Another important application of smart glasses in the food manufacturing industry is by supporting and maintaining [health and safety](https://www.financedigest.com/occupational-health-and-safety-must-be-brought-back-to-the-forefront-of-esg.html "Occupational Health and Safety must be brought back to the forefront of ESG") standards. The glasses can verify if employees are wearing the mandatory hygiene gloves, [improving food and workplace safety](https://www.financedigest.com/non-profit-safety-regulator-uses-machine-learning-to-improve-public-safety.html "Non-profit Safety Regulator uses Machine Learning to Improve Public Safety").

Smart glasses work to enhance the performance of a frontline worker, increasing capacity, efficiency, and accuracy to meet the [supply chain](https://www.financedigest.com/5-steps-to-successful-supply-chain-finance.html "5 Steps to successful supply chain finance") demands of the business.

**Deploying AI**

Deploying AI for [frontline workers is designed to enhance the everyday working lives and regular routines of manufacturing and logistics staff](https://www.financedigest.com/how-the-latest-microsoft-365-updates-are-helping-to-empower-frontline-staff.html "How the latest Microsoft 365 updates are helping to empower frontline staff"). By deploying AI on the shopfloor, the accuracy and ergonomics of manufacturing and logistics staff will be improved.

Other benefits of deploying [artificial intelligence](https://www.financedigest.com/types-of-artificial-intelligence.html "Types of artificial intelligence") include automation and quality control. AI can automatically alert [workers to hazards in the workplace](https://www.financedigest.com/why-technology-will-free-britains-young-workers-from-presenteeism-in-the-workplace.html "WHY TECHNOLOGY WILL FREE BRITAIN’S YOUNG WORKERS FROM PRESENTEEISM IN THE WORKPLACE"), such as load whereabouts in a warehouse. AI can check and confirm work steps, therefore, [improving the working quality control](https://www.financedigest.com/german-regulator-calls-on-allianz-to-improve-controls-source.html "German regulator calls on Allianz to improve controls – source") of processes and significantly increase accuracy.

Therefore, deploying AI on the frontline not only improves efficiency for the business, but also increases worker satisfaction and maintains [health and safety standards – all of which are important factors for retaining staff in an industry where this is a challenge for businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/are-there-tax-breaks-for-business-health-insurance.html "Are there tax breaks for business health insurance?").

**Futureproofing [supply chains](https://www.financedigest.com/2023-supply-chain-trends-for-businesses-to-ensure-a-more-efficient-supply-chain-strategy.html "2023 supply chain trends for businesses to ensure a more efficient supply chain strategy") with Industry 4.0**

By combining both AI and [wearable technology](https://www.financedigest.com/is-wearable-technology-ushering-in-a-brave-new-healthy-world.html "Is wearable technology ushering in a brave new healthy world?") to create ‘Augmented Intelligence’, businesses can unleash the full potential of their supply chains and more importantly, their frontline workers. Augmented Intelligence will [change business](https://www.financedigest.com/business-is-changing-is-your-culture-changing-with-it.html "Business is changing – is your culture changing with it?") as we know it. With [Industry 4.0 driving the future](https://www.financedigest.com/future-of-the-finance-industry.html "Future of the Finance Industry"), soon companies worldwide will be using it in various scenarios. [Businesses need](https://www.financedigest.com/4-kinds-of-software-your-new-business-needs.html "4 Kinds of Software Your New Business Needs") to ensure they keep up with these new technologies, such as wearables, to safeguard their future production line, mitigate labour shortages, and carry the industry into a new era of digitalisation.


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