The digital world is increasingly making its presence felt in the physical world, an unquestionable connection that represents the core of the so-called fourth industrial revolution. It is a new era in which manufacturers, suppliers, and customers are interconnected through computer systems with the aim of creating automated value chains capable of responding to changes in real-time.
The food industry, like other sectors, is immersed in this new transformation. With a complex and diverse supply chain that spans from food processing to other indirect stakeholders such as government authorities issuing new health, organisational, or environmental regulations impacting business activities, adapting and renewing the business model is undoubtedly a challenging process.
Tools like the Internet of Things (IoT), GPS localisation, or technological system monitoring offer the possibility to know the real-time status of any of our devices, available warehouse space, production units, or simply orders placed to date. These are very advantageous utilities that need to be effectively leveraged. This is where human intelligence (HI) comes into play.
As in all industrial revolutions, it’s not enough to reproduce processes; it’s necessary to reinvent and adapt them to technological advancements. Now that everything is labeled, the focus should be on human, not artificial, intelligence (HI). The concept of human intelligence refers to the fusion of digital value with human value, in other words, leveraging human capital and applying new tools to be more efficient without wasting efforts on unrelated accounting or other processes outside the core business activity.
Until now, companies have focused on understanding how different tools like artificial intelligence (AI) work while using the same business model instead of adapting it. However, companies must consider that to provide an efficient response and solve 21st-century problems, they need to embrace 21st-century solutions.
In that sense, a business must be able to extrapolate its industry knowledge to the new characteristics of Industry 4.0 with the cloud as the epicenter of activity. This is the case of ZX Ventures, the division responsible for innovation, growth, and sustainability at AbinBev, the world’s largest brewing group. This well-known brand faced significant financial discrepancies in its various e-commerce portals, leading to costs between half a million and a million dollars annually due to duplicate payments to suppliers, lost sales, or inventory errors.
Under this paradigm, ZX Ventures decided to abandon the business model implemented until then and opted to adapt its human capital to the industry’s needs. To achieve this, they implemented LOVIS, the first zero-code business management software created to meet the needs of Industry 4.0. By choosing this new system, which integrates all business model processes into a single platform through real-time process synchronisation, ZX Ventures not only achieved smooth and efficient operational control but also improved inventory traceability and reduced losses due to shrinkage. A notable success that reduced losses through ZX Ventures’ e-commerce portals to $25,000, thanks to the automation of accounting with operational transactions.
The industry is immersed in a new revolution, where intelligently applying technical advances is vital for thriving. Leaving behind “excel-lent” business plans, taking on challenges, and refocusing the business model. Working with current tools to provide a better service that meets customer expectations and needs.
LOVIS
