Latest / Omni Talk Retail / The DiaLogic Group’s Take on Retail Robotics, Shelf Accuracy & the 2026 Inflection Point | FMI 2026
Transcript
- 0:00Welcome
- 0:00back,
- 0:00everybody.
- 0:01This
- 0:01is
- 0:01Omnitalk
- 0:02Retail.
- 0:02I'm
- 0:02Anne
- 0:02Mazinga.
- 0:03And
- 0:03I'm
- 0:03Chris
- 0:03Walton.
- 0:04And
- 0:04we
- 0:05are
- 0:05bringing
- 0:05you
- 0:05another
- 0:05interview
- 0:06from
- 0:06the
- 0:06simbi
- 0:07Booth,
- 0:07number
- 0:08118
- 0:08here
- 0:09in
- 0:09the
- 0:10tech
- 0:10section
- 0:11of
- 0:11FMI
- 0:12in
- 0:12San
- 0:12Diego.
- 0:13Standing
- 0:14between
- 0:14Chris
- 0:15and
- 0:15myself
- 0:16is
- 0:16Tom
- 0:17Blishock.
- 0:18Tom
- 0:18is
- 0:18the
- 0:18CEO
- 0:20of
- 0:20the
- 0:20Dialogic
- 0:21Group.
- 0:22Tom,
- 0:23you
- 0:23were
- 0:23on
- 0:23our
- 0:23show
- 0:23last
- 0:24year.
- 0:24Thanks
- 0:25for
- 0:25coming
- 0:25back
- 0:25and
- 0:25doing
- 0:26it
- 0:26again.
- 0:26Chris.
- 0:27Chris.
- 0:27And
- 0:27nice
- 0:28to
- 0:28see
- 0:28you
- 0:28again.
- 0:28Good
- 0:29to
- 0:29see
- 0:29you
- 0:29too.
- 0:29Good
- 0:30to
- 0:30see
- 0:30you.
- 0:30Great.
- 0:31You
- 0:31too,
- 0:31Tom.
- 0:32So,
- 0:32Tom,
- 0:32I
- 0:32was
- 0:32on
- 0:33record
- 0:33last
- 0:33year
- 0:33as
- 0:34saying
- 0:34that
- 0:342025
- 0:35was
- 0:35the
- 0:35year
- 0:35of
- 0:36the
- 0:36robot.
- 0:36Now
- 0:36you've
- 0:36been.
- 0:37I've
- 0:37been
- 0:37hearing
- 0:37that
- 0:37you've
- 0:38been
- 0:38saying
- 0:382026
- 0:39is
- 0:39the
- 0:39year
- 0:40of
- 0:40the
- 0:40robot.
- 0:40So.
- 0:41So
- 0:41was
- 0:41I
- 0:41wrong?
- 0:42But
- 0:42more
- 0:42importantly,
- 0:43why
- 0:43do
- 0:43you
- 0:44think.
- 0:44That
- 0:44I
- 0:44think
- 0:44the
- 0:45year
- 0:45of
- 0:45the
- 0:45robot
- 0:46is?
- 0:46I
- 0:46mean,
- 0:47your
- 0:47comments
- 0:47were
- 0:47correct.
- 0:48Okay.
- 0:48I
- 0:48think
- 0:48my
- 0:49comments
- 0:49correct
- 0:49also.
- 0:50Okay.
- 0:50I.
- 0:50I
- 0:51talk
- 0:512026
- 0:52robots
- 0:52at
- 0:52scale.
- 0:53Okay.
- 0:53All
- 0:54right.
- 0:54Yes.
- 0:54Moving
- 0:54from
- 0:55the
- 0:55pilot
- 0:55world
- 0:56to
- 0:56the
- 0:56scale
- 0:56world.
- 0:57Why
- 0:57are
- 0:57we
- 0:57doing
- 0:57that?
- 0:58What's
- 0:58causing
- 0:58that
- 0:59change?
- 1:00The
- 1:01retailers
- 1:01are
- 1:02struggling
- 1:02with
- 1:02cost
- 1:02to
- 1:03serve,
- 1:03and
- 1:03they're
- 1:03struggling
- 1:04with
- 1:04the
- 1:04shopping
- 1:05experience
- 1:05overall.
- 1:06So
- 1:07robotics
- 1:08in
- 1:09the
- 1:09stores
- 1:10are
- 1:10helping
- 1:10them
- 1:11change
- 1:11shelf
- 1:11productivity,
- 1:13change
- 1:13people
- 1:14productivity,
- 1:15and
- 1:15change
- 1:15the
- 1:16shopping
- 1:16experience.
- 1:17This
- 1:17year,
- 1:17my
- 1:18prediction
- 1:18is
- 1:18we're
- 1:19going
- 1:19to
- 1:19see
- 1:19that
- 1:19robotics
- 1:20will
- 1:20actually
- 1:21reach
- 1:21scale.
- 1:22That
- 1:22means
- 1:22they'll
- 1:23be
- 1:23deployed
- 1:23across
- 1:24many,
- 1:24many
- 1:24retailers.
- 1:27So
- 1:27say
- 1:27that
- 1:28happens,
- 1:28and
- 1:29retailers
- 1:30are
- 1:30starting
- 1:31to
- 1:31invest
- 1:31in,
- 1:31in
- 1:31store
- 1:32robotics.
- 1:34They
- 1:35want
- 1:35to
- 1:35really
- 1:36build
- 1:36this
- 1:36truly
- 1:37connected
- 1:37store.
- 1:38And
- 1:38robotics
- 1:38being
- 1:39a
- 1:39key
- 1:39way
- 1:39to
- 1:39do
- 1:39that,
- 1:40what
- 1:40does
- 1:41it
- 1:41take
- 1:41for
- 1:41them
- 1:41to
- 1:42find
- 1:42success
- 1:42in
- 1:43that
- 1:43deployment?
- 1:44I
- 1:44think
- 1:44a
- 1:44couple
- 1:44things.
- 1:45One
- 1:45of
- 1:45the
- 1:45things
- 1:46that
- 1:46we
- 1:46found
- 1:46in
- 1:46the
- 1:47issue
- 1:47of
- 1:47robotic
- 1:47deployments
- 1:48is
- 1:48that
- 1:49there
- 1:50is
- 1:50a
- 1:50lack
- 1:51of
- 1:51change
- 1:51management.
- 1:52Really
- 1:53important
- 1:53issue.
- 1:54Really,
- 1:54really
- 1:54important
- 1:55issue.
- 1:55So
- 1:56first
- 1:56thing
- 1:57that
- 1:57has
- 1:57to
- 1:57occur
- 1:58is
- 1:58the
- 1:58leadership
- 1:59has
- 1:59to
- 1:59show
- 2:00up
- 2:00in
- 2:01any
- 2:01technology
- 2:02implementation,
- 2:03especially
- 2:03robotics.
- 2:04You
- 2:04got
- 2:04to
- 2:04engage
- 2:05the
- 2:05SOAR
- 2:05folks
- 2:06to
- 2:06make
- 2:06sure
- 2:06they
- 2:06understand
- 2:07the
- 2:07whys
- 2:07behind
- 2:08the
- 2:08technology.
- 2:09And
- 2:10then
- 2:10you
- 2:10have
- 2:10to
- 2:10build
- 2:10a
- 2:10reasonable,
- 2:12executable
- 2:12approach
- 2:13on
- 2:13actually
- 2:14make
- 2:14this
- 2:14stuff
- 2:14work
- 2:15and
- 2:15deliver
- 2:15value.
- 2:16Most
- 2:16importantly.
- 2:18Is
- 2:18that
- 2:18what
- 2:18I
- 2:18see?
- 2:18Again,
- 2:18as
- 2:19I
- 2:19said
- 2:19earlier,
- 2:19robotics
- 2:20drive
- 2:20a
- 2:21change
- 2:21in
- 2:21the
- 2:22shopping
- 2:22experience
- 2:23at
- 2:23a
- 2:23lower
- 2:23cost.
- 2:24That's
- 2:25something
- 2:25that
- 2:25retailers
- 2:26must
- 2:26pay
- 2:26attention
- 2:26to.
- 2:26Okay,
- 2:27and
- 2:27where
- 2:27do
- 2:27those
- 2:27lower
- 2:28costs
- 2:28come
- 2:28in,
- 2:28Tom?
- 2:29They
- 2:29come
- 2:29in
- 2:30lowered
- 2:30inventory.
- 2:31They
- 2:31come
- 2:32in
- 2:32the
- 2:32area
- 2:32of
- 2:33less
- 2:34obsolete
- 2:35excess
- 2:35and
- 2:36obsolete
- 2:36stuff
- 2:36on
- 2:36the
- 2:36shelf.
- 2:37They
- 2:37come
- 2:38in
- 2:38the
- 2:38area
- 2:38of
- 2:39improved
- 2:39employee
- 2:40productivity.
- 2:41Now,
- 2:41that
- 2:42doesn't
- 2:42mean
- 2:42you're
- 2:42having
- 2:43someone
- 2:43have
- 2:43less
- 2:43hours
- 2:44it
- 2:44just
- 2:45means
- 2:45that
- 2:45they're
- 2:45using
- 2:45hours
- 2:46more
- 2:46productively,
- 2:47which
- 2:47allows
- 2:48them
- 2:48to
- 2:48raise
- 2:48the
- 2:49value
- 2:50of
- 2:50their
- 2:51personal
- 2:51contribution
- 2:52to
- 2:52the
- 2:52business.
- 2:52Right.
- 2:53And
- 2:54the
- 2:54experience
- 2:54that
- 2:54their
- 2:55customers
- 2:55are
- 2:55having.
- 2:55Like
- 2:55we
- 2:56heard
- 2:56from
- 2:56Chinook
- 2:56Markets
- 2:57this
- 2:57morning
- 2:57where
- 2:58they
- 2:58didn't
- 2:58get
- 2:59rid
- 2:59of
- 2:59any
- 2:59employees
- 3:00when
- 3:00they
- 3:00deployed
- 3:00robots
- 3:01in
- 3:01store.
- 3:01They
- 3:02actually
- 3:03converted
- 3:04that
- 3:05staff
- 3:05to
- 3:05helping
- 3:06employees
- 3:06to
- 3:07doing
- 3:07other
- 3:07tasks.
- 3:08What
- 3:08a
- 3:09marvelous
- 3:09success
- 3:10story.
- 3:11Schnooks,
- 3:12they
- 3:12really
- 3:12are
- 3:13an
- 3:13organization
- 3:14which
- 3:14took
- 3:14the
- 3:15basics,
- 3:15the
- 3:15idea,
- 3:16the
- 3:16concepts,
- 3:17they
- 3:18tested
- 3:18it,
- 3:18they
- 3:19learned,
- 3:19and
- 3:20then
- 3:20they
- 3:20scaled
- 3:21it.
- 3:21Wow.
- 3:22Just
- 3:22think
- 3:22about
- 3:23what
- 3:23that
- 3:23means
- 3:24to
- 3:24an
- 3:24organization
- 3:25who's
- 3:25struggling
- 3:26with
- 3:26a
- 3:262%
- 3:27margin
- 3:27saying,
- 3:28you
- 3:28know,
- 3:28I'm
- 3:28getting
- 3:29beat
- 3:29by
- 3:29the
- 3:29large
- 3:30players.
- 3:30I
- 3:30just
- 3:30need
- 3:31to
- 3:31find
- 3:31ways
- 3:31to
- 3:32save
- 3:32cost
- 3:32and
- 3:32improve
- 3:33the
- 3:33experience.
- 3:33That's
- 3:34what
- 3:34robots
- 3:34do.
- 3:35Yeah.
- 3:35So
- 3:36when
- 3:36you
- 3:36say
- 3:36this
- 3:36is
- 3:36when
- 3:36you
- 3:37said
- 3:372026
- 3:37is
- 3:38the
- 3:38year
- 3:38for
- 3:38scale.
- 3:38Let's
- 3:39like
- 3:39you
- 3:39talked
- 3:39about
- 3:40shooks,
- 3:40take
- 3:40schnooks
- 3:41taking
- 3:41it
- 3:41to
- 3:42scale.
- 3:43What?
- 3:45Why
- 3:45do
- 3:45you
- 3:45say
- 3:45that
- 3:46this
- 3:46is
- 3:46the
- 3:46year
- 3:46that
- 3:46you're
- 3:47going
- 3:47to
- 3:47see
- 3:47it
- 3:47scale?
- 3:47Like,
- 3:48I'm
- 3:48curious.
- 3:48Why
- 3:48is
- 3:49that?
- 3:49I
- 3:49think
- 3:49a
- 3:50couple
- 3:50things.
- 3:51The
- 3:51biggest
- 3:51of
- 3:51the
- 3:52big
- 3:52players
- 3:52continue
- 3:54to
- 3:54move
- 3:54forward
- 3:55faster
- 3:55than
- 3:55the
- 3:55rest
- 3:56of
- 3:56the
- 3:56industry.
- 3:56Okay.
- 3:57So
- 3:57independent
- 3:58operators,
- 3:59mid
- 3:59tier
- 3:59operators,
- 4:00are
- 4:01struggling
- 4:01with
- 4:01ways
- 4:02to
- 4:02compete.
- 4:03Well,
- 4:03one
- 4:03of
- 4:03the
- 4:04ways
- 4:04to
- 4:04compete
- 4:04is
- 4:05to
- 4:05buy
- 4:05local,
- 4:06have
- 4:06more
- 4:06local
- 4:07representation.
- 4:08One
- 4:08of
- 4:08the
- 4:08ways
- 4:08to
- 4:08compete
- 4:09is
- 4:09to
- 4:09make
- 4:09your
- 4:09associates
- 4:10more
- 4:10productive.
- 4:11But
- 4:11the
- 4:12third
- 4:12way
- 4:12to
- 4:12compete
- 4:12is
- 4:13to
- 4:13make
- 4:13the
- 4:13shelf
- 4:13more
- 4:14productive.
- 4:14That
- 4:15means
- 4:15when
- 4:15I
- 4:15walk
- 4:15into
- 4:16the
- 4:16store,
- 4:16I
- 4:16see
- 4:16the
- 4:17stuff
- 4:17I
- 4:17want
- 4:17and
- 4:17it's
- 4:18available
- 4:18and
- 4:18it's
- 4:19there.
- 4:19Now
- 4:19you
- 4:20can
- 4:20do
- 4:20that
- 4:20one
- 4:20of
- 4:20two
- 4:20ways.
- 4:21You
- 4:21can
- 4:21have
- 4:21Fred
- 4:22or
- 4:22Susie
- 4:22or
- 4:22Mike
- 4:22or
- 4:23Jack
- 4:23run
- 4:23up
- 4:23the
- 4:23aisles
- 4:24and
- 4:24do
- 4:24their
- 4:24thing.
- 4:24Or
- 4:25you
- 4:25can
- 4:25have
- 4:25a
- 4:26tally
- 4:27actually
- 4:27help
- 4:27you
- 4:28understand
- 4:29where
- 4:29you're
- 4:29beginning
- 4:29to
- 4:29miss
- 4:30lost
- 4:30sales.
- 4:31So
- 4:31scaling
- 4:32is
- 4:32driven
- 4:33by
- 4:34not
- 4:34just
- 4:34the
- 4:34robot,
- 4:35but
- 4:35it's
- 4:35the
- 4:35need
- 4:35to
- 4:36improve
- 4:37cost
- 4:37efficiency
- 4:38at
- 4:38the
- 4:39same
- 4:39time
- 4:39improving
- 4:39the
- 4:40shopper
- 4:40experience.
- 4:40So
- 4:40what
- 4:41I
- 4:41hear
- 4:41from
- 4:41you,
- 4:41there's
- 4:41a
- 4:41premium
- 4:42on
- 4:42being
- 4:42right
- 4:42at
- 4:43shelf
- 4:43more
- 4:43often
- 4:44now
- 4:44for
- 4:44every
- 4:44retailer
- 4:45that's
- 4:45in
- 4:45this
- 4:46very
- 4:46competitive
- 4:46industry.
- 4:47Yeah,
- 4:48being,
- 4:48being
- 4:48right
- 4:48at
- 4:49shelf
- 4:49is
- 4:49so
- 4:49critical.
- 4:50And
- 4:50when
- 4:50we
- 4:50say
- 4:51being
- 4:51right
- 4:51at
- 4:51shelf,
- 4:52it's
- 4:52not
- 4:52just
- 4:53having
- 4:53the
- 4:53stuff
- 4:53on
- 4:53the
- 4:54shelf,
- 4:54it's
- 4:54having
- 4:54the
- 4:55right
- 4:55stuff
- 4:55on
- 4:55the
- 4:55shelf.
- 4:56It's
- 4:56making
- 4:56sure
- 4:57the
- 4:57assortment
- 4:57is
- 4:58tuned
- 4:58to
- 4:58the
- 4:59consumer.
- 4:59Making
- 5:00sure
- 5:00that
- 5:01if
- 5:01you
- 5:01see
- 5:01a
- 5:01low
- 5:02stock
- 5:02alert
- 5:02that
- 5:03you
- 5:03really
- 5:03stock
- 5:04the
- 5:04product
- 5:04in
- 5:05the
- 5:05store
- 5:05before
- 5:05you
- 5:06run
- 5:06out
- 5:06of
- 5:06stock.
- 5:07Remember,
- 5:07shoppers
- 5:08have
- 5:08a
- 5:09lasting
- 5:09memory.
- 5:10First
- 5:11time,
- 5:11I'll
- 5:11come
- 5:11back
- 5:11you're
- 5:11out
- 5:12of
- 5:12stock.
- 5:12Second
- 5:12time
- 5:13may
- 5:13come
- 5:13back.
- 5:13Third
- 5:14time,
- 5:14I'm
- 5:14going
- 5:14someplace
- 5:15else.
- 5:15We
- 5:16fix
- 5:16that
- 5:16problem.
- 5:16Recimbia
- 5:17and
- 5:17Talley
- 5:17fix
- 5:18that
- 5:18problem.
- 5:18Right,
- 5:18Right.
- 5:19So
- 5:19what's
- 5:19your
- 5:19advice
- 5:19to
- 5:20the
- 5:20independent
- 5:20grocer
- 5:21then?
- 5:21Like
- 5:22you
- 5:22just
- 5:22talked
- 5:22about
- 5:222026
- 5:23being
- 5:23the
- 5:23year
- 5:23that,
- 5:24you
- 5:24know,
- 5:24some
- 5:25of
- 5:25the
- 5:25enterprise
- 5:26grade
- 5:26level
- 5:26retailers
- 5:27start
- 5:27to
- 5:27scale.
- 5:28What
- 5:28about
- 5:28the
- 5:28independent
- 5:29guys?
- 5:29Like,
- 5:29how
- 5:29should
- 5:29they
- 5:30think
- 5:30about
- 5:30this?
- 5:31Look,
- 5:32independents
- 5:32have
- 5:33three
- 5:33strategies
- 5:34to
- 5:35be
- 5:35successful
- 5:35in
- 5:3626.
- 5:37They
- 5:38better
- 5:38get
- 5:38their
- 5:39technology
- 5:40mix
- 5:40correct.
- 5:41Now,
- 5:42there
- 5:42are
- 5:42hundreds
- 5:43of
- 5:43technologies
- 5:43you
- 5:44can
- 5:44buy.
- 5:45One
- 5:45of
- 5:45the
- 5:45things
- 5:45I
- 5:45like
- 5:45to
- 5:46recommend
- 5:46to
- 5:46the
- 5:47independent
- 5:47grocer
- 5:48is
- 5:48pick
- 5:48a
- 5:48technology
- 5:49that
- 5:49actually
- 5:49delivers
- 5:50value
- 5:50for
- 5:50you.
- 5:51So
- 5:51robotics
- 5:52will
- 5:52deliver
- 5:52value.
- 5:52So
- 5:53get
- 5:53your
- 5:54technology
- 5:54focus
- 5:55correct.
- 5:56Second
- 5:56one,
- 5:56get
- 5:57your
- 5:57store
- 5:57experience
- 5:58correct.
- 5:59Thirdly,
- 5:59get
- 5:59your
- 5:59collaboration
- 6:00correct.
- 6:01Now
- 6:01you
- 6:01get
- 6:01those
- 6:01three
- 6:02in
- 6:02line
- 6:03and
- 6:03what
- 6:03happens?
- 6:03And
- 6:04you
- 6:04buy
- 6:04local.
- 6:05So
- 6:05you
- 6:05have
- 6:05local
- 6:05partnership
- 6:06and
- 6:06all
- 6:06of
- 6:07a
- 6:07sudden
- 6:07you
- 6:07have
- 6:07a
- 6:07differentiation
- 6:08from
- 6:09a
- 6:09huge
- 6:10big
- 6:10box
- 6:10store
- 6:10of
- 6:10190,000
- 6:11square
- 6:12feet
- 6:12who
- 6:12can't
- 6:13do
- 6:13those
- 6:13things
- 6:13effectively.
- 6:14Right?
- 6:15Right.
- 6:16Tom,
- 6:17thanks
- 6:17for
- 6:18these
- 6:18hot
- 6:18takes.
- 6:19We
- 6:19really
- 6:20appreciate
- 6:20you
- 6:21making
- 6:21the
- 6:21time
- 6:21for
- 6:22us
- 6:22today.
- 6:23Thanks
- 6:23again
- 6:23to
- 6:23Simbi
- 6:24for
- 6:25helping
- 6:25us
- 6:25bring
- 6:25you
- 6:26our
- 6:26coverage
- 6:26here
- 6:27from
- 6:27FMI.
- 6:28And
- 6:29come
- 6:29stop
- 6:29by
- 6:30booth
- 6:30118
- 6:31today.
- 6:31We'll
- 6:32be
- 6:32around
- 6:32for
- 6:32a
- 6:33few
- 6:33more
- 6:33hours
- 6:33yet.
- 6:34And
- 6:35until
- 6:35the
- 6:35next
- 6:35interview,
- 6:36be
- 6:36careful
- 6:37out
- 6:37there.
- 6:38Be
- 6:38good,
- 6:38Talk
- 6:39to
- 6:39you.
- 6:39And
- 6:39think
- 6:40Robotics,
- 6:40they're
- 6:41a
- 6:41great
- 6:41solution
- 6:42to
- 6:42the
- 6:42problem.
- 6:43Thank
- 6:43you.