Retail and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) businesses have been urged to move beyond outdated technology systems and adopt practical artificial intelligence solutions that improve sales monitoring, stock visibility and in-store execution.
The call comes as companies face growing pressure to understand what is happening across their retail outlets in real time, particularly whether products are properly displayed, available to customers and positioned according to agreed marketing strategies.
ConnectGroup, a technology business that developed from MegaVision Media, said the industry’s biggest challenge was not a shortage of data but the difficulty of turning available information into timely decisions. Brandspur Brand News reports that the company is advocating the use of AI to address operational gaps rather than introducing automated features without clear business value.
One of its solutions, QikScanAI, uses image recognition to assess retail shelves across modern and general trade outlets. The technology is designed to help manufacturers and retailers monitor product placement and identify gaps without depending entirely on manual inspections or external market intelligence services.
The system could help businesses detect problems such as poor product visibility and inconsistent shelf execution earlier, allowing sales and merchandising teams to respond before those issues affect wider commercial performance.
ConnectGroup said it had facilitated more than R14 billion in commercial activity through its platforms, working with businesses seeking both ready-to-use software and customised systems integrated with enterprise resource planning platforms.
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The company argued that businesses should not have to choose between quickly deployed software and solutions capable of meeting the demands of large organisations. It said its platforms are designed to accommodate different operational requirements, including white-labelled environments and deeper enterprise integrations.
The push for practical AI comes as retailers and FMCG manufacturers increasingly seek better control over distribution, merchandising and sales activities. Having information about consumer demand is useful, but companies also need to know whether products are reaching stores and appearing on shelves as planned.
ConnectGroup said AI should support four key business priorities: improving productivity, strengthening visibility, helping managers make decisions and speeding up execution.
Its position also highlights the importance of choosing technology providers that can continuously improve their products and support businesses through implementation and operational changes.
Rather than measuring innovation by the number of AI features introduced, the company believes retailers should assess whether the technology can solve identifiable problems and deliver measurable improvements.
For businesses operating in competitive consumer markets, the ability to identify and correct problems at store level could prove as important as collecting more customer data.
