AI is transforming warehouse operations, but not in the way most people think.

In this episode of the Frontline Mobility Edge, Brett Cooper sits down with Wes Coleman, Warehouse Industry Principal at Zebra Technologies, to break down what's actually working in warehouse technology today and what's still years away.

Wes brings 36+ years of hands-on warehouse and logistics experience, from loading trucks at UPS as a teenager to running operational excellence for a major logistics operation. He now walks customer warehouses for Zebra, identifying where technology can make the biggest impact.

In this conversation, Brett and Wes cover:

→ Why replacing a warehouse worker actually costs $19,000 (not $6,000) according to a Zebra/Oxford Economics study
→ How poor workplace technology drives 30% higher turnover
→ The difference between process automation and physical automation — and why ROI timelines are drastically different
→ Voice 2.0: How on-device AI is eliminating the 90-day ramp for voice picking
→ Where AI is delivering real results today: dynamic slotting, labor planning, computer vision, and AI-powered coaching
→ Why "automate the constraint" is the most underrated operations principle
→ Zebra's own use of AI digital twins for real-time inventory placement in Kenosha, WI
→ Why humanoid robots in warehouses are still 5+ years out (and may not need legs)
→ The 3-step framework: digitize the base → automate bottlenecks → layer AI on top

Whether you're a warehouse operator, supply chain leader, or IT decision-maker evaluating automation investments, this episode delivers practical, no-hype guidance on where to spend your next dollar.

🔗 Learn more about BlueFletch Enterprise Solutions → https://bit.ly/4tunRZR
📅 Request a Demo → https://bit.ly/4dxws9u
📊 Download Zebra's Warehouse Vision Study → zebra.com

📍 Come see the BlueFletch team at MODEX 2026 — April 13-16 in Atlanta, GA → Lowry Solutions Booth A2529
📍 Catch Wes speaking at MODEX 2026 — April 13-16 in Atlanta, GA
→ Zebra Booth B11902 | Wes speaking Wednesday in Theater B

*0:00* — Intro
*0:13* — Meet Wes Coleman, Warehouse Industry Principal at Zebra
*0:55* — Wes's First Warehouse Job at UPS (and the Zip Code Hack)
*2:05* — Brett's First Warehouse Job: Cycle Counts & "Data Entry"
*2:32* — What Wes Actually Does at Zebra
*4:17* — Zebra's Warehouse Vision Report & the Real Cost to Replace a Worker
*5:50* — The Shift from Human Replacement to Human Extension
*7:47