In an increasingly competitive and volatile environment, inventory management remains one of the biggest challenges for companies in the retail sector .
Diego Martínez Ordoñez, Country Manager of Onebeat in Mexico , stated that although technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have opened up new possibilities, many companies still face significant barriers to fully adopting them.
“The inventory challenge is not new, but today it is more complex than ever. Supply chains are fragile, and consumers demand agile and precise responses. The good news is that there is growing interest in adopting technological solutions that allow us to respond to this new dynamic,” Martínez said in an interview with T21.
The specialist highlighted that one of the most common challenges Onebeat encounters in Mexico is the fear of change . Although many companies are interested in digitalization, the perception remains that implementing a technological solution is complicated or expensive.
Another challenge is data overload , since “with digitalization, retailers generate enormous amounts of information. The real challenge is no longer obtaining data, but knowing how to interpret it and make decisions in real time,” he explained.
In this sense, Onebeat’s value proposition is to accompany clients step by step, from controlled pilots to scalable implementation, focusing on measurable results and operational agility.
Onebeat’s solution is based on machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms that analyze historical product behavior and update the data daily.
This makes it possible to detect anomalies or changes in demand behavior and react immediately.
“This technology helps us find the ideal balance: having the right amount of the right product in the right store. It’s not about stocking shelves, but about making smart, data-driven decisions,” Martínez emphasized.
In addition to replenishment planning, the solution enables intelligent transfers between stores , preventing losses due to stockouts or excess inventory at certain points of sale.
According to Martínez, Onebeat’s clients have achieved tangible results. On average, they report a 20% increase in sales , driven by improved availability of key products, and an improvement in margins of up to 30%, thanks to a more balanced inventory.
“That 30% comes from stopping overinvesting in slow-moving products. Instead of buying 100,000 pesos worth of an item that doesn’t move, you invest only 60,000 pesos, and you reallocate those 40,000 pesos to high-demand products,” he explained.
Although he acknowledged that Mexico still lags behind regions like Europe and the United States in technological adoption, Martínez is optimistic about the future of the retail sector .
“43% of retailers in Mexico already recognize that inventory management is a priority. AI is democratizing access to advanced solutions, even for small and medium-sized businesses,” he stated.
He also emphasized that it’s not necessary to wait until you have hundreds of stores or a complex corporate structure to get started.
“The right time to adopt these solutions is when you identify a clear problem: overstocked inventory or too many out-of-stock items. From there, you can start with a group of stores or products, measure results, and scale with confidence,” he explained.
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