IoT GUIDE

As a barcode and RFID systems designer and integrator for the military, we’re constantly uncovering processes where technology is being used to save expense or improve operations. Our vast 20 years of experience allows us to compare the benefits of RFID over barcode when applied to asset tracking in the most demanding of military environments where mission success is critical.

The US military is one of the most highly regulated environments in the world and their use of RFID asset tracking should tell us all something about the value of this technology. RFID allows the military to gain real-time visibility into the movement of key containers and shipments throughout their tightly controlled supply chain. It represents a monumental advance over prior manual tracking procedures such as the use of clipboards, pencils and visual inspections. The result is that containers and assets are tracked with greater precision and automation.

Commercial businesses and government agencies, whether supporting a military mission or not, can benefit from RFID asset tracking, whether tracking containers or individual assets throughout their operations. Let’s review the four high level benefits that your operation will achieve upon rolling out an RFID asset tracking solution. Your return on investment depends upon which of the benefits are the greatest to your operating model:

1. Increase your productivity and reduce labor: RFID allows organizations to automatically track assets that are moving between departments or business units or simply stored at rest in a warehouse. When an RFID tag is placed on an asset, the asset is identified and scanned automatically as it moves through key chokepoints within or between facilities. Consequently, the labor costs associated with tracking assets is eliminated, as you don’t need teams of people who are responsible for manually scanning or logging the movement of items. Also, the significant disruption and expense that goes along with lost or misplaced assets is gone. This frees up your employees to focus on other areas that make a difference for the bottom line.
   
    
2. Improve your customer service and your brand: When a customer signs a contract or places orders with your business, they are expecting to receive a big return on their investment with you – and that includes knowing exactly what is happening to their assets in real time and how that impacts their delivery. With RFID, you can show your customer exactly where their assets are upon inquiry and even when audited from internal or external entities.
   
    
3. Eliminate your delays in product deliveries: Businesses waste labor and create delays in product delivery because internal teams and divisions aren’t able to achieve efficient production flow due to bottlenecks. When lacking visibility of items moving throughout stages in production or distribution, products don’t get to where they need to be when they need to be there. This ultimately creates waste, erodes customer confidence and adds extra expense. With RFID, you are cutting out the dependency on employees to perform a manual function that can be automated with an RFID asset tracking solutions. Real-time visibility to production provides analytics that eliminates bottlenecks and improves product delivery times.
   
    
4. Ensure accuracy and peace of mind: Perhaps the greatest benefit of RFID is the peace of mind that comes with knowing your business has achieved maximum accuracy and efficiency in asset tracking, with the ability to consistently pass internal and external audits with flying colors. Because RFID is automated, every employee – from floor technicians to upper management – can track assets in real time, and simultaneously share customized insights with customers, vendors and auditors.

The US military has demonstrated the value of RFID asset tracking solutions with containers and individual assets. Any organization can take advantage of these benefits – because they are the shared goals and values of any organization. From increased productivity to reduced labor and product waste, from improved customer experience and strengthening your brand to ensuring on time deliveries, there’s no reason not to begin reaping the benefits of RFID tracking technology today.

This article was originally featured on LinkedIn.