1. Point your phone at the sign

2. Go to camera app.

3. Welcome to THE BCD TEST LAB.

Rugged mobile devices made by Zebra and Honeywell have been through a lot of tests but the BCD Test Lab conducts several tests yet to be done.

Watch Zebra’s Rugged L10 Tablet vs a Friendly Game of Paintball, Zebra’s MC9300 Cold Storage vs Ice Sculpture & H2O, Honeywell’s CK65 vs Gravity and many more.  Also Check out Honeywell’s demo of the CK65 Cold Storage and R1o Tablet.

Call a BCD team member at 1-800-343-1750 or schedule a live demo today!

The post The BCD/Bar Code Direct Test Lab appeared first on Bar Code Direct - Barcode Solutions.

Unlike traditional warehouse spaces, retail storefronts are generally cheaper and located closer to potential customers enabling faster delivery times and lowered TCO. In doing so, faster delivery can help increase team productivity, enhance competitiveness, strengthen brand identity, and even double year-over-year sales. However, despite these benefits, the challenges of effective order fulfillment persist in the converted storefront. As more and more retailers make the switch, businesses now find themselves in a unique opportunity to mitigate issues before they arise.

How to prevent the top 3 order fulfillment issues from entering the new storefront:

To help businesses make the most of their new storefront space, Bar Code Direct and Zebra Technologies explore the common warehousing issues transitioning into retail.

1. Maintaining accurate inventory management for incoming shipments – Research has shown that traditional store inventory is about 70% Lack of inventory visibility can lead to product shrinkage, misplacements, and longer pick routes as workers struggle to find products. To resolve this issue, real-time visibility solutions such as Zebra’s RFID locationing devices work alongside your workforce to track in-motion inventory, providing a 99.99% accuracy rate in your inventory management system. Simply tag incoming items as they arrive to the receiving dock and track them via your RFID handheld manage movement, storage, and any incoming updates for less surprises.
2. Preventing backorders and out-of-stocks – Backorder costs can reach as high as $20 per order, and that doesn’t factor in the incalculable cost of a negative customer experience. To prevent out-of-stocks, stock counts must be readily updated and visible to your team before dropping below a set threshold. Technologies like modern touch computers provide a cost-effective connectivity solution as workers are able to seamlessly update stock counts with streamlined data capture and processing through one device.
3. Simplifying reverse logistics for seamless returns – Inconvenient returns discourage at over half of shoppers from completing a purchase. In addition to locationing and sustained connectivity, businesses have also turned to wearable and hands-free technologies in order to accelerate processing while preserving scanning accuracy, worker comfort, and affordability. Furthermore, hands-free order processing is relatively easy to use, eliminating worker confusion for faster deployment and optimization. This allows your team to quickly process returns and lower instances of wasted labor as items are stored properly.

For more information on how to tackle the challenges of post-pandemic retail, contact Bar Code Direct for a careful assessment of your current workflows to pinpoint optimization opportunities in your operations.

The post Converting the storefront to a fulfillment center? Keep these tips in mind. appeared first on Bar Code Direct - Barcode Solutions.

• Industrial vs. Mobile: Industrial printers are designed for, well, industrial environments. Down and dirty spaces require a printer that can sustain a fair amount of wear and tear. These models stay in one place and print thousands of labels a day. Mobile printers, on the other hand, are not designed for the same volume. Depending on your business needs, a mix of industrial and mobile printers may be your best solution.
• Direct Thermal vs. Thermal Transfer: With barcode printers, you have two types of label options. Direct thermal labels are best for short-term application, as they do not maintain well in heat or sunlight. Thermal transfer labels last longer and are more durable, but cost more.
• Wireless Communications: How you plan on communicating with your printer (hard-wired vs WiFi-enabled) will help determine the best solution for your needs.
• Volume: Will you be printing thousands of labels per day or a handful per hour?
• Features: What add-ons does your printer need? Peeler, Roll Rewind, Cutter, Wireless, Remote Management—all serve a purpose and may be beneficial to your business.

ZEBRA ZT PRINTER COMPARISON

Zebra’s ZT line is the gold standard of industrial printers, built to withstand the most demanding environments. To help you select the best model for your business, our efficiency experts tested each series below, ranking them from starter to premium. Have a look:

• ZT200 Series: ZT200’s compact design makes it ideal for constrained work areas. The entry-level printer boasts an effortless setup, intuitive user operation, and ease of maintenance. Because of its size, it cannot produce the same volume of labels as other ZT models. However, ZT200 is a solid choice for a beginner bar code operation.
• ZT400 Series: ZT400 are our most popular printers, and for good reason—the mid-range models are built to last. The ZT411 was born out of Zebra’s extensive research on customer pain points, making it more user friendly than previous generations. Both ZT411 and ZT421 are designed for small spaces, but with a tolerance for higher speeds and resolutions. Increased processing power and grow-as-you-go features include RFID and media capabilities, plus Link-OS compatibility. These printers are made for small-label applications.
• ZT510: This premium printer is designed for high-volume output within the most challenging industrial environments. The model can operate 24/7, making it ideal for companies who need a workhorse printer without a premium price tag.
• ZT600 Series: If your business requires a high volume of labels and a high tolerance for industrial surroundings, the ZT600 is your best match. Precise registration and print line adjustment allow for labels as small as 3mm {think circuit boards and chips}. What’s more, compatibility with other printing systems makes for simplified integration and management within your barcode ecosystem.

ZEBRA ZQ MOBILE PRINTER COMPARISON

• ZQ600 Mobile Printers: Improve inventory management and customer service in your store with the ZQ600 Series mobile printer. Taking the popular QLn Series and making it even better, the ZQ600 Series delivers advanced technology and an innovative and portable design that drives productivity, ease-of-use and manageability to a new level.
• ZQ600 Healthcare Series Mobile: With the ZQ600 Healthcare Series mobile printers you can improve accuracy, patient safety and staff productivity by completing specimen labeling at the point of care. Building on the popular QLn Healthcare Series, the ZQ600 Healthcare Series is designed specifically for healthcare to withstand constant disinfecting and delivers advanced technology in an innovative and portable design that drives productivity, ease-of-use and manageability to a new level.
• ZQ630 RFID Mobile Printer: Print and encode RFID tags and labels when and where you need them. Premium features, advanced technology, industry-leading battery and innovative design—now with RFID. This mobile printer drives productivity, ease-of-use and manageability to a new level.
• ZQ300 Series Mobile Printers:With class-leading battery power, versatility, durability and easy remote management at an affordable price, the ZQ300 Series mobile printer comes in two designs to meet your business needs.
• ZQ110 Mobile Printer: Print receipts and tickets on demand and on the go with the ZQ110 mobile 2-inch receipt printer. As Zebra’s smallest and most affordable mobile receipt printer, the ZQ110 is equipped with key basic features and offers a selection of competitive accessories.

ZEBRA ZD DESKTOP PRINTER COMPARISON

• ZD510-HC Wristband Printing Solution: The ZD510-HC Wristband Printing Solution combines the reliable ZD510-HC direct thermal printer with easy-to-load cartridges containing the only antimicrobial-coated wristbands on the market – Zebra’s Z-Band® wristbands. Also capable of printing wristbands for amusement, water-park and entertainment applications, you get dependable wristband printing that increases patient safety and staff productivity.
• ZD620 Series Desktop Printers: When print quality, productivity, application flexibility and management simplicity matter, the ZD620 Series delivers. Available in both direct thermal and thermal transfer models, the ZD620 desktop printer advances the legacy of the industry-leading GX Series printers. These premium models bring advanced industrial printing quality to a compact desktop printer — offering the fastest print speeds, print quality and manageability in its class.
• ZD420 Series Desktop Printers: Building on the legacy of the industry-leading GK Series printers, the ZD420 Series delivers features and functionality that take deployment and management simplicity, ease-of-use and application flexibility and total cost of ownership to a new level. The ZD420 desktop printer is available in both direct thermal and thermal transfer models. And, the ZD420 ribbon cartridge version is the easiest thermal transfer printer to load, period.

Your business is unique, and so are your printing needs. At Bar Code Direct we’ll evaluate your current system, and customize a more efficient printing solution.

Email us at printingsolutions@barcodedirect.com for FREE Printer evaluation or call us at 1.800.343.1750.

The post Bar Code Direct & Zebra’s Printer Comparison Guide 2021 appeared first on Bar Code Direct - Barcode Solutions.

Help a start-up E-Grocer compete in the volatile Online grocery category. Many stores rely on labor-intensive methods to complete Online orders. Without a traditional brick and mortar footprint, or the reach of a competitor like Amazon, the start-up needed an innovative, cost-effective, and contactless way to fulfill orders. 

THE SOLUTION: 

The E-Grocer built a collection of automated micro fulfillment centers where most work was completed through robotics. However since some critical picking needed to be done manually, we created a custom solution that included arm-mounted Android mobile computers integrated with ring scanners. This allowed the manual process to be fast and efficient, which kept costs down and allowed the start-up to compete with established services 

THE TOOLS:

ZEBRA TC25 Handheld Units 

Wearable Barcode Scanner

Custom Arm Mount Holder 

SOTI – Enterprise Mobile Device Management

Lifecycle & Asset Management

“We worked closely with this innovative start-up from their inception to ensure their picking tools were the perfect fit for their processes. Their growth has been remarkable, and they are working with the largest names in the grocery business.”

PETE GRIMES
VP Marketing & Sales
BAR CODE DIRECT

The post E-GROCER STARTUP appeared first on Bar Code Direct - Barcode Solutions.

For the initial customer order, we can offer a variety of mobile and contactless scanning technologies to locate, pick, scan and track the order, as well as mobile printing solutions to generate invoices, shipping labels and more.

Once the order is on-site, we have scanning and two-way communication systems to get the product from your inventory and into the customers hands. Mobile and hands-free scanners can locate product, and two-way radios can alert associates the order is ready. Our software engineers can also create a custom solution that works with your current programs seamlessly.

Once the customer is on-site, our mobile printing and scanning systems can ensure the order is ready quickly.Two-way radios can connect the front of the store to the back of the story to make the final delivery as efficient as possible. Our brand-new wearable body camera technology can also help associates record each consumer interaction so that you have an actionable video record in case you need it in the future.

At Bar Code Direct our mission is the help you make each transaction as safe and efficient as possible. We know you care about both your associates and your customers, and we have several affordable and innovative ways to help you accomplish your goals – and grow your business in the process.

Learn More at Barcodedirect.com or call us at 1.800.343.1750.

The post Innovative Curbside Pickup Solutions appeared first on Bar Code Direct - Barcode Solutions.

That’s where Worn Body Camera Technology can help. WiFi-enabled cameras can be worn by associates, and activated only when needed. An associate can simply press record and document any interaction with a customer so that there is a clear record of the incident. Installation and operation are simple and straightforward. The data which is recorded is not only valuable after the fact, but it also could help de-escalate a tense situation and avoid conflict. If customers are aware they are being recorded, they may choose to adhere to the rules, or leave peacefully. The videos can be accessed through a centralized system — and if needed — the system can trigger an alert through a security office.

The success of brick and mortar retail locations depends on the staff being able to concentrate on their most important task — servicing customers efficiently and in a manner that encourages repeat business. This new technology allows associates to put their energy toward customer satisfaction, and it helps alleviate the added stress that many are feeling these days.

Learn morn about Motorola’s VT100 Body-Worn camera and how you can help keep retail associates safe.

The post Motorola’s Body Worn Camera for Retail Operations appeared first on Bar Code Direct - Barcode Solutions.

Complying with your capacity limit can best be met using IoT.  LNL Systems’ Capacity Alert will count shoppers in-and-out, sending alerts based on pre-set limits. Alerts can go to store associates two-way radios, android or iOS devices, PA systems, IP speakers, etc. and can also turn an entry light red or green for shopper notification.  Integrate to your web site and now shoppers can visit you online to gauge if now is a good time to visit, or if its better to wait for capacity to reach a lower limit.

The consensus is that, while we are moving in a positive direction, capacity at public gatherings will need to be limited for the foreseeable future. For large format retailers, this is best managed via an automated, value-added IoT solution, vs. having a masked store associate standing outside all day.

The National Retail Federation has created a state-by-state map that outlines coronavirus-related laws, executive orders, regulations and guidance governing store reopening for retailers and it’s accessible to non-members for a limited time.

This resource is a part of Operation Open Doors – Path to Reopen Retail. The initiative, led by NRF and Seyfarth LLP, is providing guidance and tools that NRF members can use as they navigate opening stores after this international health crisis.

For more information about Capacity Alert call 1.800.343.1750 or visit Barcodedirect.com

By Pete Grimes
VP of Sales & Marketing
Bar Code Direct 

Pete has 25+ years of experience providing retail and supply chain enterprise mobile computing solutions.

The post A Better Way to Monitor Customer Capacity appeared first on Bar Code Direct - Barcode Solutions.

Founded in 2009, LNL Systems began by providing communication equipment for the retail industry. Today, LNL Systems continues to be one of Motorola Solution’s largest business-class two-way radio partners in North America – providing cost effective communication solutions for many national retailers in the US and Canada. As an innovator and leader in the retail technology space, LNL Systems has evolved to deliver the most comprehensive portfolio of smart devices, platform integration and analytics that retailers use to profit from the Internet of Things.

Founded in 1994, Bar Code Direct, Inc. develops custom enterprise wireless mobile computing and barcode systems for supply chain, retail, healthcare, and hospitality. Their solutions increase productivity for service delivery personnel, warehouse workers, package delivery personnel, freight truck drivers, field service technicians, in-store associates, and caregivers. BCD’s customer base includes CVS Health, Polar Beverages, Clean Harbors, Fresenius, Kens Foods, Estee Lauder, and more.

The post Bar Code Direct Inc. Acquires LNL Systems appeared first on Bar Code Direct - Barcode Solutions.