Welp MagazineRadio frequency identification (RFID) tracking isn’t just for big companies, and its benefits extend far beyond just tracking shipments. While it’s true that RFID tracking technology can help you keep a closer eye on your shipments than has ever been possible before, it can also help you boost the accuracy of your inventory, prevent internal shrinkage, locate products in your storage room or warehouse as you need them, and more.
An RFID tracking system could be the thing that helps you take your business to the next level. Read on to learn more about what RFID tracking can do for your company.
Work Smarter and Save Money While You’re Doing It
What if you and your employees could get more done in less time, and with fewer staff? You’d save a lot of money, right? Well, RFID tracking tags can help you automate many of your warehousing functions, so you’ll need fewer employees and you’ll be able to achieve the same results with less effort.
Unlike barcode readers, RFID tag readers don’t need to be in line of sight with the tag in order to detect it and pick up the information it contains. That means you don’t need to hire people just to manually scan in each shipment. A fixed RFID reader can detect assets as they arrive, and can even read multiple tags at once. Your RFID reader can be 20 or 30 feet (6 or 9 meters) away from inert tags and still detect them and read them accurately. If you’re using active RFID tags, the kind that have a built-in battery that allows the tag to collect and store information in real time and in transit, for example, then the distance goes up significantly and can be as high as 1,500 feet (457 meters). This allows you to completely automate asset tracking and inventory processes. It can even help you keep track of where items are located in your warehouse, so that when you need to find something, you can do so quickly. You could even eliminate the possibility of items being mistakenly marked as out of stock.
Reduce Human Error
There’s no way to completely eliminate the possibility of human error from your processes — at least, not until the robot revolution comes. But until robots take over the world and subjugate all humans — and probably even then — human error is going to be a fact of life.
That doesn’t mean you can’t and shouldn’t do what you can to mitigate it. RFID asset tracking can significantly reduce human error related to invoicing and warehousing procedures. RFID tracking technology eliminates the possibility of transcription errors, data duplication, and missed items, because it takes the human element out of these processes by completely automating them. Item-level inventory accuracy can skyrocket from 65 to 70 percent to 99 percent.
Stay on Top of Regulatory Responsibilities
When you have vehicles or other equipment that need to be inspected regularly, or if you’re manufacturing items that need to be inspected for quality control or regulatory reasons before they can leave the warehouse, RFID asset tracking can help. RFID tags on vehicles can track their use and notify you when they require inspections or maintenance. You can also use the technology to ensure that products off the manufacturing line have endured all the checks and inspections needed to ensure the quality and safety of items before they go on the market.
Boost Revenues
How can RFID tracking technology boost revenues? In lots of different ways. Use it to monitor the inspection process for your products, and you’ll have happier customers and get fewer returns. Use it to manage your inventory and you’ll be better equipped to keep popular items in stock for your customers. When employees know that you’re tracking inventory in the warehouse with RFID tags, you’ll reduce internal shrinkage because employees won’t feel as comfortable about sneaking off with some of your goods. Automate processes using RFID tags, and you’ll be able to afford to hire fewer people. All of these can lead to higher revenues.
Get More Information about Your Assets
You really can’t have too much information about your assets. If you maintain a fleet of vehicles, you need information about where they’re going, how they’re being driven, and when maintenance needs to occur. If you sell perishable items, you need to know that those goods stayed within a certain temperature range in transit. And if a shipment is late or you’re working towards eliminating shipping delays or shipping damage, RFID tags can give you location data in real time, even when goods are in transit. You can collect all the data you need to tweak shipping and logistics processes or simply locate the last of an item in your warehouse.
You might think that small businesses can’t benefit from RFID tracking technology, but you’d be wrong. RFID technology can benefit businesses of all sizes, by helping you get more out of your employees and give more to your customers.
