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Most tasks today are a race against time, and nearly every organization is battling data accuracy issues \u2013 especially when it comes to inventory. That\u2019s why radio frequency identification (RFID) solutions<\/a> have become so popular amongst the largest and smallest businesses alike. More than 20 billion RFID tag<\/a> integrated circuits (IC) were sold worldwide in 2020, with approximately 65% going to the retail sector.<\/p>\n It takes a long time to scan the barcode of every item in stock to find \u201cthe right one\u201d or reconcile inventory management system data against shelf stock. And using pen and paper checklists to conduct quarterly or even yearly cycle counts takes hours, if not days. Considering that workers don\u2019t even have minutes to spare in today\u2019s on-demand world, the investment in RFID technology<\/a> has been easy to justify \u2013 especially since the introduction of RFID sleds that can add RFID<\/a> capability to mobile computers<\/a>.<\/p>\n In 2016, when Zebra first launched the RFD8500 UHF RFID Sled<\/a>, we wanted to help retail associates find and count inventory far faster than they had in the previous decades. Customer satisfaction levels and sales volumes depended on it. There was a tech revolution unfurling, disrupting the traditional retail model, and the on-demand economy was erupting in nearly every aspect of life. Those who couldn\u2019t get customers what they wanted, when they wanted it, were at a competitive disadvantage. So, we had to make it easier for our customers to track, and therefore reorder, everything from sporting goods to sunglasses.<\/p>\n Then we noticed a pattern emerging across nearly every sector, including hospitality and healthcare \u2013 a need for greater inventory visibility and critical asset tracking<\/a> outside traditional supply chain environments. Restaurants, hotels, and hospitals aren\u2019t necessarily selling products off the shelf like traditional retailers, yet they do maintain quite an extensive shelf inventory of supplies. The same is true of public safety agencies. Without easy insight into availability or utilization, it can be hard to ensure the right items are always on hand to meet customer expectations, whether providing meals, a relaxing vacation experience, or medical treatment. It can also be challenging to improve operational readiness. (Just ask the Pasco County Fire Rescue team.)<\/p>\n So, we\u2019ve worked diligently over the last five years to understand how we can make RFID accessible to all\u00a0<\/i>organisations that need insight into inventory lifecycles and their assets and help extend the lifespan of today\u2019s RFID-related technology investments for years to come. And I\u2019m excited to announce we\u2019ve come up with a solution that provides universal accessibility to RFID<\/a>, extreme flexibility in use, and impressive investment longevity!<\/p>\n Fixed RFID readers<\/a> aren\u2019t feasible in every facility or warranted in every situation. And not everyone wants to spend the money on standalone handheld RFID readers<\/a> for workers who may not be conducting around-the-clock inventory counts or searches. Yet, the value proposition for RFID is growing in almost every sector, as is the availability of mobile computers<\/a> that can easily be adapted for RFID applications. That\u2019s what compelled us to design an RFID sled in the first place.<\/p>\n Most businesses are using mobile computers in some capacity within their four walls \u2013 or planning to do so in the very near future, and this snap-and-go accessory makes it easy to transform a handheld mobile computer into a handheld RFID reader<\/a> in mere seconds. Store associates, restaurant staff, nurses, and even the hotel concierge \u2013 all of whom are constantly on the move \u2013 can attach the sled adaptor to their Android\u2122 mobile computer<\/a> when needed and remove it when the inventory count is done or they\u2019ve found what they\u2019re looking for. No tools or special training necessary.<\/p>\n However, legacy RFID sleds only offered a Bluetooth connection to mobile computers<\/a>, which we ultimately learned wasn\u2019t always desired. (Many customers want to avoid the Bluetooth pairing process and prefer a physical electronic connection to the mobile computer that is more secure and easier to use.) We also found out just how important it is to be able to charge the RFID sled, mobile computer<\/a> or combination of both in the same cradle slot. (No one wants to have to manage, store and plug into multiple chargers if they can help it.) Plus, customers have made it clear just how much they would value a forward-compatible RFID sled that can work with future generations of Zebra mobile computers<\/a>.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to send the sled back to IT for retrofitting, either. When you\u2019re ready to upgrade your mobile computers<\/a>, just swap out the sled adaptor and cup on each device and cradle. Again, no tools are needed, and no one will need to hassle with plugging or unplugging any wire harnesses.<\/p>\n Once the sled is attached, it will only take users a second or two to confirm what inventory and assets you have on hand. Literally. The new RFD40 can read up to 1300+ tags per second! That\u2019s huge! In a minute, one person can accurately account for 78,000 different items! Even if you have 10 times that many items on hand, it will still only take a fraction of the time it does now to complete a full inventory count or locate critical items or assets. That\u2019s incredible when you think about how long it would otherwise take someone to individually scan each barcoded box or piece of equipment.<\/p>\n RFID<\/a> has opened our eyes to things we would otherwise miss \u2013 much like the barcode did when it was first invented. Businesses that aren\u2019t yet looking at RFID<\/a> for everyday inventory track and trace or the daily and weekly cycle counts that have become common are missing out on the opportunity to improve operational performance, supply chain resilience, and customer satisfaction. We\u2019ve seen what happens when we lose sight of inventory throughput \u2013 and inventory that is still sitting on the shelf\u2026somewhere. If you don\u2019t think RFID is a tech tool within reach for your business, know things have changed tremendously in the last few years. (Really, the last few months.) If you use Zebra mobile computers<\/a> in some way to conduct business, it is absolutely possible for you to fast-track RFID solution implementation without a heavy lift. Plus, with the improvements we made to the RFD40 UHF RFID Standard Sled, you can continuously modernize your mobility solution as needed in the coming years without disrupting any of the RFID-powered inventory management<\/a> processes you stand up today. You can even use multiple mobile computers with the same sled if you maintain a mixed device fleet \u2014and charge all mobile computers<\/a> and RFID sleds using the same cradles. Just attach the appropriate cradle cup and you\u2019ll be ready to plug in.<\/p>\n Did I mention the RFD40 also has a 7000mAh battery and quick release function that’s accessible without removing the mobile computer? Or that its tri-function trigger allows users to quickly read RFID tags<\/a>, scan barcodes<\/a>, and collaborate with an associate via push to talk? It can even be dynamically programmed based on the specific task being worked on!<\/p>\n In other words, workers who may spend all day retrieving inventory from the warehouse for store shelf \u2013 or firetruck supply \u2013 replenishment will have no problem charging through tasks uninterrupted, even if they are switching between multiple types of tasks and device tools.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nWhat we did then \u2013 and what we’re doing now \u2013 will make everything inventory related so much easier in the future<\/h5>\n
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<\/p>\nWhy the new Zebra RFD40 UHF RFID sled may be the last sled you’ll have to buy for a while, (even if your business grows quickly)<\/h5>\n
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<\/p>\nSo, the RFD40 sled, which will support Zebra’s current mobile computers as well as new mobile computers as they come out, has been engineered to deliver every single one of these recently realized requirements<\/b><\/h5>\n
The takeaway<\/b><\/h5>\n