5 Enterprise Benefits You Won’t Find in Consumer-Grade Tablets

When facing shifting customer expectations and labor shortages, it can be tempting to choose easier technologies that are familiar to incoming workers to accelerate onboarding. Consumer-grade technologies tend to find favor in the supply chain since they break high adoption curves and are easily embraced by new workers. However, studies show that consumer devices cost up to 50% more than rugged devices over five years, so while they diminish upfront costs and training, they end up costing more with long downtime periods and acquisition costs. The IDC estimates that after adding up annual repair costs, out-of-pocket costs, and lost productivity, the average cost associated with a non-rugged tablet is $2,462, while those who purchase rugged tablets give businesses an ROI only after the first year. Purchasing a consumer device can cause unnecessary expenses and a loss in productivity, while choosing rugged enterprise devices can help save time and money to improve operational efficiency, whether it’s in your store, field, manufacturing plant, or warehouse.

 

Empower Your Enterprise with Versatile and Dependable Performance.

To equip their enterprise with the right durability and versatility, more decision-makers are implementing enterprise tablets that help expand industry capabilities. Built to support several supply chain industries, Zebra’s new ET40 enterprise  tablets increase staff productivity, reduce total cost of ownership, and simplify management. Unlike consumer tablets, they empower teams with:

 

  1. Rugged durability that secures efficiency – Implementing Zebra’s ET40 tablet empowers business with a rugged design right out of the box and a business class lifestyle with guaranteed device availability for three years. This delivers a strong ROI that makes great business sense and withstands tough environments such as those in warehousing, manufacturing, and field service environments.
  2. Streamlined data capture and accuracy with embedded scanning capabilities – No matter what type of scanning your workers do, there should be a scan engine that’s right for the job. Enterprise tablets like Zebra’s ET40 can provide warehouse workers and retail associates with the specific scanning capabilities they need. From standard range scanning to advanced range scanning, deliver split-second first time capture of virtually every barcode, in practically any condition.
  3. Maximum security – Protecting the devices that ensure productivity and efficiency in your business should be built into your devices. Android’s security in the Zebra ET40 maximizes device availability and can be improved with Mobility Extensions to offer over a hundred features to improve Android security, manageability and more.
  4. Maximize capabilities with Android productivity apps – Equip your workers with an easy-to-carry 8-inch design for easy viewing of information rich apps and the ability to control those apps. This gives your store associates, warehouse workers, and field technicians more control over task management and fulfillment.
  5. Versatile capabilities that expand operations – A wide range of what your devices can do can give your workers the ability to easily complete tasks. Zebra’s ET40 tablet can also turn into a two-way and the multi-slot and desktop charging cradles simplify backroom device management. Additionally, you can create a workstation on demand with the Workstation cradle and create a kiosk and more with the Presentation stand. More versatile manufacturing, warehousing, store operations, or field service allows your business to adapt to demands and maintain consistency.

 

In other words, consumer-grade tablets cannot deliver the performance your business needs to adapt to consumer expectations. In place of fragile devices, consider evaluating your systems with an experienced automation partner to deploy solutions designed for increased productivity and ease of use.

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How to Optimize Label Printing at a Lower Price Point

As warehouses continue to enhance order fulfillment, budgetary constraints remain a top concern alongside ease of integration. Between device procurement, software installation, and employee training, modernization costs can quickly grow out of control. Before integration, research estimates businesses already spend an average of nearly $3.7 billion in a 100-employee warehouse. Current labor shortages and demands have bolstered those expenses, forcing companies to compromise on cost and effectiveness.

 

Affordability Meets Adaptability

Establishing dependable product identification can lower the risks of misplacements, shipping errors, and overstocking. While integrating a label compatible with your facility is a great way to start, experts also recommend integrating an enterprise thermal printer built for continuous use. Zebra’s latest business printer, the ZT230, combines the required features of an industrial-grade device with intuitive functionality so you can:

  • Secure future scalability – Equipped with optional RFID printing and encoding, the ZT230 also allows you to tailor your connectivity preferences, so your teams can count on fast, crisp barcode printing anywhere in the warehouse. Moreover, its easy media loading further simplifies user training.
  • Enable remote troubleshooting – Zebra’s PrintDNA enables a series of productivity enhancers for customizable configurations and backward compatibility to make device management easier for your IT teams.
  • Integrate a printing station in a smaller space – Thanks to its small footprint and bi-fold door, the ZT230 doesn’t take up a lot of space, serving a variety of workspaces that previously relied more on smaller desktop models. Plus, its color-coded cues facilitate faster media loading with an easy-to-follow guide.
  • Protect data – Lastly, printer upgrades must value data security to prevent leaks and breaches. Zebra’s PrintSecure empowers you to tailor user access tiers and push security patches remotely to stop unauthorized user access.

 

Taking Affordability Farther with the GO Zebra Trade-In Program

As a Premier Zebra Solutions partner, Avalon simplifies the modernization journey with the GO Zebra Trade-In Program. Work alongside experienced teams to upgrade legacy printers from any manufacturer and get cash rebates per upgraded device. The entire process involves three simple steps:

  1. Purchase your affordable upgrade
  2. Submit a claim form within 90 days of the invoice date
  3. Trade in legacy devices for cash rebates

 

Before finalizing your choice, consider assessing your labeling solution to ensure your upgraded technology matches your needs. With a careful overview of your workflows and goals, implementation teams can adjust your solution for easier usage and better adaptability, two indispensable benefits that set you ahead of supply chain challenges.

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How to Assess if Your Printers are Built for Enterprise

When operating in high-volume workflows, a functional printer becomes the foundation for unbroken productivity. With 82% of warehouses reporting an increase in stock-keeping units, distribution centers expect greater challenges in maintaining speed and accuracy during the order fulfillment process. While adapting to persistent shortages and consumer demands, fulfillment teams have no time for breakdowns. Consequently, it is recommended that business assess their enterprise technology to prevent premature failure and downtime.

Zebra’s most recent Warehouse Vision Study suggests that by 2027, over 90% of warehouses will have implemented enterprise printing in their main workflows. As businesses procure hardware, consider the following questions to guide your search.

 

  1. Is the printhead developed for high-volume printing?

Consumer-grade and desktop printers are not suitable for long workhours and high printing volume. While cheaper upfront, businesses risk spending more on downtime and frequent IT visits since printheads cannot keep up with the workload. An enterprise printhead fit for high-volume warehousing should be able to handle the heat associated with thermal printing while also maintaining barcode legibility at faster speeds.

Moreover, in addition to searching for a suitable printhead, consider also printhead longevity since this will determine the possibility of future downtime. For example, Zebra’s enterprise printers proactively prevent downtime by offering free printheads for previously purchased devices. This empowers warehouses to plan replacements

 

  1. What barcode resolution will I need?

Furthermore, depending on the size of your barcodes, you may need a crisper barcode. For example, a small test-tube label needs a sharper barcode compared to a shelf-rack label which can be seen at a distance. Printheads must match the type of inventory or asset you plan to label to preserve future barcode legibility.

 

  1. Will I need an RFID encoder?

RFID is expected to overtake 8 in 10 warehouses by 2025. As businesses scramble to meet incoming RFID labeling requirements from major retailers, that figure is only expected to rise. Furthermore, RFID is a foundational technology to support numerous visibility solutions such as asset tracking, indoor locationing services, and predictive analytics.

Fortunately, printers like the ZT411 and ZT600 series offer optional RFID encoding alongside standard barcode printing, streamlining costs while securing scalability. Moreover, by spacing inlays closer, Zebra’s ZT600 uses fewer materials, reducing label costs.

 

  1. Are current printing stations creating bottlenecks?

Procuring new hardware creates a great opportunity to re-assess workflows and pinpoint bottlenecks. Printing stations have notoriously been behind bottlenecks and long travel times in the warehouse since workers need to walk and wait in line to print.

If multiple workflows require fast label printing, enterprise mobile printers may be a better solution than simply procuring another large industrial device. The ZQ630 delivers enterprise-grade durability and fast printing speeds to meet labeling requirements for on-the-go workers. On the other hand, if printing stations are still preferred, consider integrating a mobile printing station with power carts to reduce travel times.

 

  1. Can you protect printed data digitally?

In the current digital landscape, no industry can compromise on cybersecurity. Peripheral devices are prime targets for cyberattacks since they are less likely to be protected. Therefore, when searching for a new device, be sure it integrates with your current cybersecurity policies.

Applications like PrintSecure prevent unauthorized users from accessing your device while also protecting stored data from accidental WiFi and Bluetooth connections.

With these responses in mind, businesses can have a better grasp of the kind of device their operations need. For step-by-step assistance in assessing your printing needs, schedule a quick conversation with our automation teams.

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4 Ways to Optimize Your Barcode Printing Solution

For decades, barcode labels have safeguarded product identification and facilitated inventory movement down the supply chain. As warehouses become more dynamic to accommodate customer expectations and new compliance standards, effective barcode scanning remains essential to:

  • Verify the correct shipments are packed onto the correct truck
  • Prevent product spoilage or misplacements
  • Maintain accurate inventory counts to meet demands
  • Meet shipping deadlines on time

Furthermore, 82% of warehouses report an increase in stock-keeping units (SKUs) while studies show a 23% increase in shipping volume. With product quantity and differentiators steadily increasing, the time to optimize barcode printing is now.

Speed up Printing. Expand Printer Longevity. Ensure Successful Scans. Protect Printed Data.

Labels generally account for a small percentage of total operational costs, which means that even small adjustments can impact overall profitability. Below are a few ways warehouses have optimized barcode printing workflows.

  1. Match your printer to your throughput levels – Not every enterprise-grade printer is best suited for high-volume printing. Integrating the wrong printer into your space can initially save money, yet frequent printhead replacements and hardware damage create more unnecessary expenses after integration. While industrial printers can handle high-volume workflows and deliver 600dpi barcode resolution, smaller desktop printers like Zebra’s new ZD611 still deliver quality barcodes at faster speeds for smaller workspaces.
  2. Match label composition to your storage environment – Dust particles and extreme temperatures can harm printing performance, draining budgets in the long run. Fortunately, rugged industrial printers are made to withstand harsh environments with all-metal casings and durable printheads. Devices like the ZT600 Series Printers go a step further by combining rugged durability with a user-friendly touchscreen and media loading, accelerating deployment for faster productivity.
  3. Choose labels that protect the printhead – Inferior label quality damages printers over time by leaving behind debris and scratching the printhead. This creates gaps in the barcode that later hinder scanning. To prevent early printhead failure and jams, consider integrating quality labels like Zebra’s Certified Consumables. Labels with smoother surfaces and stronger adhesives are less likely to damage printheads and leave excessive debris in the printer, ultimately improving print quality and safeguarding printer longevity.
  4. Add printers to your cybersecurity initiatives – Lastly, while cybersecurity may seem far removed from barcode printing, peripheral devices are often targeted by cybercriminals since they are less likely to be protected. Data protection applications like PrintSecure block unauthorized users from viewing printed data while encrypting connections and enabling remote management.

Optimizing your barcode printing solution doesn’t have to be complicated. From label redesign to hardware upgrades, work alongside Avalon’s printer specialists to elevate operations and stay ahead of supply chain challenges. Contact us for a free workflow assessment to learn how you can get started.

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Optimizing Cold Storage: How Warehouses are preparing for the Food Safety Modernization Act Update

The U.S Food and Drug Department (FDA) estimates that nearly 1 in 6 Americans suffer from a foodborne illness per year, resulting in about 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Needless to say, there is no place for compromise within food safety parameters. Studies show that a mere 20% of consumers completely trust manufacturers to ensure proper safety measurements, and 60% avoid businesses responsible for even one illness incident. To combat illnesses and restore buyer confidence, the FDA has now shifted its focus to proactively preventing illnesses from festering within the manufacturing and distribution process as opposed to simply targeting system breakdowns. Per the updated Food Safety Modernization Act, supply chains will be expected to enhance track-and-trace systems to record and store data for up to 2 years by November of 2022. Data should be retrievable within 24 hours to enable quick farm-to-table traceability. To achieve this, businesses are encouraged to strengthen the following pillars of dependable traceability:

  1. Monitor growing/manufacturing process to ensure only verified ingredients are used.

The FDA’s Food Traceability List allows manufacturers to prioritize real-time visibility for at-risk foods within the very first steps of production. Freezer-ready technologies like the MC9300 can help streamline inventory control by combining data capture and processing onto one digital platform. Rugged labels should also be employed to preserve barcode readability, so ingredients can be verified during production.

 

        2. Optimize communication at the receiving dock, so products are not idly waiting in dangerous temperatures.

Just-in-time replenishment has become evermore commonplace in most distribution centers, which means teams must be able to effectively communicate when items arrive to prevent spoilage or inventory loss. Whether it be through automatic alerts via handhelds or group calls through a push-to-talk system, team communication at the loading dock ensures food safety measures are carried out the moment products arrive.

 

        3. Track handling process for at-risk foods such as shellfish, fruit, leafy greens, eggs, cheese, and ready-to-eat salads.

For real-time inventory management, RFID and locationing systems prove to be indispensable. Because RFID tags can hold as many as 40 different codes per tag, RFID systems empower teams to track multiple status points for each product at once to see if they were handled properly.  Automated data recording further simplifies future auditing since data can be retrieved automatically with less risks for error.

 

        4. Notify delivery teams and other members in the supply chain of shipping timeframes and inventory status.

These FDA changes have placed greater responsibility on the entire supply chain, which means proper tracking must extend beyond the four walls. This is where Bluetooth-powered technologies like Zebra’s Electric Temperature Monitoring Sensors prove highly beneficial as businesses can track transportation temperatures in real-time to prevent spoilage.

 

Regardless of how you choose to approach food safety, one thing is certain: Visibility is key.  Whether it be through enhanced group communication or real-time inventory tracking, businesses must quickly adopt to establish proper food safety standards. For more information on how you can optimize your workflows to comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act, contact our automation specialists here.

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4 Realistic Expectations to Have from Today’s Modern Supply Chains

The last two years have drastically altered supply chain efficiency. The effects of nationwide lockdowns, global shortages, and international tensions have deepened a shared reliance on automated systems to stay ahead of mounting consumer demands and fulfillment challenges. However, amid recurrent and new obstacles, many businesses have shared positive workplace changes such as:

  • Improved worker conditions – Automated systems and enterprise robotics alleviate the stress placed on human workers while also requiring less muscle effort to meet demands.
  • Implemented easy technology – To truly be considered successful, a modernization solution should value user-friendliness to diminish training expenses.
  • Increased wages and bonuses – Around 45% of workers noted an increase in wages as warehouses and distribution centers sought to retain long-term employees.

Changes such as these can help foster more seamless workflows and satisfied employees. As new technologies are developed and integrated into the fast-moving supply chain, it is imperative to maintain realistic yet optimistic goals in the warehouse to correctly track KPIs overtime. Zebra’s newest 2027 Warehouse Vision Study showcases four of the most common goals today’s warehouse managers:

  1. Improving individual worker productivity – It has been estimated that nearly a quarter of warehouse operations were managed through paper-based systems. This means that workers had to spend a bulk of time updating reports, verifying stock counts, and imputing updates manually at the risk of entering the wrong data.
  2. Streamlining workflows in a standardized fashion – As fulfillment tasks became more complex with same-day shipping, higher return rates, and direct-to-customer transactions, businesses needed a way to ensure workflows were accurately tracked from door to dock. Consequently, 41% of companies began to optimize mobility in 2022 to ensure new and permanent workers stay organized through one trackable workflow managed through their handheld device.
  3. Maximizing asset visibility – From mobile devices to centralized printing stations, your warehouse assets play an intricate role in sustaining productivity across the warehouse. Consequently, maintaining device availability through real-time asset tracking systems has become a goal of nearly 70% of warehouses worldwide. Clear operational visibility further empowers warehouses to prepare for challenging demands since decision-makers have a better picture of the resources available to them at a moment’s notice.
  4. Collecting and leveraging data via intelligent automation – The prevalence of sudden changes has created a need for multiple data capturing systems to ensure nothing is ever missed. Therefore, systems featuring technologies like autonomous robots, fixed industrial scanners, and even RFID portals have proven beneficial to drive automated decision making based on real-time insights. This means warehouses can ensure the correct orders and reaching the correct customers, stock quantities are current, and workers receive the assistance they need when and where they need it.

How to make sure these goals are met

E-commerce transactions continues to be one of the largest forces behind modernization, impacting nine out of 10 warehouses by increasing shipping volume. To meet expectations within a dynamic omnichannel ecosystem, experts recommend…

  • Assessing warehouse space to target challenges in the RFID implementation process such as high ceilings, dense walls, etc.
  • Supporting migration plans to adaptable operating systems like Android to make sure new updates and patches are accommodated into current workflows
  • Consolidating workflows into wearable devices to alleviate weight and pressures from your workers while cutting back on management plans for multiple devices.

Navigating through several modernization challenges becomes simpler with a team at your side. To get a closer look into how supply challenges are continuing to affect modernizing warehouses, reach out to our modernization specialists and approach optimization with a confident yet adaptable strategy.

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Where does Zebra’s new WS50 fit?

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Zebra’s newest wearable computer has gained much attention for being the world’s smallest wrist-mounted computer. Lightweight and fully ergonomic, the device replicates many functions currently conducted by larger handheld computers, yet it brings unique benefits to specific applications. To best harness its features, businesses seeking to implement the WS50 should consider its top use cases. Developed to simplify data capture and sharing, the WS50 has seen the most proficiency in:

  • Retail markdowns – Shifts in demands can cause rapid price changes over shorter periods of time. Team members equipped with unbreakable data accessibility through wearable devices can quickly scan and verify inventory information without extra bulky devices or paper stock counts.
  • Task management – Operating with smaller workforces under constant labor turnover, warehouse teams require real-time task management that can prioritize in-need operations in real-time based on current workforce size. The WS50’s flexible connectivity features allows teams to update task assignments on the go for less unbroken productivity.
  • Warehouse order fulfillment – Encompassing over 50% of labor efforts, order fulfillment is the foundation of successful distribution. With customers demanding consistent accuracy rates within smaller delivery timeframes, automated picking, sorting, and loading hastens the fulfillment process while increasing throughput without overburdening your workforce. Mobile computing also curbs unnecessary travel since workers no longer need to check in with a centralized desktop to update reports.
  • Accuracy verification – Lastly, whether in the warehouse, in a storefront, or even in non-traditional settings such as food service and hospitality, the WS50’s intelligent scan engine provides higher accuracy rates by verifying product data without paper-based systems.

 

How is this different from a traditional handheld computer?

While the WS50 shares many similarities with leading mobile devices, its small size and wearable capabilities increase responsiveness since workers can be expected to be wearing their devices. Wearable technologies have consistently shown to be easier to adopt since they leverage natural human movement, ultimately empowering teams to…

  1. Cut down device management costs since the device already fulfills the role of a ring scanner
  2. Further connect teams through embedded push-to-talk features on a wearable band
  3. Customize mounting and applications to create a tailored wearable solution that’s easy to grasp by new hires.

 

The road to effective modernization can take many forms. While a hardware upgrade can be essential, sustainable efficiency is developed with tested expertise and solution support. To translate the benefits of the WS50 into your workflows, consider meeting up with one of our automation experts to pinpoint bottlenecks and optimization opportunities in your workflows.

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