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How are companies rebuilding consumer trust? The Answer is Traceability

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One of the biggest challenges set to impact supply chains in the years to come is reestablishing customer trust. The coronavirus pandemic simply enhanced previous concerns many customers already had surrounding product fabrication, compliance, order accuracy, etc. From retail goods to manufacturing parts, studies show consumers are more and more skeptical of supply chains, increasing the demand for transparent traceability to soothe worries such as: 

  • Brand’s ability to ensure safety – Only 35% of consumers actually believe the food industry is technologically capable of ensuring proper safety guidelines.
  • Delayed order tracking – Since 2017, it’s been estimated that over 90% of customers expect to be able to track their orders from start to finish, preferably in real-time.

  • Seamless returns in the event of inaccurate orders – At least 96% of customers admit to returning to a business that offers easy returns, which means complicated reverse logistics can deter over half of prospective clients.

Whether you run a business-to-business or a business-to-customer operation, no company is immune to disruptions, and these disruptions -whether via a cyberattack or a sudden spike in demand- can either weaken or strengthen your brand’s identity. While disruptions can happen at any given moment, traceability solutions offer preventive measures to protect consumer trust and minimize damage. Below are 5 ways companies are re-establishing trust in the New Normal: 

  1. Verified contact tracing and social distancing – Needless to say, health concerns are far from gone and will most likely be around for a while. That’s why contact tracing solutions have remained crucial to prevent mass germ spread while targeting potential infections without completely halting productivity. Efficient systems like Zebra’s MotionWorks Proximity have recorded a 75% reduction in proximity events within one week of deployment all while providing an easy-to-follow traceability system between events for scheduled alerts.

  2. Real-time notifications – Time is now more than money. It is also safety and possibly your first defense against sudden changes. Real-time visibility, whether through RFID technology or high-speed WiFi connectivity, equips your workforce with valuable updates as they happen, allowing your teams to respond proactively to change. 

  3. Dependable data security – To mitigate cyberthreats, businesses continue to migrate to supported operating systems such as Android. Zebra’s fortified Android goes a step further by embedding automatic OS updates, government-grade encryption, two-factor authentication, and customizable security parameters along with recurrent security patches. 

  4. Long-range networking to connect customers and field teams – To enable tracking for field teams, long-range and flexible networking systems must survive in difficult environments at all times. Not only does this allow customers to track orders, but it also connects field teams to any real-time updates and changes in the warehouse. 

  5. More safety stock – Depending on inventory type, increasing safety stock may be helpful to prevent stockouts during spikes in demand. To efficiently increase stock quantity without losing track of in-house inventory, we recommend adding automated data capture technology that connects to your inventory management system, along with easy-to-ready durable labels.

To see how you can adapt any of these methods into your business, reach out to our modernization specialists and see how you can set your operations on a firm footing to face 2021’s new and recurrent challenges. 

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It’s time for a Recap: 10 Technologies that Saved Warehousing in 2020

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Last year, when looking ahead to what 2020 would bring, technologies such as RFID tracking, Internet of Things, and Wearable Computers were cited as revolutionary initiatives to redefine the year. Now, standing at the end of a historical year, it’s pretty clear our list was too short. Facing a long string of challenges, dangers, and changes, warehouses have relied on several indispensable technologies, which will most likely continue to secure efficiency within warehouses in the years to come.

Save Warehousing

Avalon Integration have noted the following innovations as crucial warehousing advantages

While this list is by no means exhaustive, the experts at Avalon Integration have noted the following innovations as crucial warehousing advantages in 2020:

  1. Disinfectant-Ready Devices – Since discovering that pathogens can last from hours to days on surfaces, operations utilizing multiple screens and handhelds required rugged devices that could handle abrasion, chemical exposure, and constant wipedowns. Made for tough environments, enterprise-grade devices rose to the challenge by providing undisrupted performance in the midst of recurrent disinfection and sanitation.
  2. Contact Tracing – As businesses began to reopen, many of our clients sought a way to welcome back their teams without risking dangerous exposure. To minimize employee density and effectively track possible contamination, exposure awareness, and contact solutions were deployed across the nation. New contact tracing initiatives can be neatly embedded onto your handheld devices like Zebra’s Motionworks Proximity or added on your employee’s wrist like Accent’s Exposure Awareness bands. Both methods protect employees’ safety as well as their privacy, which brings us to the next point. 
  3. Android’s Dependable Operating System – After Microsoft ended its support for Windows’ Mobile OS, warehouses needed a new operating system to safeguard their data. Android has served as the best option as it provides recurrent security patches, silent OS updates, and an open ecosystem to house current and new applications to better prepare operations for future changes.
  4. Vibrational Social Distancing Alerts – In addition to contact tracing, vibrational alerts have also helped in securing appropriate social distancing within operations.
  5. RFID Tracking – Facing a major influx of online activity, supply chains were overwhelmed with moving inventory and rising demands from the pandemic onset all the way till the holiday peak season. RFID tracking empowers teams to manage inventory levels in real-time while tracking in-motion products, assets, and resources accurately and quickly to fulfill needs with a faster turnaround time.
  6. Fast Long-Range Data Capture – By combining intelligent scanning with long-range data capture, manufacturers like Zebra Technologies were able to equip workers with ergonomic devices that read labels while keeping workers apart. In the retail landscape, modernized data capture can help alleviate checkout lanes by scanning products quickly and at a safe distance.
  7. 2-in-1 Tablets – As the term “office” gained a new meaning, 2-in-1 enterprise tablets like Zebra’s L10 tablets packed ease-of-use, operational visibility, and adaptability for on-the-go workers. Operating as either a tablet or a laptop, devices like the L10 give remote teams more flexibility without hindering data entry and connectivity.  
  8. Handsfree Technologies – Minimizing touchpoints throughout the supply chain became a chief goal amongst warehouses. That’s when hands-free technologies such as heads-up displays, ring scanners, and even Zebra’s newest WT6300 rose to popularity as they helped workers process orders faster with less movement and wasted labor. Studies suggest nearly 70% of warehouses now plan to integrate hands-free and wearable technologies by 2023 to continue expediting tasks and meet new customer demands for speed.  
  9. High-Speed and Long-Range WiFi – In April, over 50% of Americans cited internet connectivity as an essential tool. In warehousing, connectivity secures communication channels, diffuses crucial information, and sustains visibility solutions beyond the loading dock. Zebra’s flexible networking and WorryFree WiFi enables dependable connections to keep the essential business running.
  10. Push-to-Talk and Videoconferencing Features – Lastly, whether it be Zoom or any other service, videoconferencing and push-to-talk capabilities proved to be essential in keeping teams connected and supply chains running smoothly.  Zebra applications such as WorkforceConnect provided wall-to-wall connectivity in both the warehouse, retail, and grocery setting, allowing your teams to work together in real-time despite any distance.

But, we can’t forget the biggest game-changers of the year. As we close in 2020, we would like to give a special thank you to all the essential and healthcare workers as the ones who truly saved this year. From our team to yours, Thank You!

With 2021 less than a few days away, we are eager to see what other devices, solutions, and innovations will continue to reshape our futures. For more information on how to implement any of these solutions into your operations, contact our modernization experts today.

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How to maximize worker safety in your post-COVID production line

While the bulk of COVID-19 restrictions begin to lift, it is clear that the enterprise landscape will look starkly different from what it was six months ago. In addition to numerous new health guidelines, your business may also face increasing customer demands while dealing with a shrinking workforce. Surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center show that well over half of polled Americans are uneasy about returning to the workplace. However, the 345% surge in online shopping within the past months illustrates the increasing demands for more accuracy and productivity from a much smaller manufacturing workforce.

While worker safety products such as bracelets and mobile applications can help ensure worker safety, manufacturing plants often require higher levels of safety to comply with OSHA guidelines. Consequently, additional safety items may pose more of a liability instead of promoting safety. As leaders in innovative efficiency, Avalon Integration. That’s partners with Zebra Technologies to raise productivity through compliant safety measures within a smaller workforce – all without increasing labor costs or worker strain.

Combining the Power of the MC9300 and Zebra Motionworks Proximity

2 Warehouse workers using the MC9300 safely distanced in a warehouse

Zebra Motionworks Proximity being used with the MC9300

Instead of deploying additional infrastructures or integrating consumer-grade devices, Avalon helps you leverage your current enterprise-grade technology. Using Zebra’s versatile mobile computers such as the MC9300 along with Zebra MotionWorks Proximity, your team is equipped with durable safe productivity  that allows them to:

  • Maximize data capture accuracy while scanning multiple barcodes at once
  • Communicate through secured networks with preloaded push-to-talk capabilities
  • Quickly pair with Bluetooth-enabled devices without disrupting internet connectivity
  • Integrate proper social distancing alerts to avoid germ spread
  • Track contact events to mitigate costly large-scale quarantines 
  • Minimize touchpoints with long-range data capture and versatile productivity apps
  • Comply with OSHA guidelines by providing efficient contact tracing without additional compromising gear
  • Add layered data protection that enables safe device sharing and efficient employee privacy

Download our infographic to see how Proximity turns work zones into safe zones.

MotionWorks Proximity Infographic Download

MotionWorks Proximity Infographic Download

Avalon Integration helps you adapt to a changing workplace

Two warehouse workers moving pallets while wearing masks

Create adaptive mobility solutions to safeguard your workforce

As more demands are made of your workforce, Avalon’s specialists work closely with you to create adaptive mobility solutions that safeguard the foundations of a successful operation such as:

  • Reliable accuracy rates – Correctly assembled products translate into higher accuracy rates, which in turn, leads to satisfied customers. Zebra’s mobile computers come with SE4850 scanning, so you can accurately capture 1D and 2D codes in lightning speed as far as 70 ft, prioritizing both speed and accuracy so you can safeguard brand identity with each product.  
  • Cost-effective labor expenses – With high labor costs still dominating the market, Avalon empowers you with user-friendly solutions, such as Zebra’s fortified Android, that minimizes repetitive tasks and extensive training times, so your teams can stay focused on more crucial tasks. 
  • Supply chain connectivity – As supply chains become ever more complex, reliable communication systems linking production to storefront are crucial to overall success. From push-to-talk networks to long-range adaptable networking, Avalon’s mobility solutions integrate next-generation technologies to connect your workforce onto an intuitive platform.

When change comes, Avalon Integration is ready to help you successfully navigate through it and make the most out of every opportunity. Contact us today to schedule a demonstration of the MC9300 to see how you can maximize productivity in a brand-new industrial landscape.

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