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Give Your Drivers the Tools They Need in Direct Store Delivery

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In Direct Store Delivery (DSD) your drivers are the face of your brand. Any misstep dings that carefully built a brand. And to deliver excellent customer service your brand ambassadors need to have the right mobile support.

Great Customer Service Begins with Great Information

Handheld Scanner Scanning a boxes barcode

Meeting customer needs in the challenging world of Direct to Store requires the agility that only comes with a complete set of mobile tools. Tools that travel wherever your delivery brand ambassador does and do whatever they need them to do. So your drivers can:

  • Fit deliveries into specific time-critical windows
  • Establish rapport with customers through accurate, timely information
  • Make adjustments and updates at the moment to provide superior customer service
  • Communicate with customers and HQ in real-time and make customer pleasing  adjustments on the fly
  • Meet the productivity and reporting needs of the organization to improve the overall process for the customer

That’s why Avalon creates front-to-back solutions that combine the right hardware and software to help your people drive success and deliver great customer service while they’re on the go. Tools that give you a real edge. Tools that help you create a competitive advantage.

Zebra gives your people access to technical specifications, inventory information, and direct customer communication on the go, to improve customer satisfaction. 

Rugged Smartphones
TC25 Printing a Label for Direct Store Delivery

Zebra TC25

Reliable, remote access to real-time data. Personal devices don’t have the durability or functionality for a day in day out business use. Rugged Smartphones offer smarter, faster tools so your brand ambassadors are always on the road to meeting customer needs.

Handheld Computers

Tablet Scanner scanning products

TC51/TC56 TOUCH COMPUTER SERIES

They may look like popular smartphones but they’re powerful handheld computers that make your workers faster, smarter and help them to satisfy more customers more completely.

Mobile Printers

Worker using Zebra Handheld Mobile Computer and a Printer

IMZ Series

Rugged wireless mobile printers tailored to what you do and how you work. Rugged machines that feature a range of the latest connectivity options and robust functionality that helps your Direct Store Delivery workers print receipts, invoice, and labels where and when your customers need them.

Software That Works as Hard as Your People with Direct Store Delivery

Added value to customers often arrives at the same time as your driver. If your driver has better access to account and product information, insights that reflect a better understanding of their business you’re in a better position to win. That’s why Avalon offers the most complete mobile productivity solution on the market.

MobiWork® is built from the ground up to be a comprehensive and seamless resource that fits the needs of Direct Store Delivery operations perfectly. It includes GPS tracking, inventory management, billing and invoicing, work order management, electronic forms, scheduling and dispatch, contact management, and more. It offers cloud-based deployment options and native mobile compatibility with Android devices.

Your delivery ambassadors complete all activity reports on their handheld devices: delivery tickets, orders, payments, and signatures received and archived. Operational efficiency drives real productivity. Real-time customer response builds loyalty.

Manage Customer Activity with Direct Store Delivery

Mobile workers can manage customer activity from anywhere, in real time: schedule, location, routing, work orders, invoicing, entry forms, online payment. Capture signatures, audio, and images.

Critical Business Information for the Entire Team

  • Complete visibility into worker location and activities  
  • Manage work orders in real-time
  • Instant alerts for schedule, route or delivery changes
  • Perform on-site transactions
  • Customers can check status or create new work orders on a branded portal
  • TRUSTe Privacy Certification Seal®

Your edge in Direct Store Delivery

Avalon’s experts are ready to help you optimize your Direct Store Delivery operation. We analyze your business and data management needs and tailor a system to fit the specific needs of your company.

Ask us how to keep you moving forward with expert implementation.

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Smart Field Service Mobility

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It’s not enough to achieve lower costs in field service, to be successful today you need to have a smart field service, connected team. Workers must be able to adjust in real-time to meet the changing wants and needs of customers. With so many variables to log, monitor, and control, keeping assets and resources productive and focused on satisfying customer needs is key. The most agile supplier will be the most successful.

Avalon has been helping companies become more agile with smart connectivity. Keeping field resources connected with real-time information to deliver superior customer service. You gain a competitive advantage while keeping productivity high. Avalon combines expert, industry experience with leading-edge mobile tools, superior data capture, and automation software so you keep operations nimble and effective:

  • Field Automation
  • Data Capture
  • Barcode Scanners
  • Mobile Computers & Tablets
  • Mobile Communication

Zebra gives your field operations better connectivity, more accurate up to date data, and more flexibility. They get access to technical specifications, inventory information, and direct customer communication on the go. Zebra helps you optimize operations and empower workers to deliver top customer service.  

Handheld Computers for Smart Field Service
Zebra TC51 Handheld Computer with Water on the Screen

TC51/TC56 Touch Computer Series

They may look like popular smartphones but they’re powerful handheld computers. Your team is always connected and up to date, ready for what the field throws at them. Your people can be faster, smarter, and satisfy more customers.

Mobile Printers
ZQ500 Mobile Printer Smart Field Services

Wireless mobile printers go where your field service forces go. Simplify transactions. Print receipts and invoices on the spot. Features a range of the latest connectivity options and robust functionality so you keep up with the most demanding situations.

Rugged Smartphones
TC25 handheld Computer for Smart Field Services

Zebra TC25

Rugged, reliable and powerful. Real-time data and voice, point and shoot capture of any electronic or printed barcode – rugged smartphones make your team smarter, faster and more agile. Personal devices can’t match the durability or functionality for a day in day out business use that rugged smartphones deliver.

Manage Customer Activity for Smart Field Service

Android Product line up for Manage Smart Field Services

Mobile workers can manage customer activity from anywhere, in real time: schedule, location, routing, work orders, invoicing, entry forms, online payment. Capture signatures, audio, and images. Your team gets all the functionality they need to provide great customer service. Fast.

  • Gain complete visibility into worker location and activities
  • Manage work orders in real-time
  • Instant alerts for schedule, route or delivery changes
  • Perform on-site transactions
  • Customers can check status or create new work orders on a branded portal
  • TRUSTe Privacy Certification Seal®

High-Efficiency Field Service Implementation for You

Avalon’s experience and expertise can help your field service team become more agile and more effective. We’ll analyze your business and data management needs and customize a solution that fits your company. Ask us how Avalon can help you get and keep your competitive advantage. 

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How to Get Great Customer Service in Field Service

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Field service is the name of the game. Mobile workers keep everything moving. When they’re productive, the enterprise is productive. Avalon Integration helps you keep productivity high by keeping you connected.

Avalon Integration combines expert, industry experience with leading-edge mobile tools, superior data capture, and automation software so you keep operations nimble and running smoothly with real-time data management and on-site flexibility.

  • Field Automation
  • Data Capture
  • Barcode Scanners
  • Mobile Computers & Tablets
  • Mobile Communication

Managing far-flung human capital is tough. It’s a constant battle to maintain profit margins, revenues, and quality of service. Enterprises are always on the hunt for cost reduction and ways to improve efficiency and accuracy.

Zebra gives your field operations access to technical specifications, inventory information, and direct customer communication on the go, to improve customer satisfaction and reduce repeat calls. 

Handheld Computers for Field Service
TC72 is a handheld device built for field service

So much to do – deliveries, equipment repair, plumbing, electrical, parcel delivery, yard maintenance, to name just a few – so little time. And so many competitors ready to serve your customers if you slip. They may look like popular smartphones but they’re powerful handheld computers that make field people faster, smarter and help to satisfy more customers.

TC51/TC56 Touch Computer Series

TC51 and TC56 being used in Field Service

Rugged industrial design that looks and feels like the most popular consumer-style smartphones but armed with Zebra-only enterprise-class features, power, security, and manageability your business requires.

Mobile Printers for Field Service
Mobile Printers can be used for Field Service

Rugged wireless mobile printers tailored to what you do and how you work. Printers range from those ideals for occasional use, to rugged machines that feature a range of latest connectivity options and robust functionality that keeps you operating in the most difficult situations.

IMZ Series

  • Proof of Delivery
  • Receipts
  • Parking Regulation
  • OMNI-Channel Fulfillment
  • Fleet Management
  • Field  Sales
  • Field Service
  • Mobile Asset Management

Rugged Smartphones for Field Service
TC25 - Field Service

Zebra TC25

Field workers need reliable, remote access to real-time data. Personal smartphones, tablets, and laptops are attractive and easy to use but, they don’t have the durability or functionality necessary for a day in day out business use. Rugged Smartphones offer smarter, faster tools for business. Consumer smartphone cameras aren’t built for barcode scanning — rugged smartphones offer scanning technology designed for commercial grade point-and-shoot capture of any electronic or printed barcode in virtually any condition.

Zebra TC55

Field workers need reliable, remote access to real-time data. Personal smartphones, tablets, and laptops are attractive and easy to use but, they don’t have the durability or functionality necessary for a day in day out business use. Rugged Smartphones offer smarter, faster tools for business. Consumer smartphone cameras aren’t built for barcode scanning — rugged smartphones offer scanning technology designed for commercial grade point-and-shoot capture of any electronic or printed barcode in virtually any condition.

Welcome to the Future – the Internet of Things (IoT)

Tom using a Zebra Printer and Scanner to prep a box for shipping

When it comes to delivering superior customer service, having the right person, at the right place, at the right time, with the right equipment, is fundamental. Mobile devices have elevated field service dramatically. But the Internet of Things (IoT) is being adopted rapidly and is greatly expanding the capabilities of field mobility. With connected devices and IoT technologies, field personnel will gain actionable insights that enable them to interact and communicate better, faster, and more intelligently than ever.

Imagine a territory of vending machines that give you real-time updates on what’s in stock, what’s needed to be restocked and what needs immediate mechanical attention – all part of the real-time analytics that includes sales activity, broken down by day, hour, brand, etc.

Avalon and Zebra are bringing together real-time asset visibility, rugged mobility, and cloud technology to lead the way to a new level of efficiency, accuracy, and quality. By capturing data and turning it into actionable insight, companies gain Enterprise Asset Intelligence™ — resulting in more informed decision making and more efficient and accurate performance. The right assets, in the right places, at the right time – for the best outcome at the lowest cost.

High-Efficiency Field Service Implementation for You

Avalon’s experts are ready to help you maximize productivity from your field service team. We analyze your business and data management needs and tailor a system to fit the specific needs of your company. We specialize in process design, technical interface design, user interface design and construction, and developer training. Ask us how to keep you moving forward with expert implementation.

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Enterprise Tablets – Best of Both Worlds

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As companies constantly search for technology to give them an edge, mobile computing has advanced throughout the organization, connecting workforce members with each other and with their precious data. Valued for their computing ability, connectivity, and portability, Enterprise Tablets are being adopted more and more by modern workforces. Easing this adoption: tablets enjoy a high level of acceptance and familiarity by workers – from field sales to warehouse workers, to office personnel.

There is a huge upside for operations if familiarity and acceptance can be leveraged into efficiency gains. But, until recently, the business has had to wrestle with a trade-off – Beauty or the Beast.

BEAUTY
Zebra Tablet Front Screen

Elegant, user-friendly, and accessible, consumer-grade devices that are a favorite among workers are natural to help drive productivity gains. But consumer-grade devices have a poor track record standing up to commercial/ industrial demands. Everything from drops to battery life issues, to extreme environments, erode the productivity gains.

BEAST
Zebra Tablet Falling to the Ground with no damage

On the other hand, armoring all that computing and communication capability in a rugged (and heavy) military-grade shell creates a cumbersome and fatiguing experience that throughout a standard workday is a liability to worker wellbeing and a drag on productivity.

BEST OF BOTH with Enterprise Tablets
Best of Both Enterprise Tablets

Happily, the new generation of rugged tablets gives businesses the best of both worlds. Bringing high-level computing, enterprise reliability, toughness, and security together in a lighter weight package that’s easy to use and less fatiguing. The new devices are at home in any environment – warehouse, manufacturing, field, and office.

Modern, rugged tablets check a lot of boxes for the enterprise. They offer the computing power of laptops, communications and data capture, rugged versatility, military-level resistance to shock, and other hazards like dust or moisture – all while going anywhere workers go.

They can be mounted on forklifts, trucks, cars, or taken in hand. They’re accurate up close and at long range, in varied and variable light conditions.

Workers can instantly decode scanned data or retrieve information from a centralized database, a desktop or other source. Anyone, anywhere, can obtain real-time information, any time, to keep things going and make well-informed decisions. Business realizes improved communication and streamlined operations.

What to Consider When Evaluating Enterprise Tablets

  • Ruggedness
  • Product reliability, maximum uptime
  • User acceptance,
  • Communications capabilities,
  • Systems compatibility with ERP, WMS, SCM
  • Scanning functionality accuracy
  • Available features
  • TCO

Easy to Use Enterprise-Class Features
Zebra ET50/ ET55 tablet computers
ET50 Enterprise Tablet Scanning Products

Zebra offers a flexible business tablet that can be customized for just about any job and any environment — from retail associates and warehouse workers inside the four walls to salespeople, delivery drivers and service technicians out in the field. The Zebra ET50/ ET55 tablet computers deliver the best of both worlds — consumer ease of use for workers teamed with all the enterprise-class features and options business needs: durability, constant battery power, choice of Android™ or Windows®, rugged durability and two display sizes. Advanced data capture boasts two integrated cameras, barcode scanning, and video calls optionally advanced scan engines and innovative Bluetooth scanners for comfortable intensive barcode capture and three methods of data entry that work even if the screen is wet – with or without a glove.

A Truly Enterprise-Ready Tablet
Zebra ET1
Zebra ER1 Enterprise Tablet Scanning Green Products

The new class of tablet from Zebra that’s ready for business inside the four walls and out in the field. Zebra ET1 features the consumer-style design that workers find easy to use, combined with enterprise durability. It’s built to take drops, spills, cold winter temps, and extreme heat. The enhanced Android operating system delivers enterprise-class security, flexibility, and manageability over wireless LAN and wireless WAN networks.

Talk to us, Avalon Integration, about how to empower your mobile workforce with today’s modern Enterprise Tablets to get big gains in productivity and customer service.

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Empower Your Mobile Workforce to Do More and Be More

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Get More Production and Empower Your Workforce

In today’s mobile world it’s more important than ever to track, manage, and get the most from your workforce resources. Avalon Integration offers the most complete mobile productivity solution on the market. MobiWork® is a suite of field service solutions built from the ground up to be a comprehensive and seamless resource to empower any business with employees in the field.

Any Field Service Operation

  • Field Service
  • Field Sales
  • Field Marketing
  • Logistics
  • And Many Others

MobiWork® leverages advanced native applications on smartphones, tablets, or rugged devices and pairs well with enterprise-grade hardware from leading technology makers like Zebra. It increases productivity, improves information exchange, and builds customer satisfaction. Reflecting best business practices MobiWork® is cost-effective, highly customizable, easily integrated with existing software, and deploys in minutes.

Unlike traditional mobile workforce management software, MobiWork® is not limited to simply tracking vehicles. It empowers and unifies both mobile and office-based workforces as well as customers with a powerful, fully integrated smartphone and SaaS/cloud-based solution.

MobiWork® offers a suite of field service solutions that features GPS tracking, inventory management, billing and invoicing, work order management, electronic forms, scheduling and dispatch, contact management, and more. It offers cloud-based deployment options and native mobile compatibility with Android devices.

MobiWork®  can be used by companies of any size, in any vertical, and can be used by one user or thousands – managing global operations in multiple countries around the globe on multiple smartphones and tablets, with multiple carriers, in multiple languages and integrated with existing CRM/ ERP.

Manage Productivity to New Heights
Being your Productivity to New Heights

Dramatically increase productivity, reduce costs, and provide real-time information exchange and visibility into every aspect of your business. Capture users’ locations when they log in with a smartphone, tablet, or rugged device. Track individual users, gather and analyze data related to GPS tracking, optimize movement, create timesheets.

Manage Customer Activity

Manage Customer Activity in any environment

Manage Customer Activity in any environment

 

Mobile workers can manage customer activity from anywhere, in real time: schedule, location, routing, work orders, invoicing, entry forms, online payment. Capture signatures, audio, and images.

Critical Business Information for the Entire Team to Empower

  • Gain complete visibility into worker location and activities  
  • Manage work orders in real-time
  • Instant alerts for schedule, route or delivery changes
  • Perform on-site transactions
  • Customers can check status or create new work orders on a branded portal
  • TRUSTe Privacy Certification Seal®

MobiWork® Key Benefits
Avalon Integration and MobiWork Logos

Grow your Business
MobiWork - Grow Your Business Icon

Dramatically increase productivity, reduce costs, and provide real-time information exchange and visibility into every aspect of your business.

Empower Your Team
MobiWork - Empower Your Team Icon

Simplify the day-to-day life of every member of your organization allowing them to perform at their best anywhere, anytime, on any device creating greater customer service while enhancing your bottom line.

Built for You
MobiWork - Built For Your Business Icon

Easily configure to fit your unique business, no matter how specific your requirement and industry.

Key Features

Rich feature set – Everything you need for the day-to-day operations of your team.
Empower Your Warehouse with a Rich Feature Set

Built-in frameworks – Easily configure (no coding required) your data, workflows, and analytics to fit your business.
Built In Frameworks for any Warehouse Setup

Connect to existing software – MobiWork® integrates with your existing software to provide an end-to-end solution that is truly built for the field and for smartphones.
Empower Existing Software within your Warehouse

Talk to us, Avalon Integration, about how to empower your mobile workforce with MobiWork® to get big gains in productivity and customer service.

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Boost the Efficiency of Your Loading Operation with SmartPack Trailer

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Accuracy and efficiency at your loading dock make a powerful impact on your bottom line. Mistakes and delays here trickle across to your entire operation. With real-time visibility of loading dock processes, you can be agile in making adjustments in a timely manner. Avalon Integration recently evaluated Zebra SmartPack Trailer and discovered a “smart” solution that will boost the efficiency of loading operations.

SmartPack Trailer Is an All-In-One Solution
Zebra SmartPack Trailer

SmartPack Trailer is an all-in-one solution that includes hardware and software. The Load Monitoring Unit (LMU) features a 3D sensor and RGB camera, mounted at the dock. When the trailer pulls in here, the LMU takes measurements and continues to gather this data as the trailer is loaded, with the camera taking time-lapse images. SmartPack Trailer’s analytics engine combines the LMU’s data with your sortation system to calculate the metrics for load density, trailer fullness, and load status—and does it all in real-time. From one dashboard, the dock manager and line haul manager have a view of every activity. With actionable data, managers can make more informed decisions faster than ever before.

SmartPack Trailer Addresses Critical Issues in Loading Workflows:

Inefficient loads
ET5X Software Analytics

A truck that is carrying air where it should haul products presents a major waste—in fuel, maintenance, and operational costs. SmartPack’s sensors and cameras let you see the load as it’s being packed, giving a clear view inside the trailer. This insight lets you Increase trailer fullness and space efficiency.

Loading Mistakes
Zebra SmartPack Trailer Used in a Warehouse

In the haste to get the trailer on the road, parcels might be loaded incorrectly, causing damage that isn’t reported until it’s too late. The customer is unhappy and the product must be replaced and reshipped—another drain on profitability that could have been avoided with better visibility into the loading process.

Delay
Zebra SmartPack Software Overall Analytics

A busy loading dock keeps the dock manager on the move, checking loads before they leave. Access SmartPack Trailer on a rugged tablet for a clear view of every trailer and expedite the movement.

Improper Lifting
Proper Lifting by Warehouse Workers

Accidents and injuries occur when workers don’t use the correct lifting procedure. With inexperienced, seasonal workers, the problem increases exponentially, leading to workers’ compensation claims that could be avoided. Visibility into the loading methods can identify these problems and correct them.

Theft
Zebra SmartPack ET5X Cab Analytics

The LMUs camera provides a view on everything, making it easy to discover the source of cargo theft.

SmartPack Trailer Is About Increasing Efficiency
Zebra SmartPack Trailer Infographic

You need to work lean on your loading dock. By working smart as well, you can increase efficiency, accuracy, worker safety, and customer satisfaction. Avalon Integration specializes in warehouse efficiency.  Talk to us to learn more about Zebra SmartPack Trailer and other solutions that will deliver the results you need.

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What to Look for in an RFID Reader

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Like every technology solution, you have many choices for hardware. With radio frequency identification (RFID), you’ll need a printer that’s specifically engineered to imprint data on RFID tags, as well as an RFID reader to capture the data (similar to a barcode scanner that reads a barcode label). To zero in on the right choice for you, Avalon Integration wants you to know what to look for in an RFID printer and reader. In our last article, we explained the difference between active and passive RFID tags. Once you’ve made the choice of tags, you need to decide on the RFID printer and reader.

Choose an RFID Printer

ZT410 RFID Printer printing a barcode in a Warehouse

Are you producing a high volume of RFID tags on a daily basis? If so, you need a printer that doesn’t slow you down. Make sure the print speed meets your needs. 

Look for an RFID printer that is compatible with the type of RFID tags you’re producing, like UHF EPC Gen2 or Silverline. Silverline labels are engineered for use on metal surfaces and liquid-filled containers, two materials that can be challenging for RFID, so if you’re labeling these types of products, you must choose an RFID printer that can produce these labels, like the Zebra ZT410 RFID printer customized for Silverline. If mobility is key to working efficiently, you also have the option of a mobile RFID printer. Zebra has developed the ZQ520 RFID printer, a rugged yet compact mobile printer with a military-grade design. With UHF RFID printing and encoding, the ZQ520 can produce RFID labels on-demand, anywhere—ideal for labeling products, cases, and pallets on the go.

Get the right RFID Reader

Worker Scanning Warehouse Barcode Label using an RFID Reader

The RFID reader tunes into the radio frequency—low frequency, high frequency, and ultra-high frequency (UHF)—and grabs the data encoded on an RFID tag within its read zone. RFID readers are available in handheld and fixed styles. A handheld reader allows for mobility, so it’s good for anything from cycle counts to shipping and receiving. Another option is an RFID sled,  which attaches to a mobile device and adds the RFID reader function, an economical way to incorporate RFID for tasks like inventory. A fixed reader is mounted to a wall, pole, or other surfaces. It reads RFID tags that pass within its range. Fixed readers are commonly used in environments that track high volumes of RFID tags, such as warehouses, distribution centers, and yards.

Pick the right RFID Partner

Warehouse Worker using an RFID Reader to Scan a Box Label on a Conveyor Belt

Avalon Integration can guide you to the total RFID solution that fits your business processes and applications. You can count on our experienced, knowledgeable professionals to understand the way you work and identify the factors that lead to making the best choices. Contact us to get more performance and ROI from your RFID technology.

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Passive or active RFID: Which tagging do you need?

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Radiofrequency identification (RFID) uses electromagnetic technology to transmit information from an encoded tag to an antenna and then an RFID reader. With RFID, you don’t need a line of sight to read a barcode, so this technology presents a valuable asset tracking solution. But once you choose this automated data collection method, you need to decide between the options of passive and active RFID tags. Which tagging do you need? Here’s some insight to help you pick the right RFID tags for your applications.

RFID Tag Differences

Active and Passive Tag Differences

Active RFID tags have an internal battery that “pushes” the signal to an antenna within its read zone.

Passive RFID tags have no battery or internal power source. They are activated by the electromagnetic energy that is transmitted from a reader to an antenna, which signals the passive tag.

Here are the factors you should consider when deciding between passive or active.

Radiofrequency and the read zone

RFID - Radio Frequency and Read Zone

Active tags transmit across a longer read range than a passive tag, which is designed for short-range reading. An active tag could be read from hundreds of feet away, while a passive tag might only send a signal across a distance of 20 to 30 feet.

The frequency band contributes to the read range, with ultra-high-frequency (UHF) providing the longest distance. A lower frequency—defined as low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF), in comparison—transmits more slowly but is also less susceptible to radio wave interference, which can be caused by metals and liquids.

Lifespan

RFID - Lifespan

The battery embedded in an active tag has a lifespan. Depending on how often the tag transmits data, the battery can last five to ten years. Passive tags have no battery, so there is no such shelf life to the tag.

Cost

Active RFID tags are more expensive than passive tags, because of the battery inactive tags.

Uses

RFID - Uses

Passive tags are commonly used for tracking livestock, materials, and products along with a supply chain. Inbound and outbound shipments can use passive RFID because of the short-range requirement for reading the barcodes.

Active tags are a good choice for access control, equipment monitoring (e.g., status), and logistics. The longer read range is also a preferable option for hospitals and industries that need to track costly equipment throughout the facility.

To make sure you’re getting the best value from your thermal printing supplies, schedule a free assessment with Avalon Integration. We can determine opportunities for improved productivity, efficiency, and cost savings.

Avalon Integration has been working with RFID technology for many years and across a wide range of industries and use cases. As a Zebra partner, Avalon Integration has a powerful resource for the most innovative RFID technology. Talk to us to determine the right RFID solution for your needs.

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Proactively Manage Your Consumables to Avoid Downtime and Rush Orders

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How much time and money does it cost you when you run out of barcode printer supplies? First, a worker goes looking for ribbons, labels, and media, only to discover that “someone” forgot to reorder. So, you have a printer that can’t print. More downtime. Then you place a rush order, with the rush charges attached. By making the effort to proactively manage your consumables, you can avoid downtime and rush orders (the reactive alternative).

Avalon Helps to Avoid Downtime

Don’t Rely on Someone to Remember Let Us Help

Avalon Will Stop Anything From Causing You Downtime

Avalon Integration can help you take control of your thermal printer supplies. Don’t rely on that “someone” to remember. Leave the job to us. We’ll monitor your usage and ship sufficient supply inventory so you don’t run out, but aren’t overstocked. We’ll also take the time to understand your barcode printing uses. In some cases, we can offer suggestions that can not only improve the quality and efficiency of your printing but also save money.

See Some Downtime Examples

  • Some thermal printer ribbons are designed for high-speed printing. If you’re not using the right ribbons, you could be getting subpar results.
  • You could color-code your barcode labels without the expense of color printing. Zebra IQ Colour creates up to four color zones (including black) that are activated by your printer. These thermal printer labels can be customized to place the zones in the colors and areas where you need them.
  • Inferior media can cause printer jams and damage from the build-up of dust, debris, and ooze adhesive. When you use quality, you get quality. In fact, with the Printhead Protection Program, we’ll provide free printhead replacements when you commit to using only genuine Zebra supplies. Decrease sensor errors.
  • A curved surface is best served by a flexible label, like polypropylene and polyolefin.
  • A resin thermal printer ribbon produces better quality on gloss stock, while a wax ribbon is more suitable for matte surfaces.
  • A resin ribbon provides a more durable image than either wax or wax-resin, with excellent protection against scratching, smudging, and exposure to harsh and extreme chemicals.
  • Depending on your use cases, preprinted labels could be cost-effective; however, with free custom dies from Avalon Integration and Zebra, custom labels are fast and affordable, and might be the better option.

To make sure you’re getting the best value from your thermal printing supplies, schedule a free assessment with Avalon Integration. We can determine opportunities for improved productivity, efficiency, and cost savings.

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Proper Printer Maintenance: Extend the Life of Your Printer, Lower the TCO

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Do you follow the routine maintenance schedule on your car? Do you go to the dentist twice a year for a cleaning and check-up? With everything going on in your life, it’s easy to overlook recommended care. If your car is running fine and your teeth don’t hurt, there’s no urgency for those check-ups, right? The downside is that, by ignoring preventive care, you risk the damage that can occur from this negligence. The same holds true for your barcode printer. Proper printer maintenance will extend the life of your printer and lower the total cost of ownership (TCO).

Printer printing a barcode in a warehouse

When dirt, debris, dust, and oozing adhesive build up inside your thermal printer, you’ll see the result: poor quality printing and printer jams. When this happens, your printer might already be damaged. The printhead—the most expensive part of a thermal printer—is very sensitive and easily damaged.

Get Proactive with Your Printer Care Maintenance

Proactive Printhead Cleaning Maintenance with a Thermal Printhead Cleaning Pen

Take a proactive approach to printer maintenance. Schedule a printer cleaning every time you change the ribbon on a thermal transfer printer or every other time you change the roll on a direct thermal printer. Gain the rewards for conducting this routine maintenance on a regular schedule.

  • Eliminate repair costs that result from a dirty printer.
  • Extend the printhead’s life and reduce the printhead replacement frequency and cost
  • Reduce the cost of downtime and media for reprinting
  • Decrease sensor errors.
  • Minimize media jams
  • Avoid the damage caused by workers who try to fix the jammed or dirty printer.

Tips for Routine Printer Cleaning and Maintenance

Tips to keep a Printer clean in the Warehouse

You can clean your thermal printer quickly and easily. The process removes build-up from the printhead, label path, and ribbon path. Before you clean the printer, select “Diagnostic Mode” and print a test label to see if the printhead is printing properly. Use this as a gauge to measure the print quality after the cleaning.

Then, follow these routine printer cleaning tips:

  • Turn off the power before attempting to clean the printer or open the printhead.
  • Remove any jewelry that could scratch the printhead or fall inside the printer (e.g., ring, watch, bracelet).
  • Never touch the printhead or sensors. Use a small, soft, clean brush to remove the dust.
  • Use only a cleaning solution that is approved by the manufacturer.

Purchase a Printer Cleaning Kit from Avalon Integration Today!

Printer Cleaning Kit from Zebra and Avalon Integration

You can purchase a printer cleaning kit from Avalon Integration. Keep a supply on hand so it’s always available when the maintenance is due. Proactive care prevents reactive repair!

If you need repair or service for your data collection hardware, talk to us at Avalon Integration. We partner with industry leaders, like Zebra, and support the products and solutions we sell with expert knowledge and technical expertise.

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