Barcodes Improve Business Efficiencies

    

Barcodes Improve Business Efficiencies

Barcodes are ubiquitous today in retail environments, warehouses, and production facilities. Now the humble barcode has another function: to track equipment use and placement throughout many facilities. Hospitals, offices, manufacturing plants and many other businesses are all using barcodes to track and monitor equipment usage.

There’s more you can do with barcodes on your business equipment. Here’s a list of the many uses for barcodes in the workplace today.

Track Location of Temporarily Stored Equipment

Barcodes are easy to produce and affix to many types of office supplies and equipment. Some companies are using barcodes to track such mundane items as chairs, tables, copiers, printers, desks, and other office furniture and equipment. Once the barcode is in place, items can be scanned into or out of storage and updated to show where they are currently in use. Just scan the items as they are moved into new buildings or into storage to update the records.

Service and Maintenance Records

Equipment needs maintenance and service. Forklifts and conveyor belts, trucks and cars, printers and copiers all need service and maintenance. You can use barcodes to track the repair and maintenance records of your equipment. Simply scan it in, then update the record to indicate date of last service and type of repair.

The reports run from such a system can show you many interesting details. For example, if one brand of copier or printer constantly breaks down and requires repair, you can avoid buying or leasing it in the future. You can also see if maintenance programs add value by increasing the usefulness and longevity of the equipment.

Discard Aging and Rarely Used Equipment

Another great use of barcodes to track office furniture, equipment and other supplies is to monitor the shelf life of each piece of equipment. Older equipment can be replaced as it ages out.

You can also make informed choices about the usefulness of certain items of equipment or supplies. When you review the reports from your barcoded and scanned equipment, if certain items in your inventory haven’t been used in six months to a year, you can assess whether or not they should be kept at all. Seasonal equipment notwithstanding, you may find that you have an excess of specific types of equipment that can be sold or traded in for more useful items.

Barcodes Improve All Efficiencies

Barcodes improve efficiencies throughout many businesses. Warehouses and shipping centers find that they can pick, pack, and ship items more easily when barcodes are used. Scanning a barcode reduces the level of mistakes that occur with manual data entry. It saves time and improves reliability of data throughout the company.

Because barcodes are so easy to use, they have a very small learning curve. Many barcode scanners can be used almost immediately by anyone in the company with minimal training. This is a great benefit for companies that hire seasonal or temporary workers or who have high turnover. You won’t need to invest in costly job training to help your staff using their barcode scanning technology quickly.

Barcodes have moved a long way from the grocery store to the shop floor. Many industries use them to track lots, shipments, inventories, and even office supplies and equipment. They improve efficiencies and enhance productivity throughout an organization.

Here are 4 Surprising Benefits of Barcodes!

BAASS Business Solutions

Warehouse management systems, including barcodes, are just a part of what we do. BAASS Business Solutions helps companies of all types choose the right software to help them improve productivity and efficiency. We can help you choose the right system for your business needs.  Please contact BAASS Business Solutions at 1-888-650-5544.

 

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About The Author

BAASS Author

BAASS Business Solutions customer-centric, collaborative approach has enabled us to expand our team and office locations throughout the years. BAASS has over 20 locations throughout Canada, the US and Caribbean. Our success has been built on a simple formula - deliver what we promise and build long-term win-win relationships.