Business operations, especially in retail, rely on efficiency. Companies must move vast quantities of people and stock around to generate goods and services for consumers.
To achieve this, they use an enormous number of technologies from software to machinery. Equipment is the lifeblood of many of these enterprises, helping them become more efficient and scalable.
However, despite this drive for innovation, many companies overlook RFID, a simple technology that could help them right now. It has the potential to transform numerous aspects of business while keeping costs low and offering the on-site flexibility many companies rely on to be successful.
Enhanced Security And Access Control
One obvious application is in security and access control. RFID employee ID badges are inexpensive and easy to control, allowing firms to operate “minimum access requirements.”
Instant Card is a company that supplies this type of technology and has experience in printing security cards. It believes more companies should be outsourcing the task.
“Companies know that RFID is essential for keeping their workers and technologies safe,” the brand says. “But the price of instituting it in-house is excessive. It requires a lot of investment. But that’s simply not the case when outsourcing. Prices are lower and new cards can be sent individually or in batches on the same day, depending on the provider.”
Essentially, RFID devices have several applications in the corporate community. One is the ability to limit unauthorized access to high-security environments, like server rooms and research labs.
This helps to avoid the issue of insider threats and reduces the number of people who could be responsible in the event of a breach.
The other benefit is using RFID sensors to monitor equipment usage. The idea here is to prevent unauthorized personnel from accessing it, increasing security and safety while reducing unnecessary damage.
Improved Asset Management
Security is the obvious application of RFID technologies, but there are others. One is automated tracking processes. Instead of logging the movement of stock and assets on bits of paper, it can be done by scanners and central computers.
Some companies are also making RFID devices that fit inside products with tamper-proof mechanisms. If anyone tries to remove and replace them with counterfeit goods, it is immediately obvious to the sender and receiver that there’s been a problem in transit.
Preventing theft from physical retail stores is another application. Applying RFID tags to goods can set off alarms and even spoil products with indelible ink if they leave the storefront long enough before being placed back on the shelves.
“The number of retail outlets looking into this technology is increasing,” explains Instant Card. “Shop owners want reusable devices telling them whenever a theft takes place.”
Improved Inventory
Related to this capability is the idea that RFID could also boost the capacity of inventory. Tags could assist with tracking and advanced applications that make it possible to manage supply chains more autonomously.
For example, RFID is a powerful tool for monitoring stock levels in real-time. When product numbers fall below a certain threshold, it can trigger a reorder of goods immediately. (This technology is similar to the AI-based systems used in modern refrigerators to detect food levels, just with a far lower price tag).
In some cases, RFID could also assist in cold chain monitoring in the pharmaceutical retail supply chain. Sensors would monitor the environment and ensure the environmental conditions remained optimal, feeding tracking information to the recipient at the other end.
This approach means that it becomes possible to detect whether products have spoiled without having to investigate them personally or risk using them. You could also have smart contracts built into the process where the recipient only pays if the delivery service meets certain minimum standards or metrics.
Fighting counterfeiting and fraud along the supply chain is another high priority. Companies want solutions that make it much harder for fake goods to make their way into the system, verifying their authenticity.
Items could be followed back to their origins, with tamper-proof tags making it clear if there is any foul play.
Better Customer Experience
RFID can also facilitate a better customer experience in the retail space. Technology can improve customer interactions.
For example, there’s a chance of a faster checkout process. Customers could simply walk out of a store after entering their card details and use an RFID scanner to determine what they’ve bought (and charge them accordingly).
Retailers are also experimenting with using RFID for in-store navigation. The technology may make it easier for customers to find the things that they want on the shelves, causing them to search up and down the aisles less.
Then there is the personalized marketing aspect. RFID could better understand consumer behavior and learn whether they are picking up items but not purchasing them, and what might be driving that.
Managers could explore whether they are arranging the shop floor optimally, or whether some products have misleading packaging that is encouraging shopper disappointment.
Real-time discounts could also play a role. For example, shoppers might walk into an RFID zone and get alerts on their devices about discounts that only apply to them.
Better Waste Management
Waste management is another area where RFID could shine. The technology can track the amount of waste generated by specific departments, enabling businesses to reduce inefficiencies in waste production and increase the amount they save.
It could also help with waste disposal services wanting to track service use and determine how much junk they remove.
This issue is particularly relevant to retail companies whose waste generation can vary significantly depending on the week or month. Paying a flat fee isn’t always advantageous for either party, so changing to using RFID could make the entire service more efficient.
“We think RFID technology is one of the most overlooked in retail and business in general,” says Instant Card.
“It’s among the least expensive technologies, but also the most versatile, allowing it to assist with almost any aspect of business operations. If companies can learn to harness its power, they have a far higher chance of optimizing and becoming more competitive.”
Main image courtesy of Unsplash
