Yesterday Motorola announced the release of the MC9500, an industrial-class addition to the best-selling Motorola MC9000 series.  The MC9500 should appeal to businesses engaged in package delivery, field service, and transportation & logistics industries. The MC9500–with its state-of-the art design–is the next step in the evolution of mobile computing.  It is the first mobile computer based on Motorola’s Mobility Platform Architecture 2.0 and runs Windows Mobile 6.1.

Key features of the MC9500 include:

• Supports 3.5G wireless for faster connections over GSM HSDPA and CDMA-EVDO Rev. A networks.
• Max FlexWAN is a customer-swappable WAN feature that enables a business to deploy the MC9500 and then choose the carrier and 3.5G network for best coverage in different geographies. 
• IST (Interactive Sensor Technology) uses motion-sensing capabilities to support motion-sensing applications and improve power management by automatically placing the unit in sleep mode when it placed face down.
• Large 3.7-in. color touch display.
• Choice of 5 interchangeable keypad configurations.
• 3-megapixel auto-focus camera that can be used as a scanner or image-capturing device for decoding both 1D and 2D bar codes and capturing high-resolution photographs, video footage and documents. 
• Enterprise-class GPS functionality.
• 802.11a/b/g support.
• Accelerometer that switches the screen capture between portrait and landscape modes based on the orientation of the device.
• The lithium battery provides eight hours of talk time and 150 hours of standby time and Motorola MAX Battery management technology provides information indicators on the battery that allow backroom managers and users to see the charge level as well as battery health to ensure maximum up-time.
• Universal accessory system to organize space for charging cradles, power packs and cables.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the state-of-the art Motorola MC9500 Enterprise Digital Assistant (EDA) .

In the world of retail sales, price management is not a new or flashy topic.  However, in an era of economic recession, attracting and maintaining customers while maintaining margins and simultaneously reducing costs is a complex equation to say the least.  Traditionally, many people associate price management with “mark downs” for the purpose of moving excessive or obsolete inventory.  While this is one aspect of price management, in the bigger picture, price management is ensuring that your goods are priced to incent customers to purchase while providing you the necessary margin to run your business and yes in some cases this means increasing your price.

Effective price management strategies look at many factors including sales history, demographic factors and competitive pressures.  However, one area that is often overlooked is the labor associated with the change and maintenance of prices at the item level.  In many retail environments, price changes occur weekly or even daily.  The labor required to located, identify and update a price can be very expensive.  Reducing this labor cost through the use of bar code and mobile technology not only improves associate productivity but also provides a significant financial return to the bottom line (ROI) as well as improves your customer’s shopping experience through clearly marked prices and consistent pricing at check out.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the various mobile solutions which can help your company increase associate productivity, improve your customers’ shopping experience and reduce expenses.

Companies are always looking for ways to reduce their costs and make a difference in their bottom line. In line with these efforts, they are turning to wireless mobile printers to help cut expenses in various aspects of their businesses.

Printer maintenance expenses.  Mobile printers are built to withstand dynamic and industrial environments, including harsh weather. This durability contrasts sharply with the fragility of impact printers that break much more easily. In addition, companies spend thousands of dollars each year maintaining their printers, printer cables, and cords. Since mobile printers are wireless, this cost is completely eliminated from the budget. One of our clients that made the switch to mobile printers discovered that it had been spending $60,000 on its annual cable-related repair and replacement costs, not including the productivity lost during the repair downtime.

Media expenses.  Because Decision Point’s mobile printers don’t need to use the full 8.5-by-11 inch sheets of paper, companies experience dramatic savings when it comes to their media expenses. When one of Decision Point’s clients compared the costs of the full-sized sheets of paper with 4-by-6 inch thermal receipts, they saved $330 for every 1,000 invoices printed.

Retail expenses.  Frequent price changes in retail take up time and effort that can be reduced by introducing mobile printers to the workforce. For example, if you manage 1,000 weekly price changes that require a 20-person, six-hour night shift to accommodate, you’re spending 120 hours on that business aspect alone. Instant printing, on the other hand, allows a much smaller group to handle the changes in just a few short hours. Additionally, swapping out price marking guns for mobile printers reduced one Decision Point client’s price marking expenses by $2,000 annually. 

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about Zebra’s broad range of wireless mobile printers and how they can help you reduce expenses.

Our September 10 post  focused on the total cost of ownership (TCO) of mobile devices.  The post explained that ruggedized devices are often more expensive due in part to extensive testing.  Venture Development Corporation’s (VDC) estimates testing device ruggedness to be as much as $100,000.00 per design.  It’s unlikely such testing is conducted for commercial products that are not required nor expected to support claims of ruggedness. 

So what kind of testing is done?  The following is a summary of the tests used to determine the ruggedness of handheld devices.
 
Drop Rating:
The drop rating is a measure of a devices ability to survive repeated falls from a specified height.  In rugged device testing, the surface is concrete while the height can vary.  Naturally, the higher the survivable drop height, the more rugged the device.  A drop height of 4-5 feet to concrete is considered a reasonable test of ruggedness.

IP Rating:
An Ingress Protection Rating (IP rating) is a standard used to identify to what degree a device can withstand exposure to solid particles and liquid ingress.  Typically, an IP rating is expressed in 2 numbers – such as IP65.  The first number indicates the protection against solid objects or dust with a maximum rating of “6”.  A “6” indicates that the device is impervious to any ingress of dust.  The second number indicates the protection against liquids, where the maximum rating is “8”.  An “8” would indicate that the device can withstand continuous immersion in water.  A device with a high IP rating would be an important consideration for use in outdoor applications.

The required IP rating will vary by application, however, commercial device manufacturers rarely specify an IP rating.  Again, commercial devices are not designed with excessive dust and liquid exposure considerations. 

Operating Temperature:
Commercial terminals are typically designed to operate in a “normal” environment where the temperature is fairly constant such as an office.  Using a terminal outside of its specified operating temperature range may lead to premature failure.  Industrial terminals are designed to work over wide temperature ranges that often include conditions well below freezing.  This is an important variable to consider if the terminal will be used outdoors.

 Let’s get mobile! Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about ruggedized mobile device best meets your requirements and budget.

One of Grandma Nardi’s favorite sayings was “Penny wise, pound foolish.” It comes to mind because today we’re going to take a look at Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

With any major purchase decision, enterprises perform a cost benefit analysis.  Unfortunately, many  make the mistake of not looking beyond the purchase price of a mobile device.  It’s essential to also consider costs over the expected life of the device. 

Since budgets are key considerations in the decision-making process, price is a major concern.  Higher priced hardware may present purchase barriers.  However, price, in relation to cost, is a one-time expenditure whereas costs are ongoing and can affect the business over time.

It’s true that the initial cost of a rugged enterprise digital assistant (EDA) is often higher than a commercial non-rugged unit.  This is due to more complex engineering, extended testing, higher sales costs and low production volumes.  However, studies show that rugged devices have a dramatically lower total cost of ownership over a 5 year period.  It’s like the old TV commercial about auto maintenance where the mechanic says “You can pay me now…or pay me later.”

This finding is backed up by Venture Development Corporation’s (VDC) findings in their Total Cost of Ownership models that surveyed a broad range of actual deployments.  VDC reports total cost of ownership annual savings of up to 17% in Field Profession applications and up to 32% in Supply Chain applications for rugged hardware deployments.  So even though the purchase price of a rugged device may be higher than a commercial device, it is usually money well spent in the long run.

Commercial devices are designed for use in a non-rugged office environment where rugged features are not important considerations for consumers. If commercial devices are deployed outside of their intended application, the lack of rugged features can seriously shorten their lifespan, adding to the total cost of ownership.

 Let’s get mobile! Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about total cost of ownership considerations and which mobile device best meets your requirements and budget.

There’s a reason so many companies turn to wireless mobile printers to provide them with wide-ranging printing solutions: the advanced thermal technology of mobile printers lends itself to a long list of benefits. From improving your image of professionalism with its exceptional printing quality to increasing customer convenience with mobile credit card processing, wireless mobile printers have technology to thank for this great versatility.

Companies across various industries are finding out how impressive it is that such a small machine can pack such a punch. So, what benefits do these advanced technologies afford mobile printers (and the companies that use them)?

• Exceptional printing quality.  The thermal printing technology of mobile printers allows you to print high-quality graphics, logos, sharp text, bar codes, and security indicia with clean lines and crisp imagery, enhancing your professional image.
• Long-lasting receipts.  The top-coated media resists ultra-violet lights and remains readable for years; direct thermal media is also able to resist oil, water, blood, alcohol, and other common industrial solvents, making it unbelievably durable.
• Credit card processing.  Mobile printers can come equipped with magnetic strips that read credit cards, allowing you to process customers’ credit card payments immediately after a service is performed, improving the cash cycle.

The thermal technology of mobile printers has helped companies across the nation to enhance their own professional image, improve customer satisfaction, streamline payment processes and reduce costs associated with printing media. There’s no reason to settle for less.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about Zebra’s broad range of wireless mobile printers and which model is best for your application.

Southeastern Container is a co-op manufacturing 70% of the U.S. bottle production for Coca-Cola.  DecisionPoint provided Southeaster Container with a plug-and-play EPC Gen 2 RFID system which was tested at its injection-molding facility in Enka, N.C.  The RFID solution is used to track reusable bins used to transport preformed plastic tubes (or preforms) produced at its injection-molding facilities to its blow-molding facilities, where the preforms are then blown into soda bottles.  Southeastern Container is now expanding the RFID solution to two other facilities. Eventually, the company will track up to 40,000 bins.

Southeastern Container decided to deploy RFID after replacing their cardboard containers with reusable plastic bins. The plastic bins offer a number of benefits, but are more costly that the cardboard containers so it’s important for Southeastern Container to confirm the plastic containers last as long as the manufacturer guaranteed.  Southeastern Container uses RFID to count the number of cycles each bin is used to ship loads.

The company affixed a permanent EPC Gen 2 M-Tag to the side of the plastic bins after the bin’s surface is heated using a blowtorch.  Depending on its size, a single bin can hold up to 20,000 preforms. When a tagged bin is packed with preforms, a worker applies a bar-code label to identify the type of preforms contained within. The bin is then moved through an RFID portal containing a Motorola XR440 industrial-class fixed RFID interrogator and an AN400 RFID antenna. As the portal reads the unique ID number from the bin’s RFID tag, an employee utilizes a Motorola MC9090-G mobile computer to scan the bar-code label. Asset tracking software then correlates the bin tag’s ID number with the products as identified by the bar code.  This data is then passed to Southeastern Container’s ERP system.

The bin is then transported to a warehouse and, from there, on to the blow-molding facility. When the bin is emptied, an employee scans the bar code, deleting the record in Southeastern Container’s ERP system.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the various RFID solutions and whether this techynology can benefit your company.

Well not really.  Besides, what can you buy with a penny nowadays anyway? 

This blog is for you so naturally we’re interested in what topics are of interest to you.  So please take a moment to give us your feedback.  Tell us what you think of the DecisionPoint blog and give us your suggestions for future topics by clicking the ADD COMMENTS link.

Let’s get mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the various mobile solutions which can help your company increase productivity, improve customer service and reduce expenses.

Many types of businesses rely on field service teams.  When field services operate at less than maximum effectiveness, many areas of the business are impacted–including customer satisfaction, service and retention levels as well as overall profitability.   Provide faster response times, increase the number of service calls, reduce travel costs and eliminate paperwork with mobile field services solutions.

Field service technicians need information in the field to efficiently and properly complete the job. Incomplete information results in longer service times and possibly a second service visit.  This means higher cost, longer customer downtime and lower customer satisfaction.

With mobility, technicians have real-time access to business systems and automated data capture capabilities such as bar code scanning and signature and image capture. 

Mobility can eliminate the challenges facing field service organizations including:

• On-site access to repair procedures, maintenance manuals and customer service history
• Dynamic scheduling that allows the identification and dispatch of the nearest qualified technician
• Eliminate manual data entry with automated forms and bar code scanning to enable the same workforce to handle more calls per day
• Accurate capture of and billing for all actual charges
• Signature capture and transmission of billing information minimize disputes and reduce the billing cycle from weeks to days
• Ensure the required tools and parts are available before dispatch

Let’s get mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the various mobile solutions which can help your company increase productivity, improve customer service and reduce expenses.

In business, it’s rare that one technology solution has equally incredible benefits across vastly different industries. Yet from field service to retail to law enforcement, wireless mobile printing from DecisionPoint Systems has proven to have universal benefits for employers across the country.

• Field Service: Slash invoice preparation time, improve the cash cycle by accepting payment on delivery, prevent driver delays by wirelessly exchanging work assignments, and more.
• Manufacturing: Label incoming materials for put-away and identify samples when they are drawn for inspection, testing, and quality control.
• Retail: Conduct in-aisle shelf labeling and price auditing, eliminate price marking guns by printing price tags and labels, and implement mobile point-of-sale and returns processing.
• Hospitals/Labs: Label samples as soon as they’re drawn to ensure accuracy and prevent costly mistakes.
• Law Enforcement: Apply printed bar codes to evidence and issue parking tickets. This saved one police department $100,000/year in data processing.
• Hospitality: Prevent lines by printing bag tags/claim checks, and turn tables quicker in restaurants with tableside order entry and bill payment.
• Transportation: Create and issue tickets/boarding passes anywhere, offer passengers mobile check-in and issue receipts for in-flight shopping.
• Postal: Issue delivery receipts, turn carriers into sales agents by selling postage printed on demand, label parcels at pick-up to avoid backlogs and more.
• Utilities: Create service/inspection stickers, print service records and invoices for customers, and process payments and issue receipts.

No matter what industry in which you work, mobile printing can and will offer your company immense benefits aimed at streamlining your operations and saving you money.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about Zebra’s broad range of mobile printers and which model is best for your application.