Every company, no matter what industry it’s in, is in the business of making customers happy. DecisionPoint is in the unique business of making not just its own clients happy, but yours as well. They do this through their wireless mobile printing technologies.

Wireless mobile printers can not only work for you by reducing your expenses and producing valuable ROI, but also works for your customers as well:

• Mobile printers reduce errors, saving your customers the time-consuming confusion and extra efforts required to correct the mistakes.
• The field mobility of mobile printers allows transactions/returns to occur anywhere, saving your customers from having to wait in long lines.
• Since mobile printers streamline the payment process and reduce paperwork, employees can devote more time to customers’ needs.
• Mobile printers can print receipts, reports and invoices instantly, enhancing the convenience for your customers.
• Because mobile printers allow for immediate pricing updates and accurate labeling, there’s no discrepancy between a shelf price and a check-out price.
• The high quality of documents produced by a mobile printer increases the customer’s opinion of your professionalism.
• Allowing customers to view and approve their invoices immediately after a service is performed puts them in control and increases their confidence in your company’s operations.

Happy customers are repeat customers, and repeat business translates into higher revenue. Wireless mobile printers serve to keep both customers and companies happy, creating a win-win situation all-around.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about Zebra’s wireless mobile printers can help you improve customer satisfaction.

Wireless data standards evolve over time with technology advancements in what are called “Generations”.   Each succeeding generation introduces higher data rates, additional features and network enhancements. The first wireless network—known as 1G—was deployed in the 1980s.  2G was introduced in the early 1990s and today 3G is implemented throughout the majority of the world.  4G is now available in a limited number of cities.  Over the next two years, 4G should become widely available with speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G.

The dominant cellular/wireless data technologies are based on Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and Global System for Mobile communication (GSM).

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is the dominant global standard for cellular communications. GSM originated in Europe in the late 1980s and has since become dominant. Today, GSM represents 80% of global digital subscribers. In the United States the largest wireless carriers for GSM are AT&T and T-Mobile. GSM data services are defined as Edge, GPRS, UMTS and HSDPA.

CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) is a digital technology developed by Qualcomm and is most common in North America.  CDMA is “spread spectrum” technology allowing many users to occupy the same time and frequency allocations in a given band/space. The CDMA air interface is used in both 2G and 3G networks.  It offers good secure coverage in the United States where the largest carriers are Verizon, Sprint, and Alltel.  Coverage outside of North America for CDMA is generally not as common as GSM coverage.

The following chart summarizes data throughput by technology standard/generation: 

Throughput Summary

Let’s get mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn how.

Avalanche Mobility Center (MC) is a comprehensive management solution for the Wide Area Network enterprise that provides complete visibility and control of mobile devices from a central console. Avalanche MC streamlines the configuration, deployment and management of wireless networks while offering extensive flexibility by supporting a wide range of mobile devices over GPRS, EDGE, and 3G data connections and an optimized dual mode 802.11/Wireless WAN capability.  Avalanche also supports mapping of device location via GPS at no additional upfront or monthly cost, and the ability to send text messages to the device. 

Wavelink offers two versions of Avalanche: Avalanche Mobility Center (AMC) and Avalanche Site Edition (ASE). ASE is designed for customers managing between 10 – 10,000 mobile devices in a centralized deployment. AMC is designed for customers wanted to run in a distributed deployment. It can support upwards of 200 mobile device servers and each server can support up to 10,000 mobile devices. AMC can run on the SQL database it ships with or it can run on MSSQL Server 2005/2008. This version of Avalanche also has full support for Linux operating systems and also contains Infrastructure Management.

Both versions contain a Java interface with detailed user management, mobile device update schedules, extensive mobile device properties/tracking, and a robust reporting engine.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about Wavelink Avalanche.

Each year, companies spend roughly an average of millions of dollars on workplace injuries. Millions. For companies with stationary printers – and their tangled web of cords and cables – the risk of workplace injury is relatively great. In fact, falls are the second-leading cause of death in the workplace, behind automobile accidents.

That’s why wireless mobile printers can make such a big difference in increasing workplace safety. The absence of cords and cables contributes to an absence of workplace accidents.

In 2000, the median time lost from fall-related injuries was five full days, although more than 20% of workers missed more than a month on the job. If only one-tenth of those accidents resulted from tripping over a cord or being entangled in a cable, it would mean losing 237 days due to cord-related injuries. That’s almost eight months of work! That doesn’t even include the impact from related health care costs, workers compensation, fines, potential lawsuits, and settlements. When it’s all said and done, stationary printers can be much more costly than you bargained for.

Simply switching from stationary printers to the wireless mobile printers means that the workplace becomes a much safer place with less opportunity for workplace accidents – and the costly errors that go with it. It’s a simple, smart way to help keep your employees on their feet.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about Zebra’s wireless mobile printers and how they can help you improve workplace safety.

It’s news to no one that the United States Postal Service (USPS) is facing tremendous challenges.  In 2003, the Postal Service drafted the Intelligent Mail Corporate Plan, which described the vision for Intelligent Mail in part to  “…place an information-rich code on all mail, aggregates of mail, and business forms, enabling end-to-end visibility into the mailstream.”   Recent progress is making this vision a reality. 

Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB)has been implemented to support expanded visibility into the postal network.  The Full-Service option provides a significant enhancement to that infrastructure.  As part of Full-Service, customers submit electronic documentation that provides details about the mailpieces and aggregates in their mailings, including the unique Intelligent Mail Barcodes applied.

Three key priorities were identified in 2003 that set the direction for achieving the Intelligent Mail Vision: 

• Strategy 1: Uniquely identify mail and aggregates.  The introduction of IMB has enabled unique identification of pieces, handling units, and containers.  Each bar code is mailer-applied and has a common customer identifier called the Mailer ID (MID) and serial number identifying a piece within a single mailing .  IMB is used by mailers and the Postal Service to uniquely identify mail and increase visibility of movement across the network. 
• Strategy 2: Develop and deploy enabling infrastructure.  In May 2009, the Postal Service launched the Full-Service option for mailers.  The systems deployed to support Full-Service provide enhanced visibility into the mail supply chain and facilitates the exchange mailing data between customers and the Postal Service.  Systems and enhancements are also being deployed to enhance mail quality by linking information about mailers to mailpieces.
• Strategy 3: Enhance address quality. The Postal Service spends over $1 billion dollars each year handling mail that is undeliverable-as-addressed.  IMB implementation has improved address quality by improving new address correction options and the change of address process, and identifying further Undeliverable-as-Addressed mail and Address Management System improvements.

Four new strategies have been identified for 2009 that update and enhance the original vision: 

• Strategy 4: Measure and improve commercial mail performance
• Strategy 5: Drive product innovation
• Strategy 6: Sharpen Operational Insight
• Strategy 7:  Enrich the customer experience

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the Intelligent Mail Vision and for assistance complying with Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) requirements and to help your business fully benefit from it.

“What’s the return on investment?”

This is perhaps the most frequently uttered phrase in the corporate world. When companies don’t see ROI, they have a hard time justifying an expense. That’s why employers like mobile printers – the return on investment is often quick and always clear.

Here is how four companies realized ROI after implementing DecisionPoint’s wireless mobile printers:

• A pharmacy chain that makes 300 weekly SKU changes per store compared the cost of printing shelf labels with a laser printer versus a mobile thermal printer. The mobile printers ended up saving the pharmacy chain more than $3,000 per store, per year. They realized a full return on their investment within four months.        
• A 100-store retail chain, using five terminal printer units per store, saw cable replacement costs approaching $60,000 per year. By switching to wireless mobile printing, this cost was eliminated and the chain realized a return on their investment within nine months. 
• A magazine and periodical distributor switched from paper forms to mobile computers and mobile printers to record daily sales/returns and issue receipts on its routes. It reported almost an immediate return on investment because of the labor savings from data entry, counting returns and correcting errors . 
• A strawberry company used wireless printers right at the receiving dock to issue goods receipts to strawberry growers rather than processing tons of paperwork in a central office. They were able to reduce the time they needed to process transactions by 25 percent and produced a rapid return on their investment.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about Zebra’s wireless mobile printers and help you calculate your ROI.

Your choice of mobile hardware is critical to the success of your field mobility program. 

Our September 10 post focused on the total cost of ownership (TCO) of mobile devices and compared ruggedized handheld computers (also known as an Enterprise Digital Assistants) to consumer phones.  The following day, our September 11 post described ruggedized testing.

Beyond TCO and durability considerations, a ruggedized handheld computer has the following advantages over a consumer phone:

• Operation under adverse weather conditions including temperature extremes, rain and screen readability in bright daylight.
• Large, high-resolution color touchscreen displays.  Some devices such as the Motorola MC75 feature a full VGA (640 x 480) display. 
• Integrated bar code scanner.
• Highly configurable including Wi-Fi and/or WWAN radio options and variety of keyboard layouts.
• Extended battery life to support a full shift of use.
• Compatibility with largest number of field mobility applications including Field Services, Proof-of-Delivery, DSD Route Sales, Sales Force Automation, Push-to-Talk, GPS tracking and more.
• Availability to buy the same device, the same OS as well as service and support over a multi-year period.
• Wider range of accessories including portable receipt printers. Magnetic Stripe Readers and Mobile Payment Module, vehicle car charger / mounting options, holster and pistol-grip options and more.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the advantages of a ruggedized handheld computer (Enterprise Digital Assistant) and which one is right for you. 

Our September 10 post (TCO: Rugged Enterprise Digital Assistant (EDA) vs Consumer Phone) took a look at the topic of total cost of ownership (TCO) for rugged Enterprise Digital Assistant (EDA) vs. consumer phones. 

Even though the initial cost of a rugged device may be higher, studies indicate the 5-year TCO is lower.  Key factors leading to this surprising finding include:

• Downtime resulting in reduced productivity and customer satisfaction.  Nearly 50% of mobile computing operating costs are associated with worker productivity downtime when the device fails. Studies have shown consumer phones have 4 times the failure rate of a rugged Enterprise Digital Assistant (EDA).  
• Replacement costs.
• IT support requirements as much as 44% higher.
• Device end-of-life making devices obsolete and difficult to replace.

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

If employees are not using mobile printers to record, gather, print, and transmit data, they are handwriting important documents. This can lead to human errors in recording this data as well as misinterpretation of invoices by a billing department. For example, you may not be invoicing for all of the actual time and materials used, which can impact your income potential, or you may misinterpret parts inventories, which can lead to an expensive second service call if the right part wasn’t actually available at the right time.

Mobile printers reduce these errors and increase the accuracy in data gathering, helping companies avoid the expensive pitfalls of handwritten data.

In addition to automating data gathering, mobile printers also aid in pricing accuracy in retail industries. When it comes to price changes, mobile printers access the PLU database when completing a point-of-sale checkout – therefore, there’s no discrepancy between what the price should be and what the customer is charged. This helps retailers avoid both legal and public relations threats that can occur from pricing errors.

It also allows for two additional methods of price integrity: shelf-price audits with on-the-spot label printing and price verification kiosks. The audits eliminate pricing errors from mislabeling, and the kiosks are used by customers to get an accurate price check of a product as well as a printed price label to ensure customer confidence.

Mobile printers in action: DecisionPoint client and Greece retailer Jumbo used mobile printers and reduced its pricing errors by 80 percent!

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about Zebra’s wireless mobile printers and how they can reduce errors and improve accuracy.

Envisioning, designing and building a new enterprise system is very rewarding for many of us.  However, the value of these systems is gained through their continued operation.  For this reason, ongoing support and maintenance is a fundamental aspect of all enterprise systems and as such must be considered early in the process and support strategies must be included in the design process.

Support considerations must take into account all system components (hardware, application software, infrastructure, etc) as well as operational concerns (number of shifts per week, holiday coverage, required uptime levels, etc.). Once the operational requirements are identified, specific support strategies should be designed to minimize the outage of each system component.

When evaluating support options it is beneficial to look for integrated offerings from a single source.  This approach provides the broadest coverage and reduces outage delays due to the transfer of issues from one organization to another. 

Prior to evaluating third party vendors, examine your internal resources to gain an understanding of what you can and cannot do.  For example, many companies can leverage their internal support desk for troubleshooting tier 1 mobile device issues.  However, many of these organizations generally do not have the detailed knowledge to identify and resolve root cause issues, especially if the organization is new to mobile or wireless technologies.  In addition to evaluating your internal skill sets, also evaluate your resource availability as supporting 20 devices is much different than supporting 200 or more.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the best support strategies for your enterprise and DecisionPoint’s MobileCare™ Support.