Many field-based workforces must manage inventory outside of the four walls and it is just as critical as managing on-premise inventory.  Industries such as Direct Store Delivery (DSD) and field service companies benefit from tracking products, materials, parts and tools out in the field.  Keeping track of this mobile inventory provides benefits such as:

• Lower costs associated with shrink or loss
• Increased revenue associated with more accurate billing
• Lower Days Sales Outstanding (DSO)
• Improved customer service

Managing assets at the point of use from a mobile computer improves efficiencies and visibility and ensures that mobile workers have the tools, merchandise and materials to do their jobs.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about real-time inventory solutions and Mobile Inventory Management.

In several past posts we provided information about Mobile POS solutions and how they shorten wait times and enable associates to ring up customer purchases virtually anywhere in the store.  A recent study conducted by Aberdeen that surveyed over 100 retailers regarding their use of POS devices has indicated that many retailers are moving beyond just transaction processing.

42 percent of the retailers surveyed are integrating POS systems with marketing, merchandising, inventory and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to offer a more personalized and interactive shopping experience.  In fact, 65 percent of retailers have identified mobility as a POS focal point for future improvements.

According to Aberdeen, 64 percent of retail respondents prioritized CRM data as the top integration point for mobile POS systems.  With a mobile POS device that integrates with other systems and applications, associates can access customer data to better interact with each customer one-on-one, which can lead to increased sales.  Many retailers are also planning to provide product lookup capabilities, pricing information and inventory availability to increase selling opportunities based on internal product information as well.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about Mobile Point of Sale solutions.

Up-to-date information about products that need to be re-stocked and machines that need to be serviced is vital to ensure that the vending machine service industry is selling the most products they can.  Equipping field-workers with mobile devices provides real-time information to track the performance of machines and inventory.  With a mobile solution you can optimize routes to better plan service activities and record services and stock use on-site.

In addition to mobile computers in the hands of field workers, a new trend is wireless, Web-based monitoring systems that remotely monitor vending machines and send inventory status in real-time to the back office or field workers.  Increased visibility into the specific products being sold enables staff to load each truck with only what they need for their routes each day, reducing transportation costs and improving efficiency.  Service requests from customers can also be sent to the closest field worker for faster response and service details are entered at the time of service rather than at the end of the day.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about mobile solutions designed for the vending machine service industry.

Expanding payment options for customers enables field-based workforces to increase customer satisfaction and win more business.  DecisionPoint recently partnered with CHARGE Anywhere, a leading payment gateway provider and mobile payment software developer that offers mobile payment solutions that integrate with field mobility applications.  CHARGE Anywhere simplifies and accelerates payment processes to increase cash flow—all while out in the field.  Key features include:

• Accept all major credit and debit cards
• PCI-compliant
• On-screen signature capture is supported and included on receipt
• Utilize the ComsGate® Payment Gateway which is a highly secure (PCI DSS Level 1 Certified) payment gateway

The CHARGE Anywhere Mobile Payment/POS software can run on a wide range of mobile devices, integrates to QuickBooks and can also capture critical business data above and beyond credit card information.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about CHARGE Anywhere mobile payment processing solutions.

In a past post we provided information about Wavelink’s Avalanche Mobility Center and today I’d like to take a look at Wavelink Speakeasy.  Wavelink is a leading provider of multi-vendor mobile device management, wireless infrastructure management, Voice, and mobile application development software and their popular Terminal Emulation software is used worldwide.

If you’re already using Wavelink Terminal Emulation, Speakeasy enables you to quickly and easily add Voice to your existing mobile applications.  Industry reports show that companies who implement a Voice solution stand to gain up to 20% productivity improvements, a 99.9% accuracy rate and reduce training times and associated costs.  Speakeasy is ideal for intense picking in warehouse environments and improves the productivity of workers by enabling them to work with a hands and eyes-free Voice solution.  Download the case study to learn more about how Wavelink’s Speakeasy Voice solution streamlines the picking process in warehouses.

DecisionPoint and Wavelink have developed a close working relationship which allows DecisionPoint customers to get the most out of their wireless ecosystem. So whether you are looking to add a device management solution to reduce maintenance and management costs, or looking to add additional effectiveness and efficiency via emulation and/or voice, DecisionPoint can help you find the right Wavelink solution.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about Wavelink Speakeasy.

If you’re attending Field Service 2011 next week, be sure to stop by and visit with DecisionPoint Systems in booth #22 during the solutions break outs.  DecisionPoint will be presenting a workshop titled “Achieving The ROI You Need from Your Field Service Automation Deployment” on Tuesday the 26th.  We’ll also be available the 27th and 28th during the main conference days in booth #22 to answer any of your questions and provide you with more information about our MobileArc™ Field Service solutions.  Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn how automating your field-based workforce will improve service technician performance and reduce costs.

For additional information you can download DecisionPoint’s MobileArc™ Field Service Solutions datasheet.

We hope to see you at the show!

Let’s Get Mobile!  If you won’t be attending Field Service 2011, contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about our end-to-end mobile solutions designed for field service workforces.

Yesterday I provided information about the growing trend towards using kiosks in healthcare facilities and in several past posts I’ve provided information about the benefits that kiosk solutions provide retailers.  Today I’m providing a great video from Zebra Technologies that highlights some of the ways that retailers are using kiosks to:

• Enhance the customer experience
• Increase customer loyalty
• Improve employee efficiency

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about self-service kiosk applications and how they will improve your operations.

Kiosks are a hot topic for the retail industry, but there is also a growing trend toward using self-service kiosks in healthcare facilities.  Healthcare kiosks provide patients with more convenience and improve efficiency.  Kiosks allow patients to:

• Quickly check-in for appointments
• Schedule future appointments
• Update medical histories
• Make co-pay payments via credit card
• Provide maps for visitors to locate patients
• And more…

This shift to self-service improves efficiency by speeding up the check-in process and kiosks collect important information that is directed toward the physician prior to a visit.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about kiosk solutions that increase convenience and efficiency.

Tracking products throughout the supply chain is important to ensure food safety and implementing bar code and RFID technology provides the extra layer of protection needed in the event that food contamination or a food borne illness occurs.  The Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) is already taking steps to develop a standardized approach to enhance the speed and efficiency of traceability systems.  Their vision is to create a course of action to achieve supply chain-wide adoption of electronic traceability of every case of produce by the year 2012.

PTI is leveraging GS1 bar code labeling to identify specific growers and the 14-digit Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) based upon the GS1 standard is used to identify each case of produce.  This traceability technology provides significant benefits to growers, distributors and retailers, such as:

• Full visibility into where a product came from to identify and isolate any problems
• Increased supply chain efficiency and improved operations
• Increased consumer trust

When companies receive or ship a case of produce and scan the bar code they will gain full visibility into the source, destination and all handlers of the goods.  Similarly, RFID tags can provide deep traceability without a line of sight requirement.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about bar code and RFID solutions that improve food safety.

In past posts we’ve provided information about how retailers are using QR codes to enhance the shopping experience.  Another 2D code that is being used to drive customer satisfaction and product awareness is the Microsoft Tag.  These High Capacity Color Barcodes (HCCB) use a cluster of colored triangles instead of the typical square pixels associated with 2D bar codes.  As you can see from the example at right, Microsoft Tags are quite different looking from the popular QR code.  Although they may look different, both codes are providing retailers with new opportunities to interact with customers.  With the click of a smartphone button, customers can access product information, websites and more. 

Microsoft Tags can encode a large amount of information in a small space—up to 3,500 characters can be embedded in a square inch.  Microsoft Tags are free to create and use and can be added to almost any surface, making them ideal for interactive marketing.  One of the unique features of Microsoft Tags is that unlike other 2D codes you have the ability to create completely custom tags that better represent your brand.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about mobile solutions that enhance the shopping experience and empower customers.