3 Tips for Choosing New Barcode Hardware and Software

October 2nd 2018 15:00:00 PM

Ready to try out barcode hardware and software at your distribution company? Or perhaps you’re looking to upgrade those old-fashioned, ruggedized solutions you’ve been using for years? Whatever your reason is for wanting new barcoding tools at your business, you’ve come to the right place. This article has got you covered with 3 tips for choosing barcode hardware and software.

Not in the mood for a list? Want personalized information about barcoding for your specific business needs? Skip the article and talk directly with an expert when you contact Scanco online or call (330) 645-9959.

When choosing barcoding tools for your company, make sure you keep these three tips in mind as you’re researching and assessing your options:

1. Ensure Easy Training for Your Barcode Hardware and Software

The pace of business moves faster than it ever has before—and that pace shows no sign of slowing down in the near future. To keep up with the increasing demands of the distribution industry, you need to make sure that the barcode solution you choose is easy to train on, so you can get new employees up to speed as quickly as possible.

In order to accomplish this goal, look for systems that are:

• Intuitive to navigate
• Familiar to employees of all ages
• Simple to use

If your barcode hardware is actually a scanner-enabled smartphone (yes! that’s possible!), you can find an app that meets all those requirements. That makes training a breeze.

In addition, when you choose a smartphone-based barcoding tool, you’ll also experience the benefits that come with having a lightweight, easy-to-carry device that pairs quickly with hands-free options, such as ring scanners. The best smartphone barcode solutions also offer voice-directed picking assistance, which can significantly reduce training time and limit wander time in your warehouse.

2. Ensure Integration Between Your Barcoding Solution and Your ERP

Faster, simplified training is all well and good, but if the barcoding solution you choose doesn’t integrate seamlessly with your ERP, you’re not going to get much use out of it—no matter how well you train your workers. That’s because the beauty of having a barcoding system lies in taking advantage of effortless data collection processes that provide you with real-time insight into inventory levels.

To get the most out of the solution you choose, ensure that it integrates perfectly with your ERP. Scanco offers proven barcoding tools that integrate with Sage 100, but you may have a different system that you’re working with.

3. Connect Your Barcoding Solution with the Rest of Your Operations

Like all things in life, your warehouse doesn’t exist in a vacuum. In addition to inventory tracking for your warehouse floor staff, your distribution business also relies on salespeople, customer service reps, and your accounting team. The business may also include manufacturing operations and a field service team.

Modern business leaders know that true barcoding success occurs when you’re able to use your barcoding hardware and software to connect all the separate areas of the business together; that way you can ensure everyone always has the timely, comprehensive data they need to do their job efficiently.

You Have a Wide Range of Options for Barcoding

Every company is unique, so each business leader will naturally have their own specific preferences for their company’s barcode hardware and software. For instance, you may want something that syncs between multiple locations, while your competitor only needs to track inventory in a single location. You may want a voice-directed picking system that’s able to issue and respond to spoken commands for easier barcoding operations, whereas your competitor wants hands-free barcode hardware solutions, such as ring scanners or scanning gloves.

All those options are available—and they’re not that hard to implement at your warehouse!

In truth, today’s barcoding solutions offer possibilities that are nearly endless. Barcoding options are customizable, easy to manage, and low-cost to maintain, which means that all you need to do right now is find the solution that works best for your current needs yet is flexible enough to meet your future requirements.

Your best method for finding that perfect barcoding hardware and software is to work with an expert who can help you sort through your options with ease.

Ask Scanco: The Barcoding Experts

For nearly 30 years, Scanco has been a leader in barcoding hardware and software solutions and we’re proud to say that we’ve eased the workload of thousands of users at our clients’ businesses throughout the decades.

If you’re looking for an expert who can assist you in understanding your options, implementing your selection, and optimizing and supporting your barcoding solution going forward, we’ve got good news.

You’ve found your expert.

Contact Scanco online or at (330) 645-9959 to learn more about your many options for barcode hardware and software solutions and to schedule your free consultation.