Demand Continues to Be Driven by Focus on Healthcare and Hospitality Markets

Socket Mobile, today announced it has shipped its 50,000th SoMo 650 handheld computer. Sales are being driven by the needs of the hospitality and healthcare market segments for a durable and lightweight device and continue to show growth.

Introduced to the market in 2007, the SoMo 650 handheld computer is a durable, high-performance, enterprise-class Windows Mobile PDA that enables businesses to increase the productivity of mobile workers, improve visibility in the field and automate manual processes anywhere. The SoMo 650 has become an essential business tool for mobile workers in a wide range of industries, and is available in both standard and antimicrobial case options.

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The Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) facility management office needed an easier way to track all of their assets, and Barcodes Inc was able to meet their high demands. We submitted a bid for them within 24 hours of their initial request, and when the true scale of the task was established, we contacted and worked directly with them to build a custom solution that utilized RFID technology. Their current system had employees scanning each item one by one with standard barcodes on them. They needed the ability to track over three thousand items and expected that number to double within the next year, so RFID would be optimal to allow them to scan and report data on as many units as possible at once. Through Symbol MC9090-G mobile computers, AssetWorx software and custom printed RFID tags, FHFA was able to tag all of their assets and manage their counts and locations in mass – saving them a lot of man hours and improving accuracy.

Federal Civilian Account Manager: Ed Marut

In need of a more efficient delivery and package tracking system for their home improvement products, Quaker Windows & Doors turned to Barcodes Inc for help. We created a complete solution for them which included both the hardware and software they needed to automate their, currently manual, process. Honeywell Dolphin 6500 mobile computers, accessories and Z-Space custom software were combined to fulfill their needs. This new system eliminated manual errors, created accurate delivery statuses and confirmations for their customers and minimized the customer service-related issues Quaker was previously dealing with. Needless to say, the process also became much more efficient for them.

Account Manager: Charles Mycoff

Unitech has released the newest addition to its family of magnetic stripe readers, the MS246. This intelligent and programmable magstripe reader offers exceptional performance in a small package. The uniquely designed housing allows the MS246 to be mounted in various orientations with threaded inserts or Velcro, and a 6-foot cable increases its flexibility.

The MS246 is able to read up to 3 tracks of magnetic stripe card data regardless of swiping direction or speed. The user can easily recognize successful reads with a beeper and tri-color LED indicator. The output format can also be customized with its own user friendly Windows-based MSR Reader Configuration Manager. The MS246 is ideal for a variety of applications including POS and Security.

Motorola Solutions today unveiled the compact DS457 fixed mount barcode imager and sleek MK3000 micro kiosk, offering premium 1D and 2D scanning capabilities as well as the ability to read barcodes from mobile phones.

Motorola DS457 fixed mount imager

• With four models to choose from, the Motorola DS457 enables high-volume scanning on a wide variety of barcodes including 1D, 2D, traditional and mobile barcodes as well as high-density barcodes and direct part marks.
• At the retail point-of-sale (POS), the DS457-DL reads driver’s licenses effortlessly, enabling auto-population of credit and loyalty card applications, as well as easy and error-proof age verification. It can also be used by border security for scanning visas and driver’s licenses.
• The compact size of the DS457 is ideal for “zero footprint” type POS environments and can be mounted off the work surface to free up space on the counter.
• The DS457-HD is ideal for electronic manufacturers to ensure the right part is used at the right time on the production line and for pharmaceutical manufacturers who can track product as it is produced and packaged to meet track and trace regulations.

Motorola MK3000 micro kiosk

• The MK3000 micro kiosk puts the power of self-service in the hands of the user, delivering an interactive and compelling customer experience in stores, hotels and airports or serving as a workforce management tool for employees.
• Delivering powerful customer and employee facing applications such as item look-up, item location, how-to tutorials, marketing promotions, digital signage, employee time clock and travel check in/out, the MK3000 can help increase customer satisfaction and boost revenue.
• The MK3000 enables retailers to enhance their multi-channel strategy, enabling customers to place orders online and pick up at the store through the micro kiosk. If customers cannot find merchandise in the store, they can use the MK3000 to check inventory in other stores, or place an order while still in the store.
• Motorola’s Total Enterprise Access and Mobility (TEAM) Express is available on the MK3000, enabling customers to use voice messages to request assistance and connect with the store associate in the right department for a specific product.

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The Environmental Quality Company (EQ) required a large wireless network to be installed at one of their volatile processing facilities. They needed a combination of indoor and outdoor networking for their location, which maintained a wide variety of heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment. The wireless equipment would enable EQ to provide necessary data collection to their Class 1 Div 2 handheld computers.

Executive Summary

For over fifty years, EQ has been the leading provider of environmental management services. They use innovative technologies and services that minimize waste volumes, reduce costs and protect the environment. This combination of historical presence, technical innovation and flexibility has defined EQ’s commitment to setting the industry standard for customer service, associate satisfaction and financial stability.

The Business Challenge

EQ needed a wireless infrastructure installed in a hazardous processing location without any impediment on its day-to-day operations. The network would need to then have enough range to allow workers to collect data on their mobile computers while transferring all the information into a central database.

Solution

Barcodes Inc scheduled a call with EQ to identify all the requirements in order to detail a letter of proposal prior to getting an installation team on-site, which saved the company labor intensive costs. Upon arrival of Barcodes Inc’s installation team, all the wireless networking equipment had arrived, which eliminated any delay in the set-up.

Following the installation, Barcodes Inc provided EQ with a quick education on their newly integrated wireless system which was centered around several Symbol AP-5131 wireless access points and various accessories to protect the network’s stability from harsh climate or weather. Barcodes Inc also provided topographical maps, access point ranges, mesh coverage areas and wireless artifact zones, along with a high-level overview of their wired infrastructure. The end Solution was a fully covered wireless work zone in each of their target areas that allowed data collection to be communicated quickly by their field workers to their central location.

The Future

This was the first of five sites for EQ that needed to be retrofitted with wireless infrastructure. Barcodes Inc will continue to help EQ grow while providing them the wireless equipment and services necessary to place the right data in the right hands.

Harsco Rail is a train manufacturer and also provides maintenance service for railroad tracks. They were using a third-party software for inventory tracking of their building and maintenance supplies and needed a hardware solution to automate the process even more. Barcodes Inc was selected to help them roll out a solution which consisted of Intermec CK3 mobile computers, Zebra P4T portable printers and accessories to mobilize their workforce and allow them to manage stock on the go.

Account Manager: Chris Vassilos

Hospital Couriers combines mobile computers, software and custom labels to ensure accountability of their assets.

Executive Summary

Hospital Couriers was in need of a complete solution to track their equipment, drivers and their customers’ products to increase their profitability. Our solution replaced a pen and paper process with the introduction of a mobile computer with signature capture ability, as well as a route management application.

The Business Challenge

Driven by the need to have real-time visibility of their drivers as well as their product, Hospital Couriers needed a solution to ensure their customers’ products were being delivered on time. Additionally, they needed to meet their customers’ demand of tracking where their shipments were at all times.

Prior to Barcodes Inc stepping in with a full solution for tracking shipments, Hospital Couriers was relying on their drivers to fill out delivery paperwork, capture signatures through a paper receipt, and securely return all signed documents on a daily basis. This resulted in lost paperwork and shipment deliveries not arriving on time, which in turn led to customer dissatisfaction. Furthermore, if a customer called to track their shipment, Hospital Couriers had to call the driver to see where they were at which wasn’t always accurate.

Hospital Couriers decided to invest in a fully electronic solution to replace the hand-written delivery invoices and customer signature capture process that had been in place. They found that the amount of time and money lost by capturing data and inputting the data in their system manually was not acceptable for them or their customer.

Hospital Couriers was in need of a more efficient way to capture end-user data as well as having real-time visibility of where their drivers and assets were at from their home office.

Solution

In response to our customer’s need for a more profitable solution, Barcodes Inc partnered with Soti to introduce their Mobile Device Management software to Hospital Couriers. The Soti application allowed the Motorola MC55 mobile computer, which the drivers had on the road, to communicate with their home office, and eliminate the need to capture and secure handwritten invoices throughout the day. The software allowed the driver to capture the recipient’s signature at the point of delivery and communicate that data back to the home office automatically.

The solution was designed to allow drivers to scan packages when they were delivered, capture the customer’s signature and report the exact location of each of the company’s vehicles and drivers on-demand. With preprinted barcode labels that Barcodes Inc provided, all packages had a clean, professional look while enabling Hospital Couriers to record all the data that was needed to ensure their customers’ satisfaction. The MC55 mobile computer, which Barcodes Inc helped integrate into Hospital Courier’s own software, was able to accurately track their in-house inventory to ensure assets were all accounted for.

Benefits

After a successful demo of the hardware and software package, Hospital Couriers deployed the solution to all of their drivers and warehouse staff.

Hospital Couriers can now accurately track their inventory and provide full visibility on order delivery for their customers and themselves.

The Future

The Barcodes Inc solution has been since recommended to other companies in the same industry and received with positive feedback and results.

Quiet Logistics is a warehousing and distribution company that was looking to add a new warehouse location. They were in need of a full hardware solution for use in their shipping stations and pick and pack applications at the new warehouse. Barcodes Inc provided a top down solution consisting of scanners, printers, media and computer stations to fulfill all of their needs. The new equipment made their processes more efficient and eliminated errors seen during their past pen and paper strategies.

Account Manager: Conrad Schernecker