Thank you so much to everyone who attended our first-ever Barcoding Huddle! It was great to hear from everyone and discuss the future of RFID and IoT. If you weren’t able to attend the event, or just want to check out a recap of what we covered, keep reading for some highlights from the conversation.
Featured Speakers
This discussion was led by Jody Costa, our VP of Marketing. Three Barcoding #SupplyChainGeeks joined her for the conversation: Patrick Richgels, Director of RFID and IoT Solutions, Jean-Pierre Joassin, RFID and IoT Enterprise Solutions Engineering Manager, and Tim Waggoner, RFID and IoT Enterprise Solutions Engineering Manager. Each brings a unique range of experience across the data capture world to the table.
What is IoT?
Before the group dove into the Huddle topics, they took some time to cover the basics.
IoT is rather abstract and difficult to define. As Richgels explained, it is not a concrete technology or platform. Rather, it is a broad term to address the goal of connecting assets—including devices, people, and inventory—and gathering data.
“What IoT really does is give greater visibility, next-level visibility, to a greater number of asset types and provides updates, whether it’s a location, status changes, or any number of other metrics,” said Richgels. “It encompasses a lot…to me it boils down to connecting devices that previously didn’t have that visibility.”
The Current State of RFID and IoT
Next, the panel talked about what Barcoding customers are saying and how #SupplyChainGeeks are leveraging data in their own businesses and projects.
It’s no secret that this past year was a very disruptive time for supply chains around the world. The demand for data capture skyrocketed, and so companies are finding new ways to incorporate the digital supply chain into their practices to enhance visibility.
First, it is important for businesses to understand the data points of their ROI, identify any problem areas, and decide where to focus energy to maximize their efforts. Next, it is key to take a look at the feasibility of the data capture projects they plan to undertake.
“I think the technology has evolved to a point where it’s no longer a matter of “will the technology work?,” it’s a matter of “are the proper processes in place to take advantage of the technology?,” explained Joassin. “It’s not necessarily flipping your process and organization upside down and starting over, but making slight adjustments that can now take your shipment verification from 65% to 95%.”
Where To Begin With Data Capture Implementation or Improvement
Another talking point the group tackled was questions that #SupplyChainGeeks can ask themselves as they begin RFID and IoT implementation or improvements.
Asking yourself “where am I losing money or losing time?” can help you locate a starting point for your data capture journey. Another aspect to consider is the scope of your goals, including up-stream and down-stream applications. Are you addressing data at the individual asset level? Or, do you need to make a big-picture assessment of your operations and pain points?
If you start too big or too small, you might lose out on opportunities for improvement. Working with a partner like Barcoding, Inc. can help identify the answers to these questions and more. We can help develop a system that grows with you as your business changes and the possibilities of data capture evolve.
RFID and IoT Success Stories
The panel also shared some incredible RFID and IoT success stories that they have seen during their experiences.
Waggoner explained how some organizations have leveraged data capture to track MRO. A company that had large facilities with tons of equipment and products applied RFID tags, creating a hands-off data capture solution that enabled them to track the movement of products, shipping verification, and more.
“It all comes down to teaching the customer. It’s about the physics, selecting the right tags, the right antenna, the right readers. It’s about designing the system in such a way that it’s good for everybody,” said Waggoner.