U.S. Home Decor Retailer Saves Money with Android

Barcoding GoLive Services™ creates a tailored solution to make deployment and maintenance easy.

BACKGROUND

Barcoding’s client, a major U.S. retailer known for interior décor, brings artisan and designer home goods into living rooms around the world. With over 100 stores and franchise partners in multiple countries, this client is tasked with tracking an array of furniture and home
accessory inventory around the globe.

CHALLENGES

IOS devices with barcode sleds have been widely adopted by retailers and other organizations with complex inventory management needs. But issues with Bluetooth pairing, as well as other unreliable functionalities in the iOS solution, prompted many companies to shift to Android devices. Our retailer was ready to make the leap. Working with their iOS devices had become cumbersome, and they wanted a more rugged, PDA-style unit with a barcode scanner built into the hardware.

The crucial but often tedious workload of transitioning to a new set of devices can be complicated for companies that take the leap alone. Barcoding’s client was looking for a partner to smooth the transition and provide a solution that they could get up and running within minutes across the company’s 100+ store locations.

In addition to a quick solution, they needed long-term reliability: something that could be updated, amended, and troubleshot with minimal hassle.

SOLUTIONS

At Barcoding. Inc., no two projects are the same. We examine all facets of each deployment, building a comprehensive picture of our client’s needs. When the company partnered with Zebra Technologies to rollout android devices across all retail locations, Zebra recognized our expertise in creating tailor-made programs for device deployment and management and trusted that we could deliver a solution that would be easy to navigate right out of the box.

By digging into the unique demands of our client’s specific supply process, we created a solution to deploy Android devices across locations while keeping the transition as light-weight as possible for the team.

First, we examined the WiFi setup to ensure they have the capacity to support the solution we have in mind. After a comprehensive review and planning stage, we identified the Zebra TC51 as their optimal device. Then, we loaded each device with the proper functionality including, in this case, AirWatch, their chosen mobile device management (MDM) software. AirWatch allows remote lifecycle management of all devices, making regular updates easy to execute across the board.

Through our GoLive Services™ offering, the Barcoding team acted as an extension of the retailer’s existing IT department, ensuring all devices were prepared for immediate use following deployment. When it was time to roll out the devices, we introduced them in waves, bringing 27 stores online each week. In total, we shipped to 115 sites across North America, ensuring every package was kitted correctly and that each site was equipped with the chargers and cables needed for that location. By gradually introducing the new technology to their supply chain ecosystem, we guaranteed each of the almost 500 devices would be up and running with no hiccups.

With Barcoding focused on deployment, our client’s team could focus their attention on other business priorities, meaning all resources stayed concentrated on what would make the most impact.

RESULTS

Through our consultative approach to deployment, we created a solution for our retail client that checked every box. By holding weekly calls and working closely with their team, we stayed flexible and able to adapt the solution even as the roll-out began.

Within the first week of shipping, it became clear that the client could benefit from a carriage return programmed into each device. We moved quickly to implement the change, re-imaging the devices and adding increased efficiency to meet their needs.

With the transition complete, the furniture, housewares and home accessories retailer is poised to reduce operating hours by 20-30 percent by using brand new devices that were custom tailored to fulfill the company’s specific needs. As they use and adapt the devices, they will gain greater efficiency, making the scanning process even more intuitive and reliable.

In addition to increased productivity, the devices promise to reduce repair costs, which were prevalent with the fragile, theft-prone iOS devices the company previously used. And by avoiding device and sled cost, total purchasing costs went down. With Barcoding focused on deployment, our client’s team could focus their attention on other business priorities, meaning all resources stayed concentrated on what would make the most impact.

A comprehensive transition from iOS to Android could easily come with numerous pain points and unexpected roadblocks, especially with a transition of this magnitude. But GoLive paved the road to make the journey painless while providing tools to maximize efficiency and reliability for the foreseeable future. Our client had no time for disruptions to business continuity, and the GoLive service ensured they experienced minimal hassle.

Download the full case study here.

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Barcoding Helps U.S. Home Decor Retailer Save Time and Money by Transitioning to Android

Written by Barcoding, Inc.

February 2020 | 4 min read

Barcoding GoLive Services™ creates a tailored solution to make deployment and maintenance easy.

BACKGROUND

CHALLENGES

SOLUTIONS

RESULTS

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