Good news! Automatic Retailing Northern Ltd is now up and running with its new, all singing all dancing RF (radio frequency) wireless barcode scanning system. Why is this good news? ‘Because it’ll make vending’s best wholesaler even better by improving productivity and inventory accuracy’, Lyndsey Baxter said. ‘It eliminates the possibility of mis-shipments, it avoids any difficulties in locating products and it means there’s no chance of human error in order picking.’
By using RF, Automatic Retailing will improve operational performance by having the ability to track items from ‘goods in’ until they’re delivered to the customer.
‘We use RF technology via a set of RF ‘guns’ that read the bar codes on the pallet and in some instances on each box, case or piece’ Lyndsey said. ‘ The RF scanners are used to read the barcodes and transfer product information, quantities and location information directly into our network.’
According to Warehouse Manager Chris Dawson, the new technology has already proved its worth. ‘The RF guns have been brilliant for us, like a secret weapon’, he said. ‘The team in the warehouse has been at full stretch recently but the guns allow everybody in the team to work smarter. It brings out the competitive edge in everybody too, but every one can see how much everybody else has achieved and everybody wants to be at the top of the leader board.’
Well, it’s no longer a secret weapon; but it is another way for ARNL to defend its customers’ interests at the same time as keeping the competition pinned down!
