Improving Manufacturing with Barcode Scanning
Warehouses have existed since the time of Ancient Rome and influenced commerce so much, they remain part of our modern industry. Barcode scanning has existed for almost 50 years, and its value grows with each passing year. Manufacturing relies on this technology for inventory management, shipping and receiving, traceability, and much more. Without barcodes, employees would be calculating and recording by hand in order to track the various components of the business. Studies prove performing these processes manually leads to more mistakes, costing businesses time and money.
Barcodes Make Products Traceable
As products move from through the supply chain, companies need the ability to track each piece. Traceability in manufacturing has grown in importance over the past decade, and barcodes help address this concern. Barcoding makes it extremely easy to locate products. With one scan, a barcode reveals the history and information on a product or component. Without barcodes, products remain annonymous.
Time is Money, so Speed is Key
The growth of e-commerce in the past decade exceeded the projections of most experts. Customers often look online before driving to a brick and mortar location. Frequently, they make their purchase online without ever setting foot inside a business. A significant factor for customers choosing whether or not to buy online is the speed of delivery for their product. Consumers expect to receiving their purchases in a few days’ time. But in order for this happen, manufacturers have to streamline operations and leave no room for error in their systems.
When time matters, speed is the answer. Barcode scanning is exponentially faster than relying on human tabulation for inventory, shipping, or processing. Not only do barcodes speed up manual processes, but they are more accurate as well. No more double counting or missed items, and results can be instantly compared to records to verify information in real time.
Saving Time Means Saving Money
The average human being makes a mistake every 300 keystrokes. Barcode scanners, however, only make mistakes once in a few million scans. It doesn’t take a mathematician to see the cost benefit provided by adding barcode scanning to your workflows. In addition to saving money by eliminating mistakes, barcodes can help a company increase production. Scanning one barcode may only save a few seconds, but those seconds begin to add up. Warehouses and production facilities run more smoothly saving time and money. Also, this increased efficiency and savings allows for improvements such as increased product lines, expanded service areas, and an improved online presence.
Barcodes don’t just help a company in one or two areas; the effects can be seen throughout an entire company. Investing in a barcode scanning system equals investing in productivity. Employees who feel productive are happier in their jobs. As a consequence, happy employees stay longer at a company, reducing the costs of turn over and training. They also more willingly share positive feedback about the company, encouraging other qualified workers to apply. Additionally, cost savings from barcoding can be used to offset the rising costs of insurance, can be applied toward improving facilities, or can be applied toward bonuses for employees.
Barcode scanning to improves processes in manufacturing and many companies have taken the leap. Is it time for your company to become one of them? Code is the leader in handheld barcode scanning and software. Let us help you improve workflows and efficiency while saving time and money.
Contact us today at 801-495-2200.
