3 Ways RFID Readers & Tags Enhance Warehouses

Now more than ever, drastic changes in the supply chain and a never-ending list of operational obstacles have created an extreme need for dependable, digitized data collection by utilizing RFID in the warehouse. RFID technology has proven to be an invaluable asset for operations looking to make data collection more productive, efficient, and precise. Additionally, this technology delivers intrinsic benefits over manual and barcode data collection methods, including: no required line of sight in many use cases, the capability to store exponentially more data than a barcode, quicker reading of multiple tags in just one scan, and much more. By utilizing RFID technology, warehouses can carry out workflows with enhanced levels of speed, efficiency, and accuracy. With more efficient processes, businesses improve throughput as well as decrease overall operating costs. Simply deploy RFID technology into your operations and see benefits like: 

• Pinpoint Inventory Management – Each year, the average square footage of warehouses increases because of the increasing demand that stems from omnichannel approaches and e-commerce. As a result, finding pallets, let alone a singular piece of product, becomes much more difficult. Automated data collection with RFID technology provides crucial information—including SKU numbers, quantities, and locations—directly to your WMS. Then, when an RFID tag is placed on a pallet or product, handheld and fixed readers can compile this data and bring it to your ERP or WMS, delivering important information on inventory locations and movements. 
• Automated Workflows & Prevented Errors – Thanks to the speed and level of accuracy in which RFID tags can read, many standard warehouse jobs can be seamlessly automated. By integrating RFID into the warehouse, businesses can diminish the amount of time that is spent on things like inventory receiving, shipping, cycle counts, put-away, managing returns, and other workflows. RFID automation opens up labor and times in other areas of your operations and reduces human error that can result from manual warehouse tasks. When a warehouse becomes less reliant on an unpredictable supply of labor, it creates more opportunities for operations to become smoother and more efficient. Additionally, an efficient RFID system informs users when a human error does take place—in instances like putting inventory in the wrong location or having the wrong item loaded onto a pallet. RFID can act as an additional quality assurance measure for warehouses, while creating more efficient and streamlined operations and decreasing expensive errors all at the same time. 
• Accurately Managed Stock – As vast amounts of products move through you warehouse each day, RFID instantly records inventory and manages your levels of stock for you. Also, RFID software can help in fostering optimal levels of stock and sending notices whenever over-stocking or under-stocking limits are hit. Leveraging RFID for stock management can bring instantaneous insights on product quantity, size, models, etc. Sophisticated RFID tags can even work through the intricacies of maintain stock levels for products that have expiration dates and reactive environmental factors like temperature. Ultimately, an RFID-based solution not only streamlines inventory management, but it also follows integrity standards and other quality assurance processes. 

At the end of the day, implementing RFID technology into your warehousing operations is the superior solution if you are looking to reach unmatched levels of efficiency, productivity, visibility, accuracy, and profitability. If you’re looking to bring these levels to your business, reach out to Strategic Systems today to learn more!