Managing the inventory of your company is a vital part of keeping any business of any size or niche afloat, and business owners are constantly looking for ways to reduce these and increase profitability.
Unbeknown to many, managing the goods and materials your company holds through the use of technology is an effective way of streamlining business practice, lowering those all-important outgoings and improving your reputation with the people who matter – your customers. The use of rugged tech in particular can make inventory management much easier, but still the majority of business owners across multiple sectors are unsure about the advantages using tougher tech within their company can offer? Let us take you through how rugged tech can lower your inventory costs for good!
Paperless Order Systems
Improving how you manage transactions within your customer base is an essential part of improving satisfaction and making the consumer journey from selection and checkout to transit and delivery much smoother. The use of ruggedized technology offers a more modern system for you to do business with, especially whilst out in the field. The functions offered by rugged tablets, vehicle mounted computers, laptops and workstations can ensure the sufficient and accurate handling of stock as well as a smoother process when ordering, receiving and monitoring goods and services electronically.
Order and Make Transactions in Real Time
Another function that many rugged devices provide is tracking in real time, which is ideal for businesses that operate within the field and away from their stock. Understanding the manual checking, tracking and reporting of stock isn’t always possible in many industries is essential to managing your inventory and its costs efficiently. The real time tracking features on rugged technology allows you to automate these important processes wherever you are and create an exact process for your customers.
Many rugged models also provide GPS enabled tracking to ensure risk is minimised and the customer experience is increased. This real time tracking not only offers an accurate service for your customers but also an accurate service for your business and its staff members who will be able to reduce the amount of goods lost through human error and manage insurance claims and replacement fees more precisely.
Control Your Own Inventory
Many business owners choose to outsource the management of their inventory to improve accuracy, however, this comes at a cost. By investing in rugged inventory management software, business owners and staff members of all abilities can take charge of their own inventory management processes and eliminate this outgoing immediately. By using vendor enabled management systems via your rugged device you can maintain your inventory from any location, which is great for businesses that have multiple sites. Your inventory system can be managed and updated by staff members across your business, regardless of their office location.
Forecasting for the Future
As well as giving you the tools to control your business’ inventory in the short-term, the use of rugged technology company-wide can also give you the tools you need to forecast for the future. Forecasting in an important part of maintaining the financial health of any business, whether you are a company just starting out or an established market leader. The features seen on rugged PCs, workstations, tablets and other handheld units are great components for automating this often complicated process.
Teamed with features like real-time tracking and a vendor-managed inventory, many rugged devices use various forecasting models to lower inventory costs and provide a realistic outlook for years to come. The use of forecasting models via rugged tech also minimises the all-too-common problem of human error, seen in many manual business forecasts, and instead gives an accurate account combining current logistics and company targets. The forecasting features found on most rugged devices also references events and promotions from past and present to provide precise future forecasts and helpful hints to manage your inventory more effectively.
Additional Benefits in the Field
As we mentioned briefly, the use of rugged technology is particularly useful with businesses who have field operatives that travel from location to location to deliver your company’s goods or services. Streamlining your inventory management for field staff is extremely important and ensures all customers in your core demographic are delivered a service that is fine-tuned and accurate at every stage of the transaction. Many rugged models also use transit features to handle the most complex delivery dilemmas, such as the handling, merging and successfully delivering goods shipped from separate locations to one final destination.
Rugged tech also provides a durable option as well as a logistics dream for businesses, ensuring efficient handling with minimal risks and lower long term costs. Many rugged devices can efficiently perform in high and low temperatures, in the face of excessive moisture or humidity, and in areas that have a particularly high level of vibration.
Author Bio
Brittany Thorley is a technology blogger, by day, she works for Steatite Rugged Systems developing specialist rugged laptops, tablets, workstations and handheld devices.
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