Jul 07, 2022

One of the most important new challenges in distribution is to maintain accurate inventory tracking during current labor shortages across supply chains. Enhancing visibility in distribution significantly helps improve inventory control, especially as items are returned, because it allows warehouse workers to distinguish between returned and brand-new products, thus preventing false out-of-stocks. Implementing more versatile technology solutions helps modernize distribution centers and equip them with secure visibility to meet demands, even with shortages.

Recent studies show that 73% of warehouses are currently struggling with finding and retaining skilled labor. This means while customers demand fast trackable shipping and easy returns, businesses are still striving to retain their crucial workforce. Therefore, automated visibility systems like RFID tracking have risen to popularity. In contrast, without warehouse automation, your business could be susceptible to decreased productivity and slower shipments, leading to negative shopping experiences. To remain competitive, today’s warehouses and distribution centers must effectively implement automation solutions to provide their workers with real-time visibility for greater inventory control.

To accomplish this, companies are choosing automated RFID solutions that can double or even triple productivity by eliminating downtime with real-time insights, allowing workers to adapt quickly to shortages, delays, and order fulfillment challenges. This is because RFID provides real-time visibility in less trigger pulls across entire facilities, making it one of the top ways to fuel simplistic reverse logistics.

More than a Bird’s-Eye-View

Finding the best practices and solutions for RFID can be difficult because customer demands are constantly evolving. However, Heartland and Zebra partner to provide businesses with fortified RFID solutions that enable businesses to enhance distribution processes through…

1. Greater accessibility to real-time data - Equipping your distributors and delivery teams with RFID mobile computers similar to Zebra’s MC3390xR connects workers with real-time inventory counts and localization. Imputed data working alongside your intelligent WMS can then arrange a proactive pick path based on current stocked products. This helps alleviate the problems of labor shortages as workers can keep each other updated from anywhere in the four walls.
   
2. Higher speeds for high volumes - Versatile RFID solutions help your workers by ensuring reliable operations even in the most demanding environments. Ultra-rugged scanners and sleds, like Zebra’s RFD90 ultra-rugged RFID sled , help deliver industry-leading performance while also being engineered to withstand everyday use in manufacturing, transportation, and logistics environments. Zebra’s RFD90 can read 1,300 tags per second, maximizing speed without compromising accuracy.
   
3. Long-lasting automated performance – Paper-based systems and consumer-grade devices both contribute to errors and downtime despite their familiarity. Current RFID systems now leverage simplicity alongside accuracy and speed to deliver a solution that is comfortable for today and tomorrow’s workers. Whether it’s seamless compatibility with your current devices or Android’s user-friendly interface, modernized RFID tools have been shown to improve receiving time by 90%. This boosts workplace productivity and improves task management because your workers can focus on more important tasks while RFID solutions accomplish the basic ones.

To see the full impact of Zebra’s RFID technologies in a reverse logistics system, download our information packet.  

Reliable RFID solutions deliver higher visibility to meet distribution demands and minimize the effects of labor shortages. Discover how you can implement RFID-enabled visibility to streamline your fulfillment processes when you contact Heartland for a close assessment of your tracking system.