Jan 20, 2022

Successful warehouse operations depend on the relationship between your workers and technologies. Consequently, when devices become unavailable -whether it be due to breakdowns or mis-placements – entire workflows may be impacted. Studies show that the average expense of lost devices can exceed $49,000 after factoring in productivity downtime, loss of intellectual property, data breaches, and legal fees. Furthermore, an estimated 70 million business mobile devices are lost per year, resulting in heavy costs that can severely harm small and large businesses alike. Simply put, to reduce operating costs and maintain smooth workflows, device availability must be prioritized in the warehouse. When assessing device safety measures, warehouses are encouraged to ask themselves the following questions:

1. Are you tracking proper storage for individual devices? – Device theft has resulted in as much as $1.5 million lost, and that doesn’t account for misplaced devices and damaged hardware. Tracking device storage at the end of each shift establishes worker accountability and prevents misplacements, keeping devices in the hands of your employees when they need it most. To accomplish this, warehouses and distribution centers are deploying device lockers to:
   • Reduce up to 40% of device repairs
   • Charge devices between shifts to stop surprise downtime
   • Track who uses and stores devices to target improper handling
   • Facilitate hardware checkout for loner devices

With many locker options available for a myriad of industries, the first step to deploying a locker solution would be to contact an experienced solution provider to analyze your facility and current devices for a locker that matches your needs.

2. Are you investing in durable hardware? – Consumer-grade devices are often seen as preferable alternatives due to their low cost and familiarity. However, evidence gathered from the VDC Research Group shows that total ownership costs for consumer devices highly surpasses that of rugged devices since they are most likely to fail within the first 12 months of usage, with 70% of those failures stemming from drops. Rugged mobile devices sporting higher IP sealings, drop specs, and longer battery lifecycles are built to handle the challenges of fast-paced warehousing and manufacturing. Not only are they designed to handle drops and long shifts, but enterprise devices are also equipped with the proper WiFi connectivity settings to preserve connections within spaces with tall ceilings, dark corners, and thick walls. Unlike consumer devices, this ability secures unbroken connections and functionality anywhere in the warehouse. Plus, connectivity solutions can be implemented later down the road with services like AlwaysConnected to aggregate new devices on one network built to overcome facility challenges.
   
3. Are your devices running on updated software and operating systems? – Data breaches have cost industries over $3 million in 2020. Outdated software and operating systems are unable to provide devices with needed security patches and fixes, leaving them more vulnerable to today’s growing rates of cybercrime. Compromised devices end up costing more than just stalled productivity since data may never be recovered and brand identity may be hindered. Furthermore, outdated software runs slower compared to updated counterparts, increasing order fulfillment rates and complicating workflows. In addition to updating any vital apps, top tech players and solution designers recommend migrating to Android for Enterprise to preserve familiarity while securing timely updates and security patches.

If you answered “no” to any of the questions above, it may be time to evaluate your current device security parameters. In addition to amplifying device availability, proper security alleviates your IT team to correctly target optimization opportunities within your facility based on an accurate number of functional devices. Heartland’s technicians are equipped with both expertise and access to leading manufacturers to help you enhance your security system, Schedule a security assessment for your digital fleet to explore scalable options that maximize device safety for dependable productivity.