Don't dismiss barcodes but watch for RFID: If you think barcoding is old tech and RFID the way to go, consider this: the former is proven yet hugely underused; the latter is largely in the future

摘要

Barcodes are barcodes; everyone uses them; and they're old technology. Right? Wrong. There's a spread of technologies, ranging widely in sophistication and application potential that's still waiting to be exploited today. Edinburgh Woollen Mills (EWM) and RS Components are examples of companies still newly embarking on substantial barcode implementations and demonstrating good business benefits stemming from excellent speed, automation, efficiency and accuracy improvements. Both chose barcoding because it works and absolutely still has something to offer that delivers tangible ROI (return on investment). More on these two later, but first it's also worth noting that, astonishingly, only 28% of manufacturers are currently using barcodes anything like extensively, while just 4% are comprehensive users. That's according to a recent Benchmark Research survey commissioned by Microsoft. And it's despite the relatively low cost, simplicity and success of barcode systems.