The Rise of Smarter Data Capture Solutions in Retail

Barcodes are ubiquitous in retail operations. The digitization of products is vital to many retail processes such as product information lookup, product recalls and the tracing of products throughout the supply chain. Enterprise data capture has traditionally been limited to expensive handheld scanners, or clunky mobile computers—until now. Smartphones have unlocked new opportunities for retailers, actively increasing efficiency, lowering costs and changing the way stores operate.

Today, with an installed base of more than 1 billion smartphones, retail stores are beginning to leverage the data capture capabilities of smart devices through the deployment of mobile solutions. Enterprise app solutions are not only providing consumers with an improved shopping experience, but also transforming larger businesses through the mobilization of retail workflows. Targeting areas where smart devices can significantly improve processes through enhanced capabilities (GPS, WiFi, Data, Telephone, Camera, etc), many enterprises are seeing success. By mobilizing key workflows that require barcode scanning, employees are able to complete in-store operations, provide enhanced customer service, and be constantly connected to internal store systems via a single, lightweight device.

Mobility is also giving retailers unparalleled insight into their organization. The data provided by these solutions gives key stakeholders a deeper understanding of how their stores operate, allowing executives to make more intelligent business decisions. By integrating existing IT systems with cloud-connected mobile solutions, enterprises can gain access to real-time data from both employees and consumers—making it easier to understand enterprise needs in order to build stronger relationships with customers and more efficient workflows for employees.

Some of the top retail use cases where mobile data capture is taking hold include: inventory management, shipping & receiving, mobile point-of-sale, clienteling, mobile shopping, order entry and self checkout. So far, the results of these mobile deployments have been quite impressive: shorter checkout lines, more accurate inventory, faster stock counts and increased revenue through both new and existing channels. With more stores ‘going mobile’ every day, it’s time to start thinking about deploying mobile data capture solutions to support your retail operations.

If you’re interested in deploying smarter data capture solutions here are some ways to get started:

• • Discover the cost benefits of embracing mobile scanning by comparing the total cost of ownership of popular scanning devices. Download our eBook
  • Hear from the mobile data capture experts and better understand the evolution of enterprise data capture. Watch our latest webinar
  • Learn about the mobile solutions powering some of today’s largest retail enterprises. Read one of our customer case studies