Barcode scanners are essential tools for many businesses. Without scanners, warehouses would be dependent upon THE manual analog recording of stock levels. A digital approach ensures accuracy and integrity. However, lugging a dedicated barcode scanner around with you all day is a very outdated way of doing things. There are now barcode scanning apps that can turn any smartphone into a barcode scanner, and they are rapidly replacing the old scanners.
No Need For Bulky Scanners
Even the biggest smartphone or phablet on the market today is a much sleeker and compact device than a barcode scanner. While most other handheld devices have slimmed down and streamlined their designs in recent years, the barcode scanner has stubbornly remained as a heavy, chunky, lump of plastic stuffed with a battery.
Not only do these devices look terrible but they are also highly impractical. They are too big to fit in a pocket, which means they need to be placed down somewhere when the user needs their hands. This increases the chances of scanners being lost or broken. Similarly, many women who work in warehouses have to contend with equipment that is designed for men. Anyone with smaller hands can tell you that using a big clunky barcode scanner is a frustrating experience.
By adopting an app-based approach, businesses can do away with the hardware altogether. Workers can simply use the same smartphones that they carry around with them all day anyway.
Turn Any Mobile Device Into A Scanner
Barcode scanning apps can be developed for any platform or operating system, making it possible to turn any mobile device into a barcode scanner. Smartphones are the obvious choice for this as they are something that most of your workers will have with them anyway and they are reasonably fast and powerful devices.
However, any mobile device that allows the user to install their own custom software on it can potentially be turned into a mobile barcode scanner.
Eliminate Repair Costs
When a barcode scanner breaks, it can create some serious logistical problems. If you have multiple barcode scanners in a state of disrepair at any given time, it can throw a spanner into your workflow and lead to a significant reduction in productivity. Not only do you need to repair or replace the scanner in question, but until you have done so you will be a device short.
However, if you are using a barcode scanning app instead, all you need to do is install the app onto another device and you can resume your work as before. The time, effort, and money required to fix a barcode scanner are generally not worth it. This means that businesses often find themselves forced to purchase an entirely new scanner. By adopting an app-based approach, you can eliminate these costs entirely.
Maintain The Integrity Of Your Records
Keeping accurate stock records is essential for any business. However, for some businesses, the stakes are considerably higher. For example, if you work in a warehouse that handles chemicals, medicines or other similar products, there will be a legal obligation to properly record stock levels.
By using barcode scanning apps installed on workers' smartphones, you make scanning barcodes as they come in or go out so easy that it becomes very unlikely that you will slip behind.
Any business that needs to keep track of everything coming in and going out of their business can benefit from using barcode scanning apps. There’s no sense investing in a redundant technology like a barcode scanner when your smartphone can do it so much better.
