3 Steps for Successful RFID Technology Adoption
RFID is here and as more industries learn to adopt the technology, you can keep ahead of the race with some essential information before you jump in.
It’s okay to start with basics and get them right before worrying about the further challenges of RFID in your organisation.
In the last 20 years, the commercialisation of RFID has really come into focus since its introduction in the 1970s. As organisations are now coming to realise the immense potential of RFID, implementing a successful strategy is absolutely essential.
We share 3 key steps to set yourself up for success with RFID technology:
Step 1 - RFID Research
It can be easy in the beginning to group barcode technology with RFID and in doing so, you risk running into trouble. While both technologies are essentially what’s needed for track and trace solutions, inventory management and other uses, they are two completely different entities.
RFID - As with other industry terms, ‘RFID’ is a broad term for the type of technology. The more you know, the better equipped you’ll be to adopt RFID into your industry. With a wealth of blogs, podcasts, webinars and industry events available, you can familiarise yourself with the most up to date and relevant information. Make use of industry expertise from RAIN Alliance and GS1.
Step 2 - Find an RFID Integrator
As with many experts, finding the right one with experience in your sector is absolutely essential. Just because RFID has been adopted successfully in another vertical, will not guarantee its success in yours so be sure to find someone who is confident and experienced in your type of industry.
1 - Scope the problem
Be specific about the objective of RFID adoption. Are you wanting to keep track of valuable assets? Are you looking to improve patient safety in healthcare? Or adopt smart solutions into your retail business?
Once you outline the specific objective, you’ll find it easier to discuss the journey to achieving this with your RFID Integrator.
2 - Keep it simple to start with
By starting small, you can gain experience with RFID and learn how different solutions might work in your organisation in the future. An RFID expert will be able to make recommendations based on your experiences.
3 - Understand what’s important
The very basics of RFID solutions are all about data. If you aren’t receiving accurate data from your tags, then it really doesn’t matter how amazing your RFID technology is. Not all RFID technologies are created equal so choosing quality will be an essential place to start. Even better is to choose an RFID solution that’s specially designed for your industry.
Step 3 - Build trust in your proposed solution
It can be very easy to go wrong with RFID and one easy way to fail is to make assumptions. Just because a competitor has adopted RFID technology, doesn’t mean that your organisation will automatically succeed. The design of your solution, the flexibility of development and the final implementation is a unique process to you.
1 - Harness the expertise of your RFID Integrator, drawing on best practice and past experience
In addition to this, focus on the unique objectives and change management needs of adopting RFID into your organisation. RFID implementation can have an enormous impact throughout an organisation during its inception so it’s essential to manage the changes well.
2 - Invest in a ‘soft launch’
A period of time where you can gather feedback and any unforeseen impacts will allow you to make adjustments before the project is complete. Although constant refinement is key to RFID solutions, having the soft launch will allow mistakes to happen without the entire organisation grinding to a halt.
3 - Associate with industry bodies
GS1 provides standards to ensure that your business trades ‘seamlessly, efficiently and safely - both digitally and physically’. With initiatives such as deposit return schemes (DRS) and Scan4Safety, they are dedicated to creating trust in data.
Key Takeaways:
• Ensure that your RFID solution adopts a standard from an industry body such as GS1. With limited data available within a tag, make the most of it with the right information.
• Consider your future needs and scalability of your RFID solution. With the right Integrator, this discussion should form part of the process but it’s essential to consider ongoing needs and a commitment to refining your solution.
• RFID is a huge commitment and investment so getting it right is essential. Making the necessary changes after a soft launch will stop too many issues happening out of the gate.
• If a barcode solution is best for your organisation, don’t force an RFID solution. RFID is a complementary technology to barcodes and they will continue to coexist for some time to come.
Conclusion
Our best advice is to keep it simple. Start small and expand in order to fully learn how RFID works in your organisation and industry. In most cases, the simplest solution is the most effective. As we see in the retail industry, RFID is used primarily for inventory. When simple solutions prove to be advantageous, then it’s time to roll out other solutions once trust in RFID is established. Above all, when stakeholders believe in and see the benefits of RFID, you can continue to use our 3 steps to expand how RFID is used in your organisation into the future.
Get in touch with us for more information on RFID solutions and hardware. As expert providers of solutions tailored to the needs of the client, our dedicated sales team is here to help. With a wealth of experience in the barcoding industry we are perfectly positioned to assist you in your decision-making process