Of the 450 or so articles published at www.barcode-test.com,  how Barcode Test LLC (BCT) does business has not been discussed. We are a little different, and I hope you find this interesting.

Recognizing the importance of barcode quality, the testing business was established in 2010 to complement our barcode verifier sales operations.  Verifiers are expensive. We believe that a barcode testing service would be attractive to brand owners, product developers and printing businesses. As if turns out, we were right.

Barcodes fulfill an important function and that makes barcode quality important. So when there’s a barcode problem, it’s an emergency. That’s where BCT is different. We are like 911 and the local doc in a box for barcodes.

Making complicated, technical things understandable has always been a passion of mine. That’s why I wrote The Step-by-Step Guide to Barcode Quality. It explains the ISO Standards for barcode quality in plain English. Helping a customer resolve a barcode problem is similar, but always with a sense of anxiety. It’s already stressful for the caller. We respect the urgency as well.

We’re not a 24/7 call center, but when a call comes in during business hours, it gets top priority. Voicemails left outside of business hours or on weekends or holidays are considered urgent and are addressed promptly on the next business day.  Overnight barcode samples are tested within hours of arriving.

In a previous job, I started a label printing department. It was a huge success—and it was unrelenting stress, even on the best of days. On a bad day, it was crushing. That experience followed me into the barcode business.  I know what it’s like when you need answers– now.

Responding is one thing; diagnosing is another. There is a story in ancient Sanskrit about a man who was shot with a poisoned arrow. When the surgeon arrived, the man refused treatment until he was told about who shot him, the type of bow he used, what the arrow was made of and what kind of feathers were on it. Maybe interesting but unimportant to the prime objective.

Accurate diagnostics reveal the path to the solution: what to do immediately, what to do next, and eventually how to prevent future recurrence. Asking the right questions is critical:

• What is known that indicates the barcode isn’t working right?
• Is the barcode decoding inaccurately or not at all?
• Do you have a verification report?
• Barcodes are a visual technology. Is there a clear image of the barcode? That can often lead us to a good starting point.

Unless the customer asks, we never start the conversation with pricing, not because it’s unimportant, but because there is an emergency to deal with first. Our pricing is reasonable. We charge $25 to test a linear barcode and $40 for a Data Matrix or QR symbol. DPM barcodes are $75. There are additional charges for technical evaluations and reporting. Often this is not needed.

We are fortunate to have a cadre of regular customers who use us to prevent problems. They are very much appreciated, and we tell them so. But we are looking for the brand owner, packager or label printer who has a barcode problem and needs a solution. May we help you?