Barcode Quality is an attribute of supply chain optimization

Barcodes are more than ubiquitous—they are an integral component in the supply chain. As such, barcode quality is integral to supply chain performance. Barcode performance is an attribute of supply chain optimization.

Barcode quality is the province of barcode verification, and yet seldom is the business case for verification made. Those of us in the barcode quality business often equate it to risk management, and invoke the insurance model—and it is an apt comparison. But out there in the “real world” it is a hard sell to anyone except the select few who have gotten religion: those who have been fined. To almost everyone else it relegated to the realm of disbelief and “it can’t happen here”.

Well guess what: it can happen here—and it has. The myth that fines from retailers only happen to others is perpetuated by the secrecy that shrouds it when it does happen. Nobody admits it and there is virtually no other avenue down which anyone can find out who was fined and for what.

But on an industry-wide scale, often with no names mentioned, the fines can be breath-taking. In New Zealand, for example, fines in the regulated kiwi fruit industry have exceeded $280,000 for one packing house alone.

The business case for barcode quality is much broader and deeper than the cost of even a very large retailer fine. When product doesn’t reach its intended destination not only does it fail to transact with consumers, in the case of perishable goods the value is a total loss. Even relatively non-perishables won’t sell when the inventory goes where it is not needed. Add to that the shipment costs.

Barcode Quality: When barcodes fail, everybody loses

But the largest part of the total cost of the disruption to the supply chain is intangible: consumers who can’t find kiwi fruit or oranges in their grocery store blame the grocery store, not distribution/logistics. In the broken supply chain, some lose more than others, but everybody loses.

Put a conservative value on those intangible costs and add up the losses, and verification ends up being very cheap insurance. One could even make a return-on-investment case for verification, but in truth it really is an insurance/risk-management model. You get it not because you ever expect to draw on it, but just in case.

Barcode quality is very inexpensive risk management.

 

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3db Barcode Testimonial

Our company (an advanced software company) recently worked with Barcode Test to source a barcode verifier.  Not long ago, we were awarded a contract requiring products to be marked with IUIDs in accordance with MIL-STD-130.  For that standard, marking labels must pass a verification test that evaluates many variables (contrast, size, clarity, syntax, modularity, and more).  After a thorough search, we reduced our options to a select few.

In our search for a verifier, the Axicon line caught our attention.  Barcode Test is our regional reseller for this product.   From the beginning, they were very prompt with their responses.  We ended up having a quick call with John Nachtrieb to go over our needs.  John was extremely easy to work with and provided a lot of great information.  He was very knowledgeable on the matter and was quick to offer up a demo unit (free of charge).

Upon receiving the demo verifier and testing it, a few questions arose.  John joined a call with us and answered all our questions.  Ultimately, the Axicon verifier wasn’t the best fit for us, so we shipped the demo back.  John was completely understanding.  A few weeks later, Barcode Test reached back out with another possible verifier for us to try.  While they didn’t sell that brand, they just wanted to help us find the best option that met our needs. They even offered to send us the unit that they have in-house to see if it worked to our liking. 

Barcode Test is truly a great company to work with.  Their service and willingness to help the customer are far beyond what you typically get from other companies.  They are experts in barcode quality assurance and seem willing to help in any way they can (even if that means not getting a sale and recommending another option that better fits the customer’s needs).  If anyone is in the market for barcode verification/scanning services or products, I would highly recommend giving Barcode Test a call.

Regards,

Production Manager