Is a Barcode Testing Service Right for You?
Use a barcode testing service or buy a verifier?
Life has Tradeoffs
Like many things in life, there are tradeoffs to using a barcode testing service rather than having your own verifier. Only you can determine what is best for your company, your situation and your budget. In the past, we’ve written about the obvious benefits of using a service. In summary, they are:
- No learning curve, learning how to use a new verifier and interpret and act upon the less-than-intuitive results
- No significant initial investment and no uncertainty about whether you are getting the best verifier for your specific circumstances
- No need to hire a barcode specialist or train an existing employee to take on an additional responsibility.
Also, barcode problems are often urgent. Shipping samples to a service takes time and can be expensive—and then, how long before they respond? And how much will they charge?
Things we have Learned
Here are some things we’ve learned in 30 years of testing barcodes as a service:
ronda-dorsey on Unsplash
- Also like many things in life, things evolve. The way you initially solve a problem changes over time. Many of our initial clients still use our barcode testing service, but some have acquired their own verifiers. It is a natural progression.
- Using a testing service or acquiring a verifier is not an either/or decision. Many of our clients have a verifiers, and still use us for a range of reasons, including:
- To confirm results from their verifier.
- To provide verification during an operator absence, or while their verifier is away from annual recertification (which we do for most brands).
- To help solve a vexing barcode problem.
- To verify a barcode their device cannot accommodate.
Not everything is a Tradeoff
We cannot honestly claim to have seen it all, but over the years we have seen a lot: different barcode types, various printing and finishing methods, usual and unusual barcode problems. Our business is built on the understanding that a barcode problem is almost always an emergency. Knowing how to solve a problem is a good start, but it is not the complete solution. Solving a problem quickly can make a difference.
Using a barcode testing service, versus having your own verifier, is not necessarily a tradeoff. It is simply logical, even smart.
Questions? Comments? Contact us here.
John helps companies resolve current barcode problems and avoid future barcode problems to stabilize and secure their supply chain and strengthen their trading partner relationships.
