Barcode verifiers are expensive. Not having one can be a LOT more expensive. That’s the angle I usually write about, and it’s a powerful argument because it’s undeniably true and not a marketing ploy. But there is another solid, demonstrable way that verifiers pay for themselves that’s a bit less obvious but equally true.

Belief or Truth

The fact that it’s less obvious derives from false belief. It’s the belief that you buy a verifier so you can get A grades on all your barcodes. And of course you could buy a verifier to do that—and you’d need a verifier to know that you achieved it. But belief and truth are not always the same.

Just because you could doesn’t mean that you should.

Avoiding chargebacks and the collateral damage they bring is sufficient reason to buy a verifier, but there is an equally important, albeit less dramatic reason. It’s called consistency, or repeatability. A verifier gives you the ability to detect small opportunities to incrementally improve your barcode quality in pursuit of solid, repeatable acceptability. A little tweak here, a minor adjustment there, and eventually, voila, you could be getting A grades. It’s expensive to get there, and expensive to stay there, and a verifier makes it possible. But it’s wasteful and unnecessary. Your customer doesn’t need A grades and probably isn’t willing to pay extra for it. Perfection is exorbitant.

Customers want good, not great–and no surprises.

Sweet Spot, not Superb

With few exceptions, the supply chain, distribution and end users want consistently good barcodes. Good, not great. B and C grade barcodes—that’s the sweet spot. You don’t need the A-grade summit, you need the sweet spot. Your verifier can show you how get there and how to stay there, week after week, month after month.

It’s not a tricky balancing act, it’s calm control. The verification report identifies the variables and gives you control. Production knows what they want. The comptroller wants something else. Cheaper ribbon or labels may not really be a savings. A verifier shows you the difference and makes the case.

Customer loyalty is won in months and lost in a minute.

Calm Control

A map doesn’t tell  you where you are, it tells  you how to get somewhere else. A verifier tells you where you are and how to get where you want to be: predictably printing acceptable barcodes without the time and monetary cost of perfect.

Substitute “barcode testing service everywhere I said “barcode verifier”, with one exception. A barcode testing service costs much less than a verifier, and gives you much more:

• an installed, calibrated and correctly configured ready-to-use verifier
• no risk or expense of repairs from wear or damage
• no cost or inconvenience of annual factory recalibrations
• an expert technician with years of experience
• a verification report in minutes
• a detailed explanation of report results with specific suggestions for how to improve grading

Sensible Strategy

A barcode testing service can save you a lot of time and money. A perfect solution? Maybe.

It’s also a sensible strategy for finding the right verifier for your particular requirements, and finding a vendor who will help at every step, from acquisition, installation and user training to ongoing recertification and support for years. It’s a mutual commitment…

…and something to consider. Contact us here.