5 RFID Implementation Tips

Sometimes the notion of implementing an RFID tracking system can seem more difficult than it really is. Naturally, anything new and different looms much larger in the mind than in practice. Transitioning from paper to digital records is no exception. We've drawn on our collective experience in helping customers implement the Idencia concrete tracking system to offer tips gleaned from best practices we have seen and encouraged.

I sat down with Tracy Johnson, Idencia VP-Customer Experience, and Adam Vanikiotis, Customer Liasion, and we tasked ourselves with offering 5 tips:

1. Start simple

The first rule of thumb for any project, follow the KISS method (Keep It Simple, Stupid!). This definitely applies here and this is what we always tell our new customers. Consider the primary reason you decided to engage in product tracking and focus on solving that problem first. Once that is accomplished your team is familiar with the process and is therefore better able to apply tracking to other applications without a steep learning curve. We have one prospect that refers to this as 'RFID Lite'... perfect! They will be setting their system up to record inventory counts. Their long game is to integrate physical inventory counts into their ERP system but the first step is the very simple process of recording inventory.

2. Develop a clear objective

This is Tracy's mantra and is actually the core of starting simple. A clear objective around a simple process makes it much easier for everyone involved to center in the purpose and focus on the process. This is why the 'RFID Lite' concept our prospect suggested is so appealing. The objective is quite clear: record inventory.

3. Engage entire team from the start

This one is from Adam. In the course of his work as Customer Liaison, he is often contacted by line people who have questions that may not have been asked if they had been involved in the training from the start. We see our role as providing answers to these questions... through customer support and self-help materials... but Adam sees clearly how the customer can save time by involving all stakeholders in the training from the start.

4. Devote a little time every day

Another gem from Adam. A little work every day in implementation is much more effective and efficient than intermittent work that involves occasional times of intense concentration. We have developed Idencia to conform to the customer's work flow (instead of the customer learning a new system) but this still involves some change in work practices. A little work every day on implementation is much more effective for learning and establishing the new habits required.

5. Just do it!

Tracy offers Nike's advice. Better to begin a process that may yield 75% of what you ultimately want than suffer from paralysis by analysis. This is harder than it might appear because it is human nature to want a perfect outcome associated with one's work. However, Tracy has seen that the best outcomes are produced from trial, error and adjustment. Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn has stated: "If you're not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you've launched too late." Successful projects always require user feedback as an integral element of development.

We've learned from our own trials, errors and adjustments in the implementation services we offer and have reconstructed our program accordingly. We've learned that we can provide better service at less cost... and therefore better implementation at a lower price to our customers... by offering a guided, self-learning program. We're quite excited about this and will be debuting Idencia 101 (as we've aptly named it!) to new customers starting January 7, 2019.

If you want to learn more, please click below. New year, better value!