What are the industries using RFID for asset management?
- Hospitality
- Medical and Healthcare
- Vehicle and Transportation
Many industries nowadays are leveraging technological solutions to improve how their operations are run. And, in many cases, businesses are increasingly using one solution: RFID tracking. Specifically, they use this tech to improve assets and inventory tracking, and to keep their business processes running smoothly.
To shed some light on how these businesses are utilizing such a solution, here are the three major industries using RFID for asset management:
What is RFID for asset management?
RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is a sophisticated way of keeping track of any kind of asset — more so than barcoding and GPS systems. It’s a wireless system that uses two main components: tags and readers. Using these two parts, it uses an electromagnetic field to automatically track and identify tags attached to items.
These tags carry lines of electronically stored information, which are displayed on RFID readers when they are scanned. What sets them apart from other systems is that it stores more information than a barcoding system — and, tags can be detected up to thousands of feet away. They sure provide ease and quickness that can prove to be valuable for asset tracking.
What are the benefits of using RFID for asset management?
Unlike traditional spreadsheets and tracking systems, ELID’s RFID solutions offer a more efficient way to manage and keep track of your assets.
Our asset management solution has been designed with today’s mobile working environment in mind, to help you get the maximum use of value from any of your assets. And, by removing the need for manual entry and tracking and automating your processes, our solution reduces the chances of errors (on top of labor costs). Lastly, our solutions are cloud-based — meaning that you can access up-to-date information about your assets and inventory at any time, anywhere.
What are the major industries that use RFID for asset management?
While several other fields use this technology solution for asset tracking, here are the major industries:
Hospitality
In the hospitality industry, customer service and satisfaction are of the utmost importance — which is why leveraging new solutions to upgrade inventory and asset use is key to their success.
So, this industry has adopted RFID solutions to do just that. This technology can be implemented in several ways. The first is to, of course, keep an accurate count of assets and inventory. Hotels have plenty of things they have to manage, such as bed sheets, comforters, pillows, towels, minibar items, and more. Hotels must have an accurate count of these items at all times.
It’s also used to keep track of valuable items within their suites. Things like carpets, electronic equipment, chillers, safes, and the like are at risk of theft or damage. An RFID system helps ensure that each item is in its place and in excellent condition.
Lastly, RFID asset management systems allow the quality and promptness of customer service to improve. With RFID scanners, staff can quickly find what guests request, and deliver it to them on time. Doing so, customer satisfaction increases — and chances are they will choose to come back to your establishment.
Medical and Healthcare
There are several ways that RFID is used in the medical and healthcare industry, too. One good example is managing patient history records: patient wristbands can use RFID tags, which help the hospital or clinic keep track of the patient, the procedures and exams they go through, their current condition, and so on. Each time the RFID tag is scanned, it can also be used to update its record. This assists in improving the quality of care they receive and also ensures any crucial information concerning the patient is readily available.
RFID systems can also be used to manage the plethora of surgical tools and implements that hospitals, clinics, and laboratories use daily. Making sure these items are in the right place, cleaned, and ready for use is a time-consuming process. Luckily, RFID can be used to quickly keep track of your tools and their condition, so you know which ones need to be cleaned, sterilized, sharpened, or replaced at a moment’s notice.
Another important asset to keep track of are medicines — every hospital and clinic needs to make sure they have enough on hand at any given moment. Without adequate stocks, the worst could happen. RFID tracking systems assist these institutions to know how much medicine is left in stock, which ones will expire soon, and where each one goes. As a result, they receive up-to-date information about their inventory and make orders for more medicine promptly.
Vehicle and Transportation
Vehicles are key elements to any supply chain — and drivers must be all accounted for and on time for logistics operations to run smoothly.
The problem is that inaccurate information can cause problems with lead times, delivery schedules, and tracking. Luckily, the introduction of RFID systems into this industry has reduced this particular problem drastically.
Nowadays, RFID tags are used to keep track of any vehicle. This provides notifications when any vehicle moves out for delivery and gives real-time updates to help ensure deliveries are made on time. These real-time updates are also helpful for customers — they know when their packages will arrive and can plan accordingly.
RFID tags can also help boost security for assets within the vehicle industry. It keeps track of which employees are assigned to which vehicle and ensures that only authorized drivers are making deliveries as scheduled. It also keeps an accurate record of their working hours, fulfilled orders, overtime, and more.
On top of this, RFID can be used in a myriad of ways within this industry. This includes vehicle tracking, document tracking supply chain visibility, and goods inventory.
Key Takeaway
Regardless of how your business operates, you can see how RFID can help keep track of your assets. These major industries using RFID for asset management are excellent examples of how this technology can benefit your business.
Need more information about RFID systems? Contact ELID today. Our team can help you find the perfect tracking solution for your organization — guaranteed to increase asset management and productivity.