Businesses staying on top with RFID05 May 2006
Having had the benefits of migrating to broadband fully ingrained in their psyches, technologically minded business managers are now looking for new equipment and systems to give them an edge in competitive markets.
One such technology is radio frequency identification (RFID), which - according to a new survey by telecoms analyst PMP Research - is turning more and more business heads owing to the advantages offered by such tailored content management solutions.
Once RFID devices and receivers are in place (otherwise known as tags and transponders), data can be easily transmitted between them, meaning that stock can be efficiently tracked and traced at the same time.
And according to the research, RFID systems are being earmarked the most by financial and accounting firms as technology that could have a positive impact on business performance, with three-quarters predicting that its importance will grow considerably over the next year.
Use it
While originally promoted as an alternative to bar coding when it was developed in the 1980s, RFID has become more attractive because of its increased data capacity and no line-of-sight requirements.
The technology is currently used in a wide variety of forms and industries including:
- Credit and debit cards.
- Smart cards, such as Oyster cards for London commuters.
- Talking prescriptions for blind people.
- Library book recall services.
- Container tracking.
Honourable mention
The survey by PMP also revealed that it is not just RFID that small firms are considering investing in, with other internet based-technologies also on the agenda.
Nine out of ten company managers see self-service portals - which allow employees to check financial data and other details online in real-time - as a key technology for the future, yet further proof that more and more day to day office features are being migrated to the internet.
Other online content management solutions such as document management and imaging software are also seemingly growing in popularity. Data storing facilities such as document management solutions are increasingly important and useful in order to comply with government regulations concerning the storage of financial and sensitive data. Business leaders worried about their current data storing setup could Datasure Online PC Backup from BT.
However, amid all the new technologies, small businesses managers still believe that the best way to improve business productivity is to enhance internal processes, which are the biggest recognised cause of workplace inefficiency - ranking higher than lack of training, excessive government regulations and even a lack of resources.
The needs of individual firms can be catered for with products from BT such as Teleworker and Remote Access Pack, which can improve the efficiency of homeworkers in small companies.
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