Using Intelligent Cabinets to Improve Mobile Workflow Efficiencies and Device Availability
Keeping workers outfitted with the right mobile devices and making sure devices are available, charged, and in optimal working order can be a big challenge, particularly in busy enterprise operations where dozens or even hundreds of devices are in use during a shift or workday.
If workers can’t find or locate devices when they need them, and if they’re not charged or aren’t updated and working properly, then suddenly your workflows can come to a halt. If devices are lost, damaged or stolen, then it’s not just a matter of productivity or efficiency hit; it can be a big hit to your bottom line as well.
These are some of the biggest reasons why many companies are now investing in Zebra Intelligent Cabinets to track, protect, manage and distribute their Zebra mobile computers, tablets, barcode scanners and other devices.
Zebra Intelligent Cabinets allow anywhere from 5 to 100 devices to be securely stored, charged, monitored and managed in a single cabinet. Each cabinet contains one or more device racks and docks, and there are different configuration options including an available “stadium-style” cabinet design that helps maximize capacity by creating multiple rows where devices are neatly seated and docked next to each other. You can also use single- or double-shelf racks within the cabinet depending on your capacity needs.
The docks charge and secure devices while an on-screen indicator and an optional tablet-style display outside the cabinet show the status and charging progress of each device. There’s also an optional cabinet lock, and the docks include cradle locks to lock devices while they’re being charged.
Zebra’s Access Management System adds another layer of security by tracking and monitoring each device and requiring authorized users to sign into each device in order to use it. If no authorized login occurs, the device is digitally locked, and an alert is immediately issued to supervisors or IT staff.
However, some of the biggest values of Zebra Intelligent Cabinets is how much they can improve workflow efficiencies and optimize user time by having one place where all your devices are stored and where authorized users can access them whenever needed. Since workers can all return devices to one place, where each device is docked, locked, and charged, they can retrieve devices from this same, convenient location.
This is a great way to put an end to devices going missing because there’s no unified process or system of signing them out and returning them. And it is also a great way to prevent costly losses, theft or damage from devices getting into the wrong hands or turning up missing and needing to be replaced.
Using Zebra’s Intelligent Cabinets, you can accelerate workers’ access to devices at the start or end of shifts, avoid manual distribution that can slow things down, and make sure that devices are fully charged when they need to be used. Using the optional digital cabinet display or the companion app, supervisors and workers can see the status and charging level of any device, so they can understand which devices are ready to go at a moment’s notice.
Additionally, Zebra’s cabinets are designed to work seamlessly with Zebra’s device management tools such as Zebra’s VisibilityIQ and Zebra OneCare services for device monitoring, tracking, management and support. As devices are stored or in use, these services track them and automatically detect if there are potential issues that could impact performance for users, such as slow network connectivity, software or firmware updates that haven’t been installed, and other problems.
By combining all-in-one storage, charging and security solution with proactive device management to monitor hardware and battery health, your IT staff can make sure devices are in optimal working condition and they’re ready to allocate and use whenever you need them. And this means you can optimize user time and make sure your workers have all the digital mobile tools they need to do their jobs without wasting valuable time searching for devices only to find that they’re missing, not charged, or not updated and ready to use.
To learn more about Zebra Intelligent Cabinets, how they work, and how they can help you solve common mobile device distribution and management headaches, download our fact sheet and contact our team at Ahearn & Soper. We’ll be happy to answer any of your questions, provide pricing, and help you determine if these cabinet solutions are right for your business.
Contact us now through our website or call us at 800-263-4258 to get started.
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