Company Updates Archives - Bar Code Depot

5 Ways to Combat Extended Lead Times

Posted on February 4, 2022February 4, 2022 by barcodedepot

5 simple ways you can combat extended lead times

An Industry Wide Issue – Extended Lead Times

Like we tell all of our customers the laughable 10-12 week lead times are industry-wide. As a vendor, it kills us to tell our customers that it’s going to take months to get them their product. Something that didn’t seem possible just a few years ago but here we are in 2022 and really with no end in sight it feels we might feel these supply chain woes for the unseeable future. However, we are finding ways around extended lead times and wanted to share them in this article.

1. Repairs

Instead of buying new data collection equipment and waiting months to receive it. We have been recommending repairing your current data collection equipment. This way you are saving money and getting your equipment back within just a few days.

2. Refurbished

Another easy way to combat extended lead times is by buying refurbished data collection equipment. We keep many popular models from all manufacturers in stock and can ship the same day. This had been a popular option for many of our customers who simply cant wait weeks/months for their equipment.

3. Renting

Usually a method we see around the end of the year for inventory or keeping up with demand. Renting data collection equipment is another way to get around extended lead times. Whether you need barcode scanners, mobile printers, or mobile computers we are confident we can find what you need.

4. Ordering in Advance

One thing we ask our customers is to let us know what data collection equipment they need in advance so we can get it ordered ASAP. That way they get the equipment when they need it and not when they absolutely have to have it. So planning in advance by talking with your vendor early in the process can make both your life and the vendor’s life easier.

5. Find Alternatives

A lot of times customers will order a product they previously had or the newer version if discontinued. This is fine but a lot of times by simply finding an alternative manufacturer you can avoid long lead times. Not all manufacturers make their products overseas so they can get their products out much faster. So by simply shopping around and doing your homework, you can find different alternatives and get them much faster.

Conclusion

We hope these 5 alternatives will help you combat those pesky extended lead times. We don’t think these supply chain issues will get better anytime soon but now that you know how to get around them feel free to contact us anytime and we’ll be happy to help you in a number of ways.

Mental Health in the Workplace

Posted on May 11, 2021May 11, 2021 by barcodedepot

Mental Health Overview

Mental Health might be an uncomfortable subject to address especially in the workplace but it’s one that can’t be ignored. More than ever it’s important to understand what is mental health, what are the signs of poor mental health, and remedies to help alleviate poor mental health. MentalHealth.gov defines mental health as our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects the way we think, act, and feel. If we are not careful, bad mental health can slowly erode all happiness in our lives. That’s why it’s important to pay close attention to the signs of bad mental health. Eating or sleeping irregularly, lack of interest in hanging with friends or family, and having low energy are just some of the signs of bad mental health. Have you taken the time to consider the state of your mental health? It does take some self-awareness to step back and realize your own mental health issues. I know for me personally, I’ve never really given it much thought I think it’s easier to look at someone else’s issues than realize my own. But after some reflection, I realized my own mental health issues I struggle with and now I’m more self-aware and know how to handle those issues. That being said, considering everything we have been through as a society in the last year with the Covid-19 pandemic I think it puts even more stress on the issue of mental health.

“Mental Health… is not a destination, but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you’re going.” – Noam Shpancer, Ph. D

I think we all struggle with certain mental issues that’s just part of being human, but if they become a pattern, I think that’s when we should be concerned. Luckily, there are remedies like getting outside and going for a walk, playing with your kids, getting adequate sleep, whatever makes you happy you owe it to yourself to do those things. Your happiness should come first before everything. We only have one shot at this life might as well spend it being happy.

Mental Health in the Workplace

The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly added fuel to the fire when it comes to mental health in the workplace. According to a recent survey by the American Psychiatric Association, 62% of Americans feel more anxious than they did in 2019. While that may come as no surprise given all the social issues thrown on top of a global pandemic we’re currently in it’s no wonder Americans are more anxious. Consequently, bad mental health can have adverse effects on employee production including; job performance, communication with coworkers, and engagement with one’s work. One way for employers to mitigate this issue is by implementing a “check-in” system. This would entail a supervisor/ manager to “check-in” with their individual team members every two weeks or once a month to see how they are doing from a mental health standpoint. This tactic will allow the employer to detect early signs of bad mental health that can hinder that employee’s job performance. If a supervisor/manager can determine whether or not an employee has signs of bad mental health then they can take the appropriate steps to make sure it doesn’t poorly affect their job performance.

Solutions to Overcoming Poor Mental Health

To solve an issue you have to be aware one exists. I think that plays a large role in solving mental health issues. Many cases of poor mental health go unseen or unnoticed until it becomes a problem that might have been avoided if it were known when it first began. I believe if we are all more aware of the signs of poor mental health then we all can help combat the severity of it. We’ve mentioned several signs of poor mental health and we even mentioned several remedies to help conquer mental illness but let’s dig a little deeper into how to avoid poor mental health altogether. First, avoid workplace drama/gossip, I believe this is a huge contributor to poor mental health. As humans, we are very social creatures and we care about how other people perceive us. A lot of times we get caught up in the webs of what “he said, she said” and I think this can put a lot of stress on us as individuals. Ultimately, avoiding workplace gossip/drama will greatly improve your mental health. Try it for yourself and see your mental health improve.

Secondly, make micro-goals for yourself, at work but also in your daily life as well. I know for me personally, I’m a goal-driven individual so I love setting goals whether they’re micro or macro. It’s important to see progress with whatever you’re working on whether it be a large project or just a daily task. Too often people work on a big project and dedicate a lot of time and effort to something and don’t see the end result whether it is their fault or not. This can lead to resentment and lack of interest in work because you’re not seeing the “fruits of your labor”. But by setting these micro-goals will help you see progress in whatever you’re doing to help affirm your time and effort is meaningful.

Conclusion

In conclusion, mental health is a growing concern in the workplace. Often times the hardest part is recognizing the signs of poor mental health. Luckily, there are remedies to help alleviate the severity of the effects of poor mental health. Employers should implement “check-in” systems to occasionally check on their employees to evaluate their mental state. This will help employees know their employer care’s about them as well as help mitigate any mental illness detected at the preliminary stages. It’s important for individuals that have poor mental health to practice the previously mentioned remedies of setting micro-goals to help with gaining a feeling of accomplishment to help with their mindset. Practicing this on a daily basis should show positive outcomes which in turn will greatly help your overall mental health. Now that you are more educated on this ever-growing subject make sure to look for the symptoms of poor mental health in your fellow colleagues and to always check in on them periodically.

Sources:

Celebrating 25 Years of Superior Service!

Posted on March 3, 2021March 8, 2021 by barcodedepot

2021 marks an important milestone for Bar Code Depot as we celebrate 25 years in business. As we think back to all the great memories over the years, we reflect on our valuable customers and our relationships with them that have gotten us to where we are today. When Bar Code Depot was founded in 1996 by Gary Hardesty, he was only 35. Still, he had a vision for a service company that would put the customer first. 25 years later, Bar Code Depot has helped thousands of customers with either repairs, refurbs, or new equipment sales.

“We truly care for every single one of our customers. We try to put them at the center of everything we do.”
– Gary Hardesty,
President

We understand our customers have a choice to work with whoever they like, and they choose to work with us, and for that, we are truly grateful. We are delighted when we find a customer that has worked with other companies like ours in the past, and they tell us they feel valued and important when they work with us.

There have been multiple situations throughout our existence as a company that have tested us like last year with COVID-19. 2020 was filled with uncertainty and it was definitely an unprecedented year with ever-changing challenges that made every company have to pivot in their decision making. Luckily, we made it through and we feel that we are even stronger now as a company for facing these challenges. We were lucky to be considered an essential company helping the supply chain thrive. As you already know last year was a chaotic nightmare for most logistics companies as people scrambled for necessities like toilet paper and cleaning products.

Superior Service in Practice

One part of being a customer-centric company like Bar Code Depot is we are always thinking of ways to separate ourselves from the competition from a customer experience standpoint. Last year, we made our own in-house hand sanitizer made from essential oils to send to our customers. We also thoroughly cleaned equipment before and after it came into our lab. We are constantly trying to deliver peace-of-mind to our customers.

We understand warehouse managers and warehouse professionals, in general, are under a lot of pressure to make sure their warehouses are running at maximum efficiency. Our goal is to help alleviate some of that pressure by giving them the peace-of-mind that their equipment will be repaired right the first time and on time. We understand our customers rely on our expertise in certain areas, so they know we are always just one call away no matter the time.

As we look forward to serving our customers for another 25 years we reflect on our previous successes and even failures to learn how to better serve future generations of warehouse professionals. We hope you will be apart of our future and we look forward to serving you soon.

Importance of Warehouse Workers During Holiday Season

Posted on December 10, 2020December 10, 2020 by barcodedepot

Over the past decade we have witnessed an utter revolution in how the retail sector operates. And warehouse workers – once a small part of the process, an almost anonymous waypoint – are now perhaps the focal point of our entire commercial economy.

With that understanding, it is perhaps more important than ever to ensure optimal conditions for warehouse workers, especially during the all-important holiday season – when supply-chain solutions can make or break retail pursuits.

Doubt it?

Understand that the trend of consumers purchasing goods straight from online sources, already accelerating in the late half of the 2010s, has positively exploded over the past year – gaining particular speed in 2020 thanks to pandemic conditions that encouraged many to shop from the relative safety of home.

The numbers alone are staggering…

According to recently published data at Business Insider, warehouse and storage jobs in the United States have doubled since 2010, reaching 1.27 million such posts in October 2020. There were just 629,000 such positions in 2010.

And while the holiday season always saw an increase in warehouse workers, this year’s growth proved positively volcanic, as Business Insider reported that transportation and warehousing industries added 108,200 jobs in October 2020 alone. Those additions represented a 198 percent growth over October 2019.

When you take into account that predictions of US online holiday sales will reach $189 billion – a 33 percent increase from 2019 – it is easy to see just how important warehouse workers have become to the financial wellbeing of our economy.

If warehouse workers are not able to do their jobs with precision, speed and safety, you can expect to absorb a significant hit during the holiday season, which could, in turn, prove fatal to your bottom line.

So, how do you ensure optimal standards for both your facility and warehouse employees?

In 2020, there are certainly more challenges than ever in successfully answering that question.

The good news is that there are some steps that you can take that still apply, no matter the situation, to streamline your operation and to keep your warehouse employees both efficient and satisfied in their work – factors that will most certainly lead to short- and long-term success.

Workplace safety is always a concern – even before the Covid-19 pandemic, warehouse workers were injured at a significantly higher rate than employees in other industries due to the nature of the job, including repetitive motions and interaction with heavy machinery, numbers that always rose during the increased demand of holiday season. And with your focus placed on avoiding physical setbacks, a factor only made more difficult by the precautions enforced on all of us by a global pandemic, it may be easy to overlook other factors which can make a huge difference in your operations. This includes some rather basic steps that should always be the bedrock of your set-up.

For instance, the equipment at use in the supply-chain industry also absorbs a lot of wear and tear. And if your scanners, printers and RF terminals are not ready for the increased workload that the holidays bring, your employees will be behind the proverbial curve from the get-go.

That could mean that older equipment needs replacing or repairing, or it could mean that you simply do not have enough equipment to handle the increased workload. Or you could also face an equipment breakdown in the midst of the holiday rush, leaving your employees stuck and unable to complete their jobs without significant stress.

These are situations that require instant solutions. And when you are under the gun of the holiday rush, your warehouse employees need to know that they can count on whatever replacements or repairs that are required.

If you find yourself in this situation, Bar Code Depot is ready to help – immediately. Our knowledgeable and experienced staff knows the supply-chain industry inside and out. And we have grown right alongside it, supplying whatever equipment needs our clients require and all with a commitment to customer service that is second to none.

Whether you require the purchase of new equipment or need to repair and/or refurbish the technology you already have on hand, Bar Code Depot is ready to lend a hand and ensure a smooth operation during your busiest weeks and months. All of our technical staff have worked for original equipment manufacturers such as Datalogic, Motorola and Honeywell/LXE, and thus they can provide manufacturer-level aid in-house at a fraction of the cost while also providing both speed and precision.

As important as the warehouse employee has become to the retail sector, they are employees that are also beholden to the equipment that they utilize. Bar Code Depot can help you ensure that they are always able to conduct their jobs efficiently and successfully.

COVID-19 Update

Posted on March 27, 2020September 29, 2020 by barcodedepot

Bar Code Depot Customers,

Our team has closely monitored the global situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. As we all know, the global supply chain and logistics both within the United States as well as globally are critical and essential services to defeat this crisis.

With that, Bar Code Depot is continuing to offer quality repairs and refurbished equipment for the foreseeable future. We realize that now, more than ever, providing rapid turnaround times on all of the equipment we service at the best price and quality possible is what you need to keep your organizations – and our country – running.

In order to prevent cross-contamination of items, we’re working to keep all materials clean during repairs as well as our staff workstations. Our priority is to keep both our team – as well as yours – safe and to be part of ensuring our country’s supply chain continues to run as smoothly as possible.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those involved in this crisis. We would just remind you to stay calm and we’ll get through this together.

Gary Hardesty & the Team at Bar Code Depot