Barcode technology has had a positive impact on the business world.  By simplifying and speeding up data collection and enhancing the accuracy of the process, barcode technology has revolutionized market research.  However, in order to enhance business performance and optimize productivity using barcode equipment and programs, you must choose the most befitting products for your organization.  This is not a simple decision because it requires a comparative assessment of the functional attributes of the offered barcode products in relation to your specific business needs.  It’s even more complicated because you need an in-depth technical understanding of the workings of the proffered barcode equipment and software.  Luckily, barcode vendors have come up with an assistive solution to this problem.  Having worked with numerous customers over the years, established vendors have realized that business users need assistance in making this decision.  Therefore, they maintain a team of expert technicians for consultation purposes.  They will most likely ask about the following three issues.

Data Needs

If you are shopping for barcode equipment and software, you will be offered two acquisition options; rent/lease and full purchase.  Regardless of your purchase option, you must start by defining your data needs to the expert consultation team.  You will also be required to describe the type of data you want to collect and to state your intentions after collection.  Finally, you will be asked about label printing — do you have old labels or are you planning to print your own.  All these queries are meant to shed light on your data needs, preferences, and functional expectations.  For instance, if you decide to get barcode rentals, the answer to the label printing question will inform the team whether you need a standalone barcode reader or a combo barcode reader and printer.

Hardware Needs

The consultation team will explore your hardware needs next.  To ensure that you acquire the most suitable barcode equipment, the team will ask about the planned usage.  They will inquire on where the equipment will be used, outdoors or indoors, and for what, business events, industrial use, tradeshows, warehousing, seminars, or retailing.  This will help them to determine how rugged you need the equipment to be.

To assess your desired functional capabilities, such as stationary, mobile, or wireless units, you will be asked to explain your preferred data capture methodology.  Also, you need to state the scanning distance and the density of the barcodes.

Software Needs

After ascertaining your data and hardware needs, the last step is about your software needs and preferences.  The first and most crucial question is about the type of software that you will require.  Unless you are satisfied with the prepackaged, standard software, you will request for a custom program solution.  This is a very important question and you are advised to ask the expert team for advice if you are not sure.  Once again if you require additional software for terminal emulation and the barcode reader, tell the experts.  Finally, you will need to define your host system access configuration — that is the system’s interactive extent with the barcode scanners.

All this information will assist the expert team to pick the most appropriate barcode equipment and software for your data collection endeavor.