Problem
A local food distributor in Indianapolis, Indiana prides itself on providing high-quality, fresh food to their customers. With the large quantity of product that they distribute, keeping a detailed record of inventory is critical to business operations. In an effort to improve operations, the company invested in wireless scanners to track inventory in real-time – moving away from the manual process they had utilized for years.
However, with most of their inventory located inside industrial coolers working at extreme temperatures, the scanners struggled to make a reliable connection to the network. This made the inventory process virtually impossible, forcing the distributor to revert to the manual tracking of inventory –delaying operations and causing major setbacks in the distribution schedule.
Solution
The Blackink IT team presented a solution that would meet the needs of the food distributor, assuring them that they would be able to utilize their wireless scanners and resume digital inventory tracking again, improving operations and business outcomes.
Blackink IT began by conducting a wireless site survey, which revealed that the client’s network was outdated, and their wireless access points (WAPs) weren’t configured in a way that allowed for coverage in the coolers. Blackink then created a proof of concept and determined the most efficient locations for new WAPs. Next, Blackink determined that in enclosed areas like the storage coolers, WAPs with external antennas would increase the reliability of the scanner’s connections.
Finally, Blackink IT completed a network upgrade and performed final testing with a heat map tool to ensure that the network was optimized.
Results
Through the strategic planning, installation, and configuration of the new wireless network, the operational efficiency of the distributor increased dramatically. They now have reliable wireless connection throughout their facility, allowing them to use wireless scanners to accurately track inventory. This has freed up valuable time to focus on other areas of operation, increasing efficiency and improving product distribution.
Ready to optimize your network?
Does your organization experience network and connectivity issues that are impacting your work? At Blackink IT, our team specializes in conducting wireless site surveys to identify interference sources and create network configuration plans that get businesses back to full productivity. Interested in learning more about wireless site surveys and how Blackink can assist your organization? Receive a quote today!
