Mobile Devices: The Multi-Million Dollar Problem And The Fix

By Mike Grosberg, chief operating officer, Global Technology Systems
Originally published on RIS News and used with permission

The introduction of new technologies is essential for efficiency in business today, but these technologies often impact the bottom line in ways that aren't expected. The retail industry's complete dependence on mobile devices is a prime example. Today's large chains have an average of 60 wireless devices per store, ranging from barcode scanners and portable printers to handheld computers and mobile POS systems, all of which are critical for daily operations.

While these devices have reaped big dividends in worker efficiency and mobility, they also require constant maintenance, which in turn requires businesses to spend huge amounts of money on service contracts. These contracts are certainly necessary to protect the investments that have been made in mobility, but many retailers don't have a handle on the underlying factors that drive the price. For example, when a device is sent to the depot, but a problem can't be identified, the device is returned No Trouble Found or "NTF". When this happens – which it often does – the retailer is responsible for paying the shipping each way, call desk fees, diagnostic fees and more. NTFs are viewed by most as an unavoidable price that must be paid for mobility, but what is the actual cause?

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