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Radio frequency identification (RFID) isn’t new, but it’s still a new application for many different verticals across the channel. While some businesses have been eager and interested to adopt the technology, it has overall been a difficult sell for many other end-users.
Encouraging customers to buy into a new technology is always a challenge, but why has RFID been such an uphill battle? The technology is sound, the benefits are there, and the cost has dropped considerably in the last few years to accommodate a wide range of applications and purchasing options.
It turns out, there are a few different factors that could be affecting how receptive your customers are to buying RFID solutions for their business.
The Price Still Isn’t Right
When RFID burst onto the scene as an upgrade from barcode technology, it seemed too good to be true – and for most end-users, it was. It was the flashy new technology, and it had a flashy price tag to go along with it that deterred all but the most dedicated businesses from even giving it a chance.
Although the benefits of RFID and the data it can collect is certainly invaluable, the overall cost of implementation still remains a large barriers. Barcodes are cheap and easy to print. They’re everywhere. They get the job done. Your customer may be wowed by your RFID solution when they see it in action at a trade show, but if you can’t justify the expense of overhauling an entire system that isn’t broken, you’re going to struggle to make the sale.
The biggest cost incurred from adopting RFID into most industries isn’t from the tags themselves, however. It’s the readers. RFID could revolutionize a warehouse, provide high level, usable data, and make the lives of employees much easier – the possibilities and benefits are all there. But you’ll have to likely still have to overcome a customer’s realization that buying new RFID-enabled scanners for a warehouse is a luxury move they don’t feel they can afford.
Some industries may be softer sells on the matter than others, depending on their priorities. Healthcare is already embracing the simplicity RFID provides, because it’s proven to cut down on the chaos and improve patient care. High-end retail establishments are coming around to it, because their inventory capabilities are limited, and the technology allows them to stay on top of orders, tracking, and restocking. Research your customers’ industries and determine whether or not RFID will likely be seen as a necessity for success or a luxury upgrade they may not need.
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