68•


DATA MANAGEMENT


It’s all so simple…except when it isn’t S


tudies reveal that a very com- petent data entry operator will make one error per 300 key-


strokes. A mediocre operator can eas- ily make five errors per 300 keystrokes. Just five key errors per day, over a month, can have a devas- tating impact on a business. Increase the volume and you’ve got some ex- plaining to do to your customers, vendors and shareholders. Inaccurate data entry events have a negative impact on warehouse space, inventory availability, staffing, dis- tributor/supplier relationships and, of course, customer service, the very foundation of successful businesses. So what do we do about this? Start by doing the basics with ex- cellence and by not making it such a


• Eliminate every chance for human error


• Bar coding still the best • Do bar codes right


scary process. Whenever a human has to key a value, introduce scan- ning if there is a bar code. When there is no bar code, apply one. There are many affordable methods of accom- plishing this. Considering all the technology available today, bar cod- ing remains one of the most accurate, effective and time tested tools in en- abling businesses to enjoy profit, and I believe there is nothing wrong with making a profit. The important factor is to take some type of action, how- ever small that may be. Consider the following example of


bar-code technology: • The Problem. While walking


through a vendor display area at a conference, I had a conversation with a couple of guys (the supplier) who sold oil for various industries. They purchased clear plastic bottles and filled them with oil. Over time, their customers required that the bottles have bar codes, so they asked the manufacturer to embed bar codes on


the plastic bottles during the manu- facturing process. When scanners were used, however, not all of their bar codes would return a positive scanner read. • The Fix. Taking a look at their product, I could see that the fix was fairly straightforward. Some of the containers were filled with very dark


introduce scanning if there is a bar code.


Whenever a human has to key a value,


oil; the bar code blended in with the oil inside the container. The scanners they were using needed to see a strong contrast between the bar-code lines and the background. Not happening. • The Result. They asked the manufacturer to make a white back- ground part of the bar code. Then, when the containers were filled, the bar code lines contrasted strongly


•THE WHOLESALER® — JANUARY 2011


BY DAN BELANGER Special to TheWholeSaler


with the background. The supplier was then able to scan the product in at their warehouse and to track it from put away, to pick, to ship. The customer who received the product was able to realize a positive scan of the product number. The result you ask? Happy customers and — you’re right — profit!


n


Dan Belanger spends his time working with businesses across the country in the areas of warehouse space utiliza- tion, bar-code technologies, inventory control and business software systems. He can be reached at dan.btg@ gmail.com or 888/734-8599.


Friedrich AC moves to new headquarters


SAN ANTONIO — Friedrich Air Con- ditioning has moved its headquarters into 22,000 square feet of space at the Union Square II Building at 10001 Reunion Place after almost 40 years at 4200 Pan Am Expressway. The move included about 90 em- ployees engaged in management, ac- counting, marketing and sales, product management, engineering, information systems, credit, customer service, human resources and produc- tion management. In addition to the building’s light-


filled space, a new open floor plan fa- cilitates better communication. Closer proximity to San Antonio In- ternational Airport was another factor in the move, making visits to Friedrich’s headquarters much easier for customers and vendors. “This new space at Union Square


See contact information on page 98 • Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •


II allows us to consolidate our staff onto a single floor,” said CEO George Van Hoomissen. “It is mod- ern and open with design details that reflect our core business. For exam- ple, copper air conditioning coil was used as a design element of the recep- tion desk while employee work sta- tions feature cabinets with a side that emulates the outside grille of our window air conditioners. So far, we’ve received excellent feedback from our employees and visitors.” Visit www.friedrich.com.


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