Highlights from Connect NOW 2010
Held at the
A number of industry firsts…
Apple
Toshiba TEC unveiled the Canadian debut of the 2ST, the industry’s first two sided printer capable of printing two labels at once or printing on the backside of the liner. Thereby saving time and when printing on the liner, a lot of trees.
Motorola showed the ES400, it’s latest ruggedized smartphone with built-in scanner and Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system.
Portable Intelligence, a qdata spin off, the industry’s first sales force automation tool designed for the iPad which drew much attention.
We had some great presentations and lessons learned…
Dicom Courier along with Intermec presented their case study on how he deployed proof of delivery to their 400 plus drivers. And along the way how they dramatically drove costs out of their business through automation.
Grand and Toy along with Psion Teklogix talked about their deployment of wireless technologies for their warehouse and the substantial benefits they enjoyed through real time updating and bar coding.
Rosenau and Motorola teamed up together to deliver a great presentation around best practises for deployment of field technologies for their 200 drivers. In the process qdata received a gift from Rosenau in appreciation for the work we did in support of their project.
Carolyn Waldo, CTV sports broadcaster and gold medal Olympian talked about how she faced and embraced her fears to become tremendously successful both in the pool and out.
And most of all we connected and had some fun…
Thank you customers and partners for making the event an awesome success!
Jeff Lem, President qdata inc.
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Friday, May 28, 2010
Why Connect NOW 2010 Matters
With 200 end user customers coming, we’re close to being ‘sold out’. And the reason is simple: CONNECTING.
Some of our attendees so far include the following companies Coca Cola, BMO, CIBC, Nestle, Home Hardware, Air Canada, Purolator, TELUS, The Miller Group, Longo's, Russell Metals, and Indigo to name a few.
We’re also featuring two keynotes, the first from Carolyn Waldo Olympic Synchronized Swimmer Champion & CTV Sports Broadcaster who will give an inspiring talk about owing your personal podium and the second from Motorola’s David Green who will talk about how green technologies such as mobility can be spun into gold.
If that is not enough we’ve got a special presentation from Apple Canada on the future of iPhone and iPad it’s affect on business and we have exhibit tables with products and representatives from key technology partners Motorola, Intermec, Psion Teklogix, and Zebra. If you’re interested in best practices – then hear from our customers how they’ve taken these technologies and generated real paybacks and benefits.
Finally, the cost: FREE to registered guests.
Register below with my VIP pass code: CONNECTJEFF
http://www.qdata.com/connectnow2010/
See you at the Paramount Conference Centre in
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Friday, April 09, 2010
Go West Young Man! – QDATA Open Houses April 12 -16
At qdata one of our goals this year is to make more face to face connections with our customers. So in the Year of the Relationship, as we’re calling it, we’re embarking on a cross country road show April 12 to 16 with stops in
This mini-trade show will highlight some of the latest mobile technologies and also our service capabilities as each of those offices are fully equipped to provide service work and fast turnaround. One of the big reasons customers choose us is because we’ve invested in the infrastructure to support your investment in mission critical barcode and wireless technologies. The internet in all its power still doesn’t offer a way of physically repairing equipment however a bricks and mortar investment can.
Why the investment on our part? Simple because if your scanners are not on, then it’s very likely you’re not making money. Those offices are in essence your service guarantee that we're keeping your Scanners On!
Look forward to seeing you next week.
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Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Connect NOW 2010 June 8
We’re just putting together the final speakers and vendor showcases for Connect NOW, our annual customer event. As last year, this event is all about mobility and how solutions from our industry are allowing customers to extend the reach of their ‘real time eyes and ears’ to the four corners of their geographic markets.
And like last year we expect this year to be an equal if not bigger success. It will be a success because It is not just an exhibition of wireless technologies but features case studies, customer presentations and supplier keynotes that will inform and inspire on how you can ‘Own your Podium”. It’s also about partnering with qdata to get best of breed both in AIDC technology and processes.
We are in the golden age of mobility. This means wireless technologies are no longer just found in the warehouse; it’s on the truck, in the store, in restaurant, on the street and in your homes. So it’s about extending your reach of information wherever and whenever.
Mobility is going to change our lives in ways we’re just starting to understand and Connect NOW 2010 is an important information stop providing you with the roadmap and destination points leading to your business success.
This year we’ve assembled the best that the industry has to offer. Under one roof we have representatives from Motorola, Intermec, Zebra, and Psion-Teklogix to name a few. Also in attendance will be customers like you; looking to stay informed, share best practices and experiences.
See on June 8th - after all it would not be the AIDC event of the year without you.
https://secure.qdata.com/ConnectNOW2010/register.asp
Use PromoCode CONNECTJEFF for free registration
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Sunday, March 28, 2010
Motorola Partner Event Update - Las Vegas March 6-8th 2010
Having just returned from the annual Motorola partner conference in
1. Partner Program Integration. Motorola has officially consolidated all their channel partners such as qdata under one program. What this means to the end user is greater access to all of Motorola’s products and services. Bar coding partners will still have to get certifications in order to resell, say broadband products like mesh or canopy, but the process of applying and getting certified will be easier and with less red tape. Also being all under one roof from a partner perspective means it’s now easier for partners from different specialties to engage one another.
2. Deal Registration. A contentious area for sure, deal registrations seeks to identify those partners who offer the best Motorola value add for any particular deal and through that process provide that partner will additional discounts and privileges. Will this lessen competition? I don’t think so but what it’s telling the channel is to focus on those deals where you have a good shot of winning and don’t compete on price alone. For the end user at least on the larger deals over $50K, it means better more skilled partners will be bidding for your business and ultimately you’ll have a better bar code implementation.
3. Motorola Solution Certification. Motorola wants to identify those partners whose solutions are best of breed. In this regard they are putting renewed emphasis on their Motorola Validated solution program. While qdata’s inventory control solutions have long been validated, the consolidation of the partner channel requires a way of sorting and identifying the best solution sets. In doing so it will allow Motorola Channel managers from across North America to recommend solutions to their customers with a great deal of confidence. This represents a huge opportunity for resellers to rapidly expand their geographic footprint beyond their traditional markets.
4. Advanced Services. Motorola has recognized that some of their products require services that are beyond the expertise of the reseller community. So they are rolling out a whole set of professional services that will allow partners to complement their services with that of Motorola’s. As a result, customers can now completely outsource the installation, management, and service of their wireless networks. These services include basic project implementation to hosting, on-going monitoring, and remote device management.
5. RFID. I took in an update seminar on RFID and I applaud the efforts of Motorola’s John Rommel who took it on the chin for extolling the payback virtues of RFID. Like many other resellers, qdata invested heavily in the technology 5 years ago when then Symbol (now Motorola) told us to prepare for the onslaught of this new technology. Well we all know what happened. Walmart has since quietly shelved RFID opting instead for green projects and cutting costs while the Department of Defense has shifted RFID compliance to item level tracking. So where is RFID today? As Rommel explained the payback is in two areas: asset tracking markets like aerospace and data centers and the second is high end retail. RFID costs have fallen dramatically but for supply chains, where RFID was first promoted, it is pretty much a dead story until the technology itself improves.
The event was likely my best Motorola channel event ever. Great networking and a good general update on the industry. Like all the participants, I’m honored to part of this industry; we are entering the golden age of mobility with our industry at the epicenter. Wireless combined with the internet is revolutionizing the way we work and play – big changes are happening and qdata not only has front row seats but we’re playing in the band.
Here’s to Scanners On in a big way!
Posted By: Jeff Lem @ 7:57:09 PM
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Owning the Podium – Lessons Learned for Business
Today I’m ‘officially’ travelling to our
Unofficially I’m taking my son, visiting my sister, and taking in several Olympic events. And like all Canadians I’m very proud of our athletes (win or lose) and the great job the City of Vancouver has done – after all not everyone can pull off, as Barnum and Bailey called it, the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’.
The media has made much of our boast to Own the Podium and how athletes from other countries have used it as motivation to beat us at these games. That we never heard from other countries about our goal being a little cocky (to say the least) attests to a simple rule – never insult your host unless you want a cold dinner. For me I love that goal and I’m glad our Olympic Committee had the courage to put it out there because it ignited my interest in these games and more importantly generated a level of pride and confidence across our country that I’ve never seen before.
However what are the lessons learned for business? Many companies including qdata boast about being: the leader, the best, the most innovative, best in customer service, etc. And while
So what does Owning the Podium look like for business?
- written references from customers with actual numbers to support any claims
- measurements of customer service such as response time, days outstanding, and ratio of open vs resolved cases
- percent of business from existing customers
- customer survey results
- on time delivery percentages
- returns as a percent of sales orders
- # of lost customers per year
- # of new customers per year
- training hours as a percent of hours worked
- R&D dollars as a percentage of profits
- single digit employee turnover
- year over year growth and profitability
- a solid balance sheet
- metrics and bonuses in place that monitor and reward the above
- a vision and rallying point for the company
Getting those numbers and vision right for me means Owning the Podium.
And while we’re not ‘gold’ in all categories yet, we’re tracking them and improving on them meaning we’re on the podium in more than our fair share of deals.
So here’s to our athletes and the City of
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Saturday, January 23, 2010
Key Trends for 2010
Welcome to 2010! I came up with these six key AIDC trends this year:
Healthcare & RFID
Our industry has traditionally not had a big footprint in Healthcare. Our successes were limited to providing printers and media to support labeling applications. However we’re now seeing increased interest in streamlining procurement processes to improving inventory control. I believe this has a lot to do with hospital administrators realizing that their current supply chain practises can no longer support the increased workload associated with an aging population and government bureaucrats telling hospitals to start reducing costs – in all areas. This is why in 2010 RFID will play a leading role in helping hospitals become more efficient. Where bar code scanning is basically one scan one person we’re now designing RFID systems for hospitals that don’t require a front line hospital worker ie. nurse or doctor to do any scanning. Instead data capture (part #, serial number, lot #) all happens as they perform their work. Where the bar code did little to make inroads into healthcare – RFID will be that break through technology this year.
Government RFP
We’re seeing a plethora of RFPs this year from all sectors of government. Stimulus money started working its way into the system late 2009 and I expect this continue through 2010.
Rise of the Smartphone Application
We’re going to see lots of apps for Smartphones as opposed for just ruggedized PDAs. Two forces are driving this trend. First is cost. Everyone gets one with their cell phone plan – so the cost of adding business applications will be minimal. The second is increasing technological sophistication of these devices. These devices have email, word processing, spreadsheet, and internet access. Combined with a camera, GPS, and WiFi radios – who needs a notebook anymore? And a third factor is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security who are clamping down on carry-on luggage. This is prompting a lot of business travelers to simply leave their notebooks in the office.
Collaboration in the Supply Chain
Companies are wary of big ERP systems and their ability to make their supply chain more efficient. Memories of big cost overruns, customization charges and extended time frames are still very fresh in CIO’s minds. So instead it’s a return to a best of bread breed approach with emphasis on integration. Yes they’re buying individual solution sets but CIOs are now expecting supply chain collaborators to have integration built-in.
Return of the bolt on Warehouse Management System for Legacy Systems
A lot of companies are still running legacy warehouse management systems with old telnet or batch based data collection front ends. With distribution facilities wary of adding head count; they’re now looking for an edge from technologies such as voice picking and RFID. And software features such as concurrent serialization/lot#/best before tracking and smart replenishment. As a result companies will start looking to replace their data collection front with technology that runs on better equipment and can support more sophisticated warehouse practices.
Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliance
One of the requirements concerns in-store wireless networks. Retailers will have no choice but to upgrade their WiFi networks to the PCI standard which requires the replacement of older but unfortunately in many cases, still good 802.11 b/g networks. The requirement basically states that stores with external facing IP addresses must pass a network security scan every 90 days and only PCI compliant equipment can do this. Retailers not meeting PCI Compliance face very large monthly fines in the thousands and additional charges if their networks get comprised (not to mention bad press). Right now we’re very busy helping retailers become PCI Compliant this year.
All told it will be a very busy year for industry. Here’s to Scanners On in 2010!
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Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Why 802.11n Should be on your Shopping List in 2010
While our industry has not announced yet any 802.11n products in the form of handheld computers here are the compelling reasons why this upgrade makes sense.
1) Faster. 802.11n will transmit at speeds up to 160M bps and offers better methods of encoding, support for QOS (quality of service) and support for MIMO (multiple input and multiple output) which improves reception for wireless devices equipped with multiple antennae.
2) Support for 802.11a, b, g. Now you can have ONE network supporting both 5 GHz and 2.45 GHz. This standard also supports QOS tagging meaning packets requiring priority such as voice or audio will work a lot better under this new standard. Think of high definition TV signals now being sent over the WiFi reliably and creating lots of opportunities for in store promotions and other applications requiring compelling picture quality.
3) Capacity. It’s all about bandwidth. Now you move voice, data, and video onto the same network without worrying so much about robbing Peter to pay Paul when it comes to adding more applications and users onto the wireless network.
4) Coverage. Superior signal propagation means 802.11n exceeds the coverage of 802.11g; so don’t do a simple swap out. This means an RF Site Survey is needed but also fewer access points means less cost in the long run and easier maintenance. Also the additional coverage allows you to consider making wireless a whole range applications from door controls, temperature sensor controls, to security systems.
802.11n superior features will also spawn faster adoption of WiFi into these technologies: bar coding and data collection (my stuff), RFID, VOIP, data video, and cell phone features that ONLY work with WiFi. So if you’re looking to better track assets, provide better service to your customers or just reduce costs of providing new services then 802.11n deserves serious consideration.
Seasons Greetings, Happy Shopping in 2010, and Scanners On.
See you in the New Year!
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Sunday, December 13, 2009
Christmas in Afghanistan
Want to take a break from our usual business and recognize the bravery and sacrifices of our young men and women who are in
With 2,800 Canadian troops currently deployed the likelihood of knowing a soldier personally or knowing someone who has a direct connection to a soldier is very good. At qdata we fall into the later with Sarah, marketing mgr, having brother Josh currently serving and Cheryl, inside sales, her son Jamieson will be on his second tour of duty next March.
Sarah recently sent her brother some qdata hockey pucks and water bottles. They sent some pictures back and you can see that their spirits are good and were genuinely grateful to receive these simple reminders of home.
Except for newspapers and TV, the war is largely out of view for most Canadians as we go about this holiday season doing our Christmas shopping, fretting about the economy, exchange rates, and the weather.
Meanwhile back in
I’m humbled and grateful that they’re doing this for us – risking their lives so we Canadians can continue to worry only about daily life, the economy, exchange rates, and the weather.
Thank you Armed Forces – we are truly thankful for your work and wish you home soon.
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Friday, December 04, 2009
10 Steps to Trouble Free Scanning in 2010
It’s that time of year when you should do a quick inventory of your bar coding equipment. My feeling is that when it comes to bar coding, a ‘don’t fix what ain’t broken philosophy should be eschewed and instead a “stitch in time saves nine” is the only way to go.
Most scanning applications are mission critical and letting equipment break down is basically saying it’s OK to shut down my business.
So here’s the 10 items and it won’t take much more than 45 minutes to complete or schedule:
- Replace old batteries. Batteries that are no longer giving you more than a couple hours usage should be replaced.
- RF Wireless Coverage. Time to extend to move around RF antennae or access points to cover off any blind spots.
- Fix Handhelds. Loose keys, scratched screens, weak radios, weak scanner lines are all indications that the unit needs to be fixed. For many clients on comprehensive extended warranties – this work is basically free.
- Service Contracts. Are all your service contracts all up to date meaning you have coverage through 2010? Sometimes renewals on contracts are overlooked by the vendor with the result that your contract lapses.
- Bar code Labels. Torn or worn out labels are not just eyesores but big productivity drainers.
- Cables. Any stretched, frayed or loose cable connections? A lot of time they can be fixed by someone handy with a screw driver and pliers.
- Printers. Clean those print heads – sometimes a quick swipe will remove those annoying white dots on your label. Your vendor can supply some special wipes for this purpose.
- Servers. The servers which run your applications should be checked for storage room, CPU performance, and general operational efficiency.
- Security. Time to flush out old users out of the system. They’re a risk to your business. And while you’re at it change all the passwords to the system.
- Check your label and ink supplies. Vendors scale back their operations over the holiday so getting a shipment of labels on a timely fashion becomes a challenge.
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