Using Barcode to Track Vehicle Inventory

[joe.pistell]

I want to be able to know where my vehicles are at all times. Here is my plan:

1. Car is purchased, barcode is assigned and printed - Service is automatically notified car is in transit
2. Vehicle arrives, bar-coded and scanned - Automatically Placed in Service Queue
3. Every department scans the barcode...Bodyshop, Detail, Shuttle Drivers, etc.

Streamlined...

I'm with ya Blake. The weak link is the human commitment needed to execute this EVERY TIME.

Scan In: Vehicle Received
Scan In: Vehicle In Service
Scan Out: Vehicle Out of Service (part ordered)
Scan In: Vehicle In Service
Scan Out: Vehicle Out of Service
Scan In: Vehicle in detail
Scan Out: Vehicle out of detail
Scan In: Vehicle on Front Line
Scan In: Vehicle in Body Shop (bumper scuff)
Scan Out: Vehicle out of Body Shop (bumper scuff)
Scan In: Vehicle on Front Line

Lots of DIFFERENT hands needed to make this thread flow. Add 30-50-100 cars per month to this and the potential for human errors goes way up. Errors = Bad data. Bad Data = Low Confidence.

Solution? RFID

 

[joe.pistell]

It's been a year+ since I looked into RFID, and I see it's starting to take shape:

Pres Ken Karegeannes of MyDealerLot at a VC presentation

 

[joe.pistell]

They came into RFID via "Service Concierge" (a natural RFID concept). (Fast Forward to the 54 second mark)



Their dealers push them into what we're talking about. My Dealer Lot - RFID Automated Client Recognition & Messaging

RFID units pick up arrival of a vehicle at the entrance of service, detail, body shop, etc... Add RFID antennas at your store entrance and you'll know when a unit is off on a test drive (sales or service) and how long its been gone.

We have a free car wash membership with purchase, it would be smart marketing to tie that data to a customer record and if I am a sales rep, I want a text message to meet and greet my customer when they hit the free car wash!

The RFID parts are not expensive the install and set up is. Lots of upside if deployed.
HTH

 

[yagoparamo]

@Joe,

Last month Wired magazine published a Lexus ad with a NFC tag. I was shocked when i saw it.
Here are some articles about it:

Printer of NFC Lexus Ad: Other Advertisers Interested, Though Waiting for Apple | NFC Times – Near Field Communication and all contactless technology.

Wired publishes Lexus NFC ad

 

[mabuti]

Great video Joe. I love how much has changed in one year since this post started. Yes, I too agree that RFID is the way to go. RFID has changed my asset tracking and I love it. It has increased accuracy and efficiency. I'm all for it.

 

[JamieS]

That is pretty darn interesting with the RFID stuff. I like it for inventory tracking but as a customer I may feel it's little too big brother-ish. Or are customers even aware this antenna is being placed on their car? Do a general RFID Google search and some the first results are talking about privacy issues and tracking your location/activity.

 

[Klass Motors]

I want to be able to know where my vehicles are at all times. Here is my plan:

1. Car is purchased, barcode is assigned and printed - Service is automatically notified car is in transit
2. Vehicle arrives, bar-coded and scanned - Automatically Placed in Service Queue
3. Every department scans the barcode...Bodyshop, Detail, Shuttle Drivers, etc.

Streamlined...

Is there any scanning solution out there that can deliver all that? Thanks.