BY: ROBERT SABELLA
RFID technology arrived on the scene with all the subtlety of a hurricane and all the stability of that tower in Pisa, Italy. Basically the word came down from on high and an industry was born. It’s safe to say most companies did not have the internal resources to meet the challenge of RFID in the timeframe given, when a certain mass-market retailer mandated its top suppliers to start using RFID for supply chain operations. The big names had to act fast and the resources available to fill the slots were basically non-existent. So they either hired one of the few companies with a handle on the technology or they went through the often torturous process to RFID compliance through trial and error. Mostly error.
It wasn't pretty. Not only was there a shortage of knowledgeable personnel, but the only way you could get any training was to pay a manufacturer to let them try and sell you their product. ROI (return on investment) didn’t top companies’ lists. Scrambling to meet a retailer’s deadline took precedence. At first, we had companies tagging cases and pallets at various volumes. Some had automated processes and some had slap and ship processes. Back then, what everyone mostly had was overhead.
Today, RFID as a technology is growing and changing. But ROI, especially for compliance driven implementations, isn’t coming from buying equipment, buying tags, buying labor and inserting new processes into your supply chain. Not yet anyway…
So where is the ROI?
Right now, the best hope for a ROI in RFID is in training. If you’re running a supply chain or a consultancy, get your SCM folks trained. If you are selling RFID hardware and tags, get your internal people trained. As the pace of deployment picks up, any training you have provided for your resources will pay off in spades. If your people know how the technology works from a physical and conceptual perspective, they will be able to implement RFID most time and cost effectively.
It is true - RFID training is a financial investment, but it is a worthwhile one. You’re already spending thousands of dollars to get your RFID system up and running, but you’ll spare yourself huge costs down the line by investing in training for your current staff, or hiring information-technology professionals with the right training and certification.
When you finally decided to train your employees, it’s important to keep in mind that the fastest and cheapest solution is not necessarily the best for your long-term needs.
The best training is not just a course where, at the end, you can take and pass a Certification Exam. More importantly – you should have learned how to actually implement RFID successfully. Gone are the days of hotel training as your only choice. Happily, they have been replaced by meaningful vendor neutral training alternatives at real-world RFID training centers, within your own facility or web based from your living room. Advanced training tools, experienced instructors and well-prepared training materials are just some of the ingredients of a profitable ‘RFID Training’ investment that will help you and your colleagues to tame the RFID hurricane.
About the Author
Robert Sabella is founder and president of OTA Training, LLC. one of the leaders in RFID technical training and courseware development. Mr. Sabella is one of the Founding Members of the Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA®) RFID+™ Cornerstone Committee and Co-Author of RFID+ Exam Cram™.