Our partners at Zebra Technologies are experts in increasing workforce productivity by using the right hardware for the job.
What exactly the right hardware is, will depend on your business, your budget and your priorities.
Increasingly, companies are choosing to purchase consumer-grade smartphones for their drivers. In some cases, some businesses are adopting a ‘bring-your-own-device’ model.
Consumer devices usually have a much lower upfront cost than rugged enterprise-grade devices, but making a purchase decision based purely on upfront cost can be a short-sighted and ultimately more costly option.
The real cost question you need to ask about a device strategy is: what is the total cost of ownership (or TCO)?
For mobile devices, the total cost of ownership includes the initial cost of acquisition, the cost of ongoing subscriptions or contracts and the cost of repairs and replacements down the line.
According to this article, there is a clear correlation between the failure rate of a device and its total cost of ownership. This is not just a like-for-like increase: for every 1% percent rise in failures you can expect to see TCO go up by as much as 23%.
Traditionally, the real benefit of using consumer devices has been the operating system. Android (or iOS) operating systems are likely to be very familiar to your workforce, cutting right down on a) the time and financial resources associated with training and b) the resistance and reluctance to adopt new or unfamiliar tech.
That’s where Zebra TC5-Series devices step in. The TC56 and TC55 look and work like regular smartphones, but are designed to outlast consumer devices, thanks to rugged technology. These rugged devices can withstand the drops, spills and tumbles that are an inevitable part of the delivery / collection environment.
Added enterprise features, like high-quality and fast scanners, external batteries and an extra bright, 5-inch HD screen; plus inbuilt enhanced security features, and remote management capabilities, mean that Zebra leads the way in devices for commercial drivers.
Zebra devices are built to last, improving productivity, increasing customer engagement and offering an overall cost-efficient solution.
How zebra devices can increase productivity for commercial drivers
Failure is reduced
Ruggedisation, by its nature, means that device failures due to drops, spills and tumbles are far less likely to happen, and Zebra security features like Mobility Extensions (Mx) and Mobility DNA cut the risk of software failure.
Uptime is increased
Reducing failure is just one part of increased uptime. The TC5-Series’ 14-hour battery life, replaceable batteries, and in-cab battery charging accessories mean that drivers should never run out on the road.
Communication is improved
Using the STREAM Mobile Driver App, commercial drivers are able to communicate directly with customers by calling or sending SMS text messages from within the app. Combine that with Zebra’s integrated Workforce Connect client, which lets teams talk or instant message from the device independently of mobile phone calls, and TC5-Series devices become a communication hub for drivers.
Processes are optimised
The end-to-end delivery process is, at its’ most simple, efficiently and reliably moving things from point A to point B. Using barcoded labels can improve accuracy, and Zebra’s inbuilt omnidirectional 1D/2D scanner makes barcode scanning and electronic proof of delivery and collectiongathering more efficient, even when labels are dirty, damaged or poorly printed.
Customer service is enhanced
Increased uptime, better connectivity and easier communication all add up to improve the customer experience. These features, in combination with STREAM’s customer-focused approach ensure that customers have access to all the information they need, in real-time.
By employing Zebra’s TC5-Series devices, you can increase productivity and efficiency of commercial drivers, whilst save on the total cost of ownership for devices.
