Keeping retail safe
Introduction
The world is facing an unprecedented adaptation period initiated by the COVID‐ 19 pandemic. Many countries are following the guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding the introduction of physical distancing and cleaning measures as some of the ways in which transmission of the disease can be reduced.
The application of these measures has resulted in the closure of many businesses across industries, as well as restrictions on travel and social gatherings. For most people, working from home and hosting on‐line discussions and meetings are now normal practices. However, essential workers in Retail,settings do not have the opportunity to work from home and have to continue to work in their usual workplaces.
Keeping all workers healthy and safe is critical. Maintaining the movement of food and essential goods along the supply chain is an essential function to which all stakeholders need to contribute.
Companies are called to rethink their processes and the technologies used in order to improve the production efficiency while preserving a healthy working environment. Solutions to maintain the trust and confidence of both employees and customers, must be carefully re‐evaluated.
Retailers are responding to the most rapid paradigm shift they have ever experienced. The grocery segment has been impacted the most by having to implement safe physical distance and drastic cleaning measures. This is in addition to allocating merchandise to meet the heightened demands of in‐store purchases, upscaling e‐commerce capabilities to meet unprecedented demand, as well as reinventing their fulfillment and last‐mile deliveries. Mass hiring and accelerated training for a multi‐faceted workforce, has also had a great impact on the operations and processes of retailers. Datalogic’s advanced technology can further improve the safety of workers and customers while providing accuracy and efficiency in various initiatives to consider amidst the ‘new normal’ in retail.
Effective cleaning of devices and potential consequences
The COVID‐19 outbreak has changed the paradigm of cleaning and sanitising devices across most industries, in order to provide extra protection to both operators and customers. Cleaning frequency and methods are being implemented everywhere. Datalogic products are all compatible with the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) directive for covid‐19 sanitisation.
Point of Sale devices must be able to sustain increased demands for sanitation. Retailers are working hard to reduce the spread of germs throughout stores to help preserve the wellbeing of their employees and customers. Barcode scanners are handled by cashiers and customers during every transaction at attended lanes or at self‐checkouts which are areas of specific concern. All Datalogic scanning devices, inclusive of fixed scanners such as the Magellan? Series at POS checkouts, will sustain increased frequency demands of sanitation with recommended CDC guidelines. Auxiliary hand-held scanners such as the Gryphon 4500 Series are disinfectant‐ready, able to resist cleaning with certain harsh chemicals. In addition, antimicrobial models used extensively in the Healthcare industry can also be beneficial in retail environments.
Disinfecting
To disinfect scanner/device surfaces, Datalogic recommends using one of the two following solutions:
? Isopropyl Alcohol (70% solution at a minimum)
? Household Bleach (5‐6% sodium hypochlorite) - ? cup bleach diluted in 1 gallon of water (120ml bleach in 3.8l of water) Both options are recommended by the CDC as effective disinfecting solutions.
Datalogic also offers a heightened level of disinfection on selected models of mobile computers and hand held scanners:
Disinfectant‐ready models – selected models that withstand more aggressive cleaners/detergents than the CDC recommended basic solutions (listed above).
? Hand held scanners: Gryphon? (all models), RIDA? (Healthcare model only)
? Mobile Computers: Memor? 1, 10 and 20; Joya? Touch (all models)
Antimicrobial and Disinfectant‐ready models – selected models that offer an extra value‐added feature which prevent the proliferation of microorganisms such as germs and bacteria.
? Hand held scanners: Healthcare models of Gryphon? and RIDA?
Datalogic disinfectant‐ready enclosures will resist the harsh‐cleaning products including Sani‐Cloth? HB, Sani‐Cloth? Plus, Super Sani‐Cloth, Alcohol Wipes, CaviWipes?, Virex? 256, Formula 409? Glass and Surface Cleaner, Windex? Blue, Isopropyl Alcohol, Clorox? Bleach; Clorox Healthcare Bleach Germicidal Cleaner, ProSpray? Wipes (Disinfectant towelettes) and 100% Gentle dish soap and water.
Datalogic’s antimicrobial products are certified by ISO22196 and are created by adding silver‐Ion additives to the plastic which inhibits the growth of micro‐ organisms such as germs and bacteria.
Harsh cleaners and chemicals can cause components and enclosures of devices to become discoloured, weak, brittle and lose integrity. Datalogic’s Antimicrobial and Disinfectant‐ready models of mobile computers and hand held scanners will sustain the increased demands of sanitation.
Leverage wireless charging technology to maintain product reliability despite increased cleaning frequency
Companies are all called upon to pay extra attention to cleaning devices and surfaces, especially those with higher human exposure. Wireless charging addresses the number‐one failure point of all cordless devices: oxidized charging contacts. With increased frequency of cleanings and the use of harsh chemicals, charging contacts can deteriorate over time. Additionally, contacts can be receptacles for dust accumulation and microbial growth; wireless induction charging eliminates this risk. Datalogic has implemented wireless charging technology in key solutions, such as the Gryphon hand held scanners, Joya Touch, and Memor 10 and 20 mobile computers, resulting in greater reliability, longer device lifetime, and a lower total cost of ownership.
Self‐Scanning will speed up the shopping journey while helping to keep everyone safe
During this critical time, physical stores are limiting the number of people that can simultaneously be present inside the establishment. According to a brief survey conducted by Datalogic, retailers are also seeing the average shopping cart value significantly increase. Adopting a self‐shopping solution can be of great help and doesn’t require a long implementation period. In fact, according to Datalogic experts collaborating with the top ISVs deploying self‐scanning applications, this type of implementation can take a very short time (less than 2 months). The advantage for the retailer is incredibly wide, from automatic distancing to no queue at the checkout, efficiently managing customer traffic throughout the day. Solutions such as the Joya? Touch A6, a multi‐purpose device is ideal for various retail applications such as Self‐Shopping, Queue busting, Access Control and more, is a great option for this initiative.
Mobile Computers – ideal companion for online order fulfilment and last mile
The pandemic has transformed the retail experience. Nowadays, inventory and availability on the shelf is key and the standard for fulfillment is contactless delivery and curbside pickup. Datalogic can offer a wide range of Android‐based products to equip the workforce with powerful multi‐functional tools that assist and guide associates during their tasks.
The Memor? Series includes a very scalable proposition, from Memor 1 (simple and effective), Memor 10 (all‐in‐one unit with both WWAN and WLAN capabilities) and the new Memor 20 (the ultimate PDA for all Retail applications). The Memor family is disinfectant cleaning ready with world class scanning and a removable battery.
Top mobility features found in Memor 20 that address the ‘new normal’ in retail
? A secondary top edge display – essential for multitasking in hands‐free applications. Many employees stocking the shelves or fulfilling the online orders throughout the store must also attend to alert notifications of customers picking up at curbside. With a quick glance at the notification panel, they can see if new online orders are assigned or if a customer has arrived at a designated parking spot for pickup.
? Robust 2D ultra slim scanner ‐ able to scan purchase confirmation barcodes or IDs through a car door window for contactless curbside pickup.
? Featuring the largest screen size in a rugged mobile device while still in a practical and ergonomic design, the Memor 20 provides an easier way to verify order‐picking accuracy.
? And, for all‐around management and security of multiple mobile devices amid mass employee hiring – SmartDock, a smart charging locking dock that can manage charging profiles, authenticate user’s identity, and even swap profile settings before checking out a device.
Automatic scanning portal helps to validate in‐stores online order fulfilment Home delivery of online orders in Grocery is experiencing a massive boost. However, the customer experience has been negatively impacted due to incomplete orders, long delivery windows, and order errors. Physical stores are now serving as micro‐fulfillment sites at a higher capacity to satisfy the growing customer demands.
Datalogic’s Jade? X7 is an automatic fast‐paced portal scanner that can easily interface with the store’s network via a dedicated API (provided by Datalogic). In this configuration, the Jade X7 can be a very efficient ‘control gate’ to validate the items picked up from stock right before packing them. Ensuring the order is complete and accurate.
Optimum scan performance becomes essential to maintain when triggered through the plexiglass barriers for reading ID cards, loyalty cards, or coupons, in both printed and mobile formats.
Most supermarkets, pharmacies, convenience stores, restaurants, and service providers are permanently installing plexiglass partitions at the checkout counters to act as a safeguard by limiting transmission of the virus between customers and the associates processing their transactions. Datalogic scanners used at checkouts, such as the Magellan 1500i and the Gryphon 4500 series, can maintain excellent depth of field and sweep performance, even through thick plexiglass.