Bar codes aren't just for big companies.
You don’t have to be a big company with a large inventory and multiple facilities to use bar codes. Small businesses can take advantage of them to streamline processes, improve efficiencies and more.
A system suitable for the typical mom-and-pop consisting of a scanner, software and bar code labels starts at $500, says Matthew Kostanecki, marketing manager at Toronto-based Inflowinventory.com, an inventory management software company. More complex systems for multiple users with multiple scanners can cost $5,000 or more, he says.
Here are three ways your small business can benefit from bar codes:
Eliminate Errors
Have you lost money on misplaced items or incorrect orders? Scanning systems replace manual data entry and enable companies to track the location of items.
Reduce Auditing Time
“A lot of small business owners manually count stock with pen and paper,” Kostanecki says. Bar-coding your inventory and scanning it to count stock makes this task quicker and easier. You can also invest in a system that tracks stock, predicts when to reorder and alerts you when stock is low.
Modernize Your Marketing
With so many people using smartphones, it’s wise to target clients on the go. Consider creating QR (quick-read) codes to direct people to your website—and potentially drive more sales. Use services such as Kaywa and GoQR.me to generate your code for free. The paid versions of these services can also track the performance of your custom code.
