Owning the Podium – Lessons Learned for Business
Today I’m ‘officially’ travelling to our
Unofficially I’m taking my son, visiting my sister, and taking in several Olympic events. And like all Canadians I’m very proud of our athletes (win or lose) and the great job the City of Vancouver has done – after all not everyone can pull off, as Barnum and Bailey called it, the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’.
The media has made much of our boast to Own the Podium and how athletes from other countries have used it as motivation to beat us at these games. That we never heard from other countries about our goal being a little cocky (to say the least) attests to a simple rule – never insult your host unless you want a cold dinner. For me I love that goal and I’m glad our Olympic Committee had the courage to put it out there because it ignited my interest in these games and more importantly generated a level of pride and confidence across our country that I’ve never seen before.
However what are the lessons learned for business? Many companies including qdata boast about being: the leader, the best, the most innovative, best in customer service, etc. And while
So what does Owning the Podium look like for business?
- written references from customers with actual numbers to support any claims
- measurements of customer service such as response time, days outstanding, and ratio of open vs resolved cases
- percent of business from existing customers
- customer survey results
- on time delivery percentages
- returns as a percent of sales orders
- # of lost customers per year
- # of new customers per year
- training hours as a percent of hours worked
- R&D dollars as a percentage of profits
- single digit employee turnover
- year over year growth and profitability
- a solid balance sheet
- metrics and bonuses in place that monitor and reward the above
- a vision and rallying point for the company
Getting those numbers and vision right for me means Owning the Podium.
And while we’re not ‘gold’ in all categories yet, we’re tracking them and improving on them meaning we’re on the podium in more than our fair share of deals.
So here’s to our athletes and the City of
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Saturday, January 23, 2010
Key Trends for 2010
Welcome to 2010! I came up with these six key AIDC trends this year:
Healthcare & RFID
Our industry has traditionally not had a big footprint in Healthcare. Our successes were limited to providing printers and media to support labeling applications. However we’re now seeing increased interest in streamlining procurement processes to improving inventory control. I believe this has a lot to do with hospital administrators realizing that their current supply chain practises can no longer support the increased workload associated with an aging population and government bureaucrats telling hospitals to start reducing costs – in all areas. This is why in 2010 RFID will play a leading role in helping hospitals become more efficient. Where bar code scanning is basically one scan one person we’re now designing RFID systems for hospitals that don’t require a front line hospital worker ie. nurse or doctor to do any scanning. Instead data capture (part #, serial number, lot #) all happens as they perform their work. Where the bar code did little to make inroads into healthcare – RFID will be that break through technology this year.
Government RFP
We’re seeing a plethora of RFPs this year from all sectors of government. Stimulus money started working its way into the system late 2009 and I expect this continue through 2010.
Rise of the Smartphone Application
We’re going to see lots of apps for Smartphones as opposed for just ruggedized PDAs. Two forces are driving this trend. First is cost. Everyone gets one with their cell phone plan – so the cost of adding business applications will be minimal. The second is increasing technological sophistication of these devices. These devices have email, word processing, spreadsheet, and internet access. Combined with a camera, GPS, and WiFi radios – who needs a notebook anymore? And a third factor is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security who are clamping down on carry-on luggage. This is prompting a lot of business travelers to simply leave their notebooks in the office.
Collaboration in the Supply Chain
Companies are wary of big ERP systems and their ability to make their supply chain more efficient. Memories of big cost overruns, customization charges and extended time frames are still very fresh in CIO’s minds. So instead it’s a return to a best of bread breed approach with emphasis on integration. Yes they’re buying individual solution sets but CIOs are now expecting supply chain collaborators to have integration built-in.
Return of the bolt on Warehouse Management System for Legacy Systems
A lot of companies are still running legacy warehouse management systems with old telnet or batch based data collection front ends. With distribution facilities wary of adding head count; they’re now looking for an edge from technologies such as voice picking and RFID. And software features such as concurrent serialization/lot#/best before tracking and smart replenishment. As a result companies will start looking to replace their data collection front with technology that runs on better equipment and can support more sophisticated warehouse practices.
Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliance
One of the requirements concerns in-store wireless networks. Retailers will have no choice but to upgrade their WiFi networks to the PCI standard which requires the replacement of older but unfortunately in many cases, still good 802.11 b/g networks. The requirement basically states that stores with external facing IP addresses must pass a network security scan every 90 days and only PCI compliant equipment can do this. Retailers not meeting PCI Compliance face very large monthly fines in the thousands and additional charges if their networks get comprised (not to mention bad press). Right now we’re very busy helping retailers become PCI Compliant this year.
All told it will be a very busy year for industry. Here’s to Scanners On in 2010!
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Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Why 802.11n Should be on your Shopping List in 2010
While our industry has not announced yet any 802.11n products in the form of handheld computers here are the compelling reasons why this upgrade makes sense.
1) Faster. 802.11n will transmit at speeds up to 160M bps and offers better methods of encoding, support for QOS (quality of service) and support for MIMO (multiple input and multiple output) which improves reception for wireless devices equipped with multiple antennae.
2) Support for 802.11a, b, g. Now you can have ONE network supporting both 5 GHz and 2.45 GHz. This standard also supports QOS tagging meaning packets requiring priority such as voice or audio will work a lot better under this new standard. Think of high definition TV signals now being sent over the WiFi reliably and creating lots of opportunities for in store promotions and other applications requiring compelling picture quality.
3) Capacity. It’s all about bandwidth. Now you move voice, data, and video onto the same network without worrying so much about robbing Peter to pay Paul when it comes to adding more applications and users onto the wireless network.
4) Coverage. Superior signal propagation means 802.11n exceeds the coverage of 802.11g; so don’t do a simple swap out. This means an RF Site Survey is needed but also fewer access points means less cost in the long run and easier maintenance. Also the additional coverage allows you to consider making wireless a whole range applications from door controls, temperature sensor controls, to security systems.
802.11n superior features will also spawn faster adoption of WiFi into these technologies: bar coding and data collection (my stuff), RFID, VOIP, data video, and cell phone features that ONLY work with WiFi. So if you’re looking to better track assets, provide better service to your customers or just reduce costs of providing new services then 802.11n deserves serious consideration.
Seasons Greetings, Happy Shopping in 2010, and Scanners On.
See you in the New Year!
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Sunday, December 13, 2009
Christmas in Afghanistan
Want to take a break from our usual business and recognize the bravery and sacrifices of our young men and women who are in
With 2,800 Canadian troops currently deployed the likelihood of knowing a soldier personally or knowing someone who has a direct connection to a soldier is very good. At qdata we fall into the later with Sarah, marketing mgr, having brother Josh currently serving and Cheryl, inside sales, her son Jamieson will be on his second tour of duty next March.
Sarah recently sent her brother some qdata hockey pucks and water bottles. They sent some pictures back and you can see that their spirits are good and were genuinely grateful to receive these simple reminders of home.
Except for newspapers and TV, the war is largely out of view for most Canadians as we go about this holiday season doing our Christmas shopping, fretting about the economy, exchange rates, and the weather.
Meanwhile back in
I’m humbled and grateful that they’re doing this for us – risking their lives so we Canadians can continue to worry only about daily life, the economy, exchange rates, and the weather.
Thank you Armed Forces – we are truly thankful for your work and wish you home soon.
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Friday, December 04, 2009
10 Steps to Trouble Free Scanning in 2010
It’s that time of year when you should do a quick inventory of your bar coding equipment. My feeling is that when it comes to bar coding, a ‘don’t fix what ain’t broken philosophy should be eschewed and instead a “stitch in time saves nine” is the only way to go.
Most scanning applications are mission critical and letting equipment break down is basically saying it’s OK to shut down my business.
So here’s the 10 items and it won’t take much more than 45 minutes to complete or schedule:
- Replace old batteries. Batteries that are no longer giving you more than a couple hours usage should be replaced.
- RF Wireless Coverage. Time to extend to move around RF antennae or access points to cover off any blind spots.
- Fix Handhelds. Loose keys, scratched screens, weak radios, weak scanner lines are all indications that the unit needs to be fixed. For many clients on comprehensive extended warranties – this work is basically free.
- Service Contracts. Are all your service contracts all up to date meaning you have coverage through 2010? Sometimes renewals on contracts are overlooked by the vendor with the result that your contract lapses.
- Bar code Labels. Torn or worn out labels are not just eyesores but big productivity drainers.
- Cables. Any stretched, frayed or loose cable connections? A lot of time they can be fixed by someone handy with a screw driver and pliers.
- Printers. Clean those print heads – sometimes a quick swipe will remove those annoying white dots on your label. Your vendor can supply some special wipes for this purpose.
- Servers. The servers which run your applications should be checked for storage room, CPU performance, and general operational efficiency.
- Security. Time to flush out old users out of the system. They’re a risk to your business. And while you’re at it change all the passwords to the system.
- Check your label and ink supplies. Vendors scale back their operations over the holiday so getting a shipment of labels on a timely fashion becomes a challenge.
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Friday, November 13, 2009
The Staples Advantage
Through the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association, I had the opportunity yesterday to visit with Staples’ distribution facility in
As it turns out I got way more than just a technology or best practices overview. But rather it was for me a compelling example of what can happen when a workplace built on the principles of empowerment, respect, and trust meets technology and best practices.
In other words: Over the Top Performance.
And as much as the technology was effective it came down to getting the first part of the formula right: the people. In that regard Staples has a clear vision, mission statement, and purpose. And they use a variety of tools and processes. Such as Lean for identifying the waste and value in their processes; simple KPIs that are easy to communicate and track; certification programs to let people know how they’re growing and improving; and they recognize people as evidenced by the Wall of Wow and their Continuous Improvement Belt program. Incidentally I got a taste of what it feels like to be part of the Staples family when they gave all participants our white belt certificates at the end of our morning session.
Add this to Staples’ involvement with Junior Achievement and work experience for new Canadians and you end up a very unique culture of caring and performance.
Make no mistake, Staples has done an amazing job with bar coding, voice picking, and wireless technology; but it all pales in comparison to the workplace they’ve created. And with this workplace truly anything is possible including creating the best distribution facility in the Staples Advantage Canadian operations.
Bravo Staples you are an inspiration to every company!
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Monday, October 26, 2009
Partner or Perish
That the Motorola Partner Roadshow 2009 is happening in
Such is the dilemma of these companies when faced with increasing demands from the business when needs change or new requirements appear. On one hand that new ERP module is fully integrated but lacks certain key features ontop of being a costly affair and comes with an expensive support contract in subsequent years.
I am hearing and seeing of a not so quiet rebellion against upgrading ERP systems because the new product lacks key features and the costs are so high.
This brings me back to partnering and how it has changed in the last couple of years. By partnering I mean businesses teaming up to jointly offer a solution set to meet a broader and inter-related set of requirements. For example, qdata does not offer route optimization or sales order entry, however we have partnerships with other companies that work with warehouse management systems such as ours.
In the past I’ve seen customers take a best of breed approach and select the best vendor for each line of business. That has worked when the client has the internal skills and resources to do the integration; as well the desire and energy to issue multiple RFP. Now in the leaned out, reset economy; those resources are no longer available. Companies are not pushing back when vendors come together as a consortium to deliver a complete solution set. Provided integration issues are worked out, they know they’ll get the biggest bang for their dollar with this approach – a better price and the best product for each line of business.
However the challenges for us vendors are many. We need to figure out how to share confidential information (as we may be competing against each other on another deal), how to structure a business deal so everyone wins, who owns the ‘paper’, to how support will be handled.
Fortunately for qdata we’re getting over the learning curve and have figured out for the most part how to structure these kinds of partner deals. In fact our recent Gold Medal for most Collaborative Solution from CDN Magazine is proof that we get partnerships.
Motorola also gets partnerships and have been ahead of the curve for some time. In fact several of our partnerships have come from introductions through Motorola.
So as Motorola’s many partners converge at their conference in
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Friday, October 09, 2009
Better Stonger and Faster in 2010
We just returned from our annual company retreat held in
Our theme for this year’s event was around how we can become a better, stronger, and faster company. While we articulated that vision going into Roundup, the goal of our event was to define and develop actionable items around that goal.
For us it came down to better processes and more clarity around those processes. In 2009 we did all the heavy lifting by developing solutions that offered more compelling value for our customers, creating the infrastructure to deliver and support it, and finally re-training of our sales team to ‘sell the value’.
And it worked!
However we overlaid this new approach onto existing processes and the cracks started to show. Clearly its time for a major overhaul.
So what’s in store for 2010:
- Re-designing the workflow around our quote to cash cycle – too paper driven and too many hands touching that paperwork creating unnecessary delays
- Combining our incident tracking system for both hardware and software into one. With service operations across the country we have our fair share of the right hand not knowing what the left hand did
- Making our customer product tracking portal BEAM (bar code equipment asset management) more self service i.e. incident creation, get RMAs, track shipments, and repairs.
- Getting our departments to communicate more regularly and frequently. Having proper processes in place is critical, however inter-departmental meetings will be the glue that makes those processes stick and work.
We have in my view (no bias of course!) one of the best if not the best company in our industry. However in order for our company to keep growing we need to continuously improve. And with growth comes the ability to retain and attract excellent people which is the true measure of any company! 
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Thursday, October 08, 2009
Happy Birthday to the Bar Code!
Yesterday marked the official birthday of the bar code ‘born’ Oct 7, 1952 making it 57 years old. We use this date as it was when
While the patent was granted in 1952 it was not until June 26, 1974 that the first bar code on a pack of Wrigley’s gum was scanned at a grocery store. This happened at Marsh's Supermarket in
This birthday was also marked by Goggle, as the bar code was used in place of its usual banner.
And for the technically curious, the bar code says Google and is code 128 symbology.
It’s no secret why Goggle chose to recognize the bar code - consumers are the next big wave of users. The shopping comparison tools available for Google's Android based Smartphones are just the beginning of bar code applications for the consumer. Soon you'll be able to scan in loyalty cards, gift cards, warranties and prices on product purchases through your Smartphone; basically anything ou want to stored online and available anywhere and anytime.
But back to the bar code, imagine a world without bar codes: massive check-out lines, aiport delays and closures, patients in hospitals getting the wrong medicine, and next day deliveries all but a distant memory.
The bar code has revolutionized and will continue to revolutionize how we work, process and think about data. And with the expotential adoption of mobile technologies, RFID, and consumerization of bar code - its best days are yet to come.
Scanners On!
Posted By: Jeff Lem @ 6:43:06 PM
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Friday, August 28, 2009
So What’s your Elevator Pitch?
One of the greatest best business books of all time is Jim Collin’s Good to Great. http://www.jimcollins.com/ The chapter that really resonated with me and became a two year personal quest was the part about what’s your Hedgehog. In earlier days people called it your elevator pitch. What Jim Collins did was take it to a whole new level.
Basically he defined your ‘Hedgehog’ as being three things:
What are you deeply passionate about?
What can you be the best at in the world?
What drives your economic engine?
And the really challenging part; boil it down to a simple statement – the shorter the better.
Based on the above three questions at qdata we are:
Passionate about your bar codes
Great at making bar codes work in terms of driving value and ROI
Our economic engine is derived from generating margin percent per sale dollar
And now for the hard part, our simple statement which came to me one morning as I was getting ready for work. It dawned upon me that at the end of day if our customers don’t experience a good scan then chances are they’re not going to be very happy with us. So as Stephen Covey says ‘begin with the end in mind’.
Our end result is “Scanners On”.
Making Scanners On requires more than just a good bar code scanner; it requires the right equipment (ergonomically and price wise), a good wireless infrastructure, software, and integration (you have to move the data somewhere). And let’s not end there, keeping Scanners On requires a complete service approach including service contracts, on-site, hot spares, 24/7 coverage, and support.
This has served us well because it’s now the first test for all new projects and products and has guided our thinking about where and how we should grow our business.
Which brings me back to my elevator pitch which is not “IT services around bar coding and wireless” but “Scanners On.”
See you soon in an elevator near you!
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