Category: inventory control

Inventory Management Made Simple with UCapIt

Posted on by SaravanaKumar@wittern.com

One of the greatest challenges today’s EMS professionals and pharmaceutical managers face is medical product supply management and security. In an EMS organization, it is imperative that systems are in place that not only saves you money but also saves you time, especially when lives are on the line. Many organizations across the United States have become creative and turned to UCapIt to help save them both time and money on EMS supply management.

“The cost reduction we realized once we had implemented IDS’ UCapIt solution is a big benefit to us,” says Rich Tvella of Mastic Beach Ambulance Company. “We spend less time doing the manual count and the paperwork to keep track of the physical inventory.” 

With UCapIt you can take back control of your inventory by providing a safer, smarter, and more secure way to accurately assess and track your employee’s usage. Through iQ Technology, our EMS supply vending machines and supply lockers maintain controlled access to pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, meticulously track inventory, and allow instant access to all records.

“UCapit’s reports tell me what I need to know, how many are expiring, where they are located and the name of the medication.  I really like that I can run the report for 90 or more days because I order replacement medications 3-4 months in advance, plus my regular stock…so I know I won’t run out.  Now instead of having to do a count by hand at the end of the month, I check them in when I receive them and simply run the reports I need.”

IDS’ UCapIt provides controlled supply dispensing solutions for emergency medical service organizations including hospitals and fire stations. IDS’ UCapIt solutions allow organizations to secure EMS and narcotics, restrict access by user credentials or product classification, track inventory in real-time, and maintain full accountability and compliance with FDA and DEA regulations.

iQ Technology, the brain behind the UCapIt system, allows EMS organizations to track inventory and alert managers when the supply is running low. This ensures that EMS organizations do not have to scramble to find the supply they need.

Tim Barnett of Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority says, “Previously if a unit ran out of a specific supply, they would have to make a trip to central supply to restock. With the UCapIt vending machines and lockers in place, they have immediate access. Budget numbers indicate we’re under budget in medical supplies and medications compared to this time a year ago.”

Inventory can be managed anytime, anywhere with UCapIt and iQ Technology. Additionally, managers have the ability to see who is accessing what items, when and where they are being accessed. 

UCapIt allows you to be as transparent as you want within your organization. To find out more about the UCapIt EMS and medical inventory management solution, call 1-877-771-4446.

Connecting Lockers to Your Machine

Posted on by SaravanaKumar@wittern.com

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions has a wide array of Supply Dispensers and Supply Lockers which allow you to offer supplies of different shapes and sizes to your employees and customers. Additionally, IDS makes it possible to attach a Satellite Supply Locker to a Supply Dispenser. 

Whether you are setting up your equipment for EMS or fitness use, the process to attach the equipment is the same and can even be done on your own. We have put together a step-by-step video tutorial on how to connect your supply lockers to your vending machines for you to see how this is done. 

At Intelligent Dispensing Solutions, we want to ensure that you understand how your equipment is supposed to run, so you can use it to its full potential. If you have any additional questions about your equipment, such as how to set it up or how to use it, give us a call at 1-877-771-4446 or contact your sales representative.

Reduce Costs With a Smart System

Posted on by SaravanaKumar@wittern.com

As a business manager, you work hard to ensure that you are lowering overhead costs within your business, without having to sacrifice too much. Whether you are in the medical industry, textile industry or fitness industry, Intelligent Dispensing Solutions has a solution to help you reduce business costs and manage your inventory.

Our intelligent dispensing solutions allow you to track and manage your inventory, without being physically at the machine. With our revolutionary software, iQ Technology, you simply log in to the program to see what your inventory needs are. This feature eliminates the overstocking of products. Having too many of one product, such as a narcotic in an EMS environment, can lead to having too many expired products, which raises your inventory costs.

Having control over your inventory is not the only positive of utilizing our inventory solutions. Supply Lockers and Supply Dispensers keep your employees productive throughout the day. Instead of employees having to spend time sifting through a supply closet looking for a supply they need, they can simply utilize an iVendTech Supply Dispenser. Your employees have access to the supplies they need in seconds.

Our intelligent solutions include both Supply Dispensers and Supply Lockers. These smart inventory systems assist in controlling your inventory, while keeping your employees productive throughout the day. Watch the video below to find out more about our various dispensing solutions and how they can help with your business.

For additional questions, call Intelligent Dispensing Solutions at 1-877-771-4446.

Reduce Employee Potential Exposure to Infectious Diseases Through Controlled Dispensing Solutions for PPE and MRO Supplies

Posted on by John Van Horn

IDS’ MRO and PPE vending machines provide a fast and easy transaction experience to allow employees in manufacturing and food processing facilities to access critical PPE supplies.

COVID-19 continues to pose a threat across the globe. As an employer, it is your duty to provide your employees with a safe and sanitary work environment. This may include implementing new procedures within your manufacturing or food processing plant in order to keep employees safe and reduce the spread of infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, among employees and their families.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recommended social distancing among people in the United States, keeping at least six feet away from people. In some manufacturing and processing plants, however, it may be difficult to completely social distance yourself from other coworkers. Many times, employees in these facilities are standing shoulder-to-shoulder on assembly or process lines. In fact, some employees are only able to stand six inches apart. Despite these close working environments, there are actions that can be taken in order to control the potential spread of infectious diseases.

As measures are being put in place by manufacturing and food processing companies to encourage social distancing when possible, it is important to provide critical PPE supplies, such as face masks, gloves, face shields and safety glasses. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the lifespan of the Cronoavirus can vary based don different surfaces and can last anywhere from 30 minutes to three days.

  • Airborne: 30 minutes to 3 hours
  • Cardboard: 24 hours
  • Stainless Steel: 2 days
  • Plastic: 3 days

Food processing and manufacturing facilities have proven to be a hot spot for COVID-19. As of May 5, over 7,500 workers in food processing plants alone have been confirmed sick with COVID-19, with at least 37 people dying. While some plants had previously temporarily closed in order to limit the spread of the virus, President Donald Trump has recently that food processing facilities remain open in order to ensure the adequate availability of food for the American people.

In order for manufacturing facilities and food processing plants to remain open, these facilities must take proper steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Intelligent Dispensing Solutions provides controlled dispensing solutions to ensure that employees are equipped with the proper PPE equipment to limit exposure risks to infectious diseases. Vend Safety is a contactless solution that allows employees to gain access to the tools and supplies they need in order to remain healthy and continue to perform their jobs.

As an employer, Vend Safety provides your employees with safe and controlled access to not only perform their jobs, but also to ensure that they are remaining safe while at work. With about 3% of total workers in meat processing facilities having been tested positive for COVID-19, keeping your employees safe is essential in order to continue to operate at full capacity. 

With Vend Safety, you can control your inventory and give your employees access to supplies such as face masks, tools and gloves. These tools and supplies are essential for your employees to complete their jobs, but also to keep them safe. For example, N95 face masks are designed to block 95% of very small particles, such as those floating around in manufacturing facilities. 

Vend Safety provides real-time data and reporting capability through its proprietary iQ Technology software. iQ Technology allows administrators to track who accessed what item(s), when they accessed the item(s) and the quantity of the item they accessed. This chain of custody is critical when identifying and mitigating risks in a crisis situation, as well as is useful on an inventory management basis during normal operating circumstances.

Determine how and when an employee accesses an item with Vend Safety. For example, in order for an employee to access a safety mask, they must first swipe their employee ID card. Then, their item will be dispensed to them and it will be detailed for you on a report from iQ Technology. Additionally, it can be set up in such a way that employees must enter a PIN number or even through biometrics. This set of safety precautions not only saves you money through controlled inventory management, but it also ensures that your employees are kept safe from COVID-19 within their workplace. 

With iQ Technology, employers have the ability to control inventory, so employees are only taking what is absolutely necessary. This eliminates employees hoarding gloves or going through too many face masks in one day. It saves you money with inventory control.

If COVID-19 finds its way into your facility, you can prove that your employees were given easy access to PPE equipment, even if the employee claims that they did not. Plus, Vend Safety allows you to track where the inventory is going, so it can even be said whether or not the specific employee did gain access to supplies using Vend Safety.

COVID-19 continues to be a threat across the world and within many workplaces, including manufacturing facilities. Because of this, it is crucial that tools and supplies are being passed through as few people as possible. Utilizing a solution, such as Vend Safety, will protect essential employees and their families from COVID-19, as well as help you manage your inventory.

Keeping your employees and their families safe during this time should continue to be your number one priority, as they are your most critical asset. Vend Safety can help you come up with a plan to keep business operational by providing a solution that increases productivity, reduces the shrinkage of tools and supplies and keeps your employees safe and healthy.

For more information on Vend Safety and other dispensing equipment, contact 1-877-771-4446.

It’s Time to Take Back Control of Your EMS Equipment

Posted on by John Van Horn

In an emergency situation, EMS professionals need to be able to quickly access life-saving equipment and supplies. And, when every second counts, they do not have time to scour the supply closet, just to discover that the critical item they need is expired or out of stock. 

In order to comply with FDA and DEA federal guidelines and regulations, it is important for EMS professionals to be able to easily and accurately control who has access to what and then report on what was dispensed and the reason for the restock. This is especially important when it comes to controlled substances such as morphine or fentanyl. IDS’ inventory management solution for EMS professionals provides real-time accountability and streamlines this process.

A supply room closet just doesn’t cut it. When medication is accessible to multiple people, it is impossible to control who has access. With the UCapIt supply dispensers and supply lockers, you can put control and accountability back in your hands, ensuring that you are meeting the FDA and DEA guidelines.

There are multiple ways to identify your crew members to allow access to supplies and equipment with our EMS vending machines. Each method provides quick and controlled access to medical supplies, depending on your agency’s preference. Employees can be identified by either inputting a unique code on a pinpad, proximity, barcode, magnetic stripe or biometrics. As a manager, this will allow you to see who is accessing supplies, when they are accessing them and how much they are accessing through our proprietary iQ Technology smart inventory system.

iQ Technology is a web-based stock management software that provides real-time inventory reporting and inventory management. It allows you to see a number of reports about the items being dispensed such as a usage summary report, a transaction report and an inventory consumption report. Through iQ Technology, you will know where and when items are being dispensed, who is dispensing them and more. The system will allow you to optimize your par levels and order supplies before you are completely out, while also tracking the lot numbers and expiration dates.

You can never be too efficient when it comes to emergency situations. Let IDS provide an inventory management solution so you can focus on emergency response and patient care. Get started today by giving us a call at 1-855-570-2673.

Provide Employees with Instant Access to the Supplies They Need, When They Need Them

Posted on by John Van Horn

Hardware administration and asset management can be a headache for the IT service desk.  Some organizations utilize the open supply closet approach. With this approach comes uncertainty, frustration, and wasted productivity.  For example, it could be extremely unorganized where you know it will take too long to find what you are looking for. Or even worse, perhaps it is locked and you can never seem to track down an IT service desk rep when your mouse battery has died. 

Did you know you can eliminate your supply room headaches for both your IT service desk staff and users with a Supply Dispenser or a Supply Locker from IDS?  Many companies who wish to streamline their IT processes and bring flexibility to their employees have been turning to smart vending machines to assist the IT service desk.  These IT office vending machines also track supply inventory and asset utilization on back-end systems.

IDS’ Supply Dispensers or ‘smart vending machines’ are the perfect inventory supply management solution for any office environment, whether it be finance, healthcare, professional services, or tech.  Since one organization can have multiple Supply Dispensers dispersed at various places in the office building or across the office campus, employee productivity will increase. For example, instead of having one central supply close, with Supply Dispensers at multiple locations, employees only have to travel to the Supply Dispenser closest to their work area rather than the central supply closet which may be much farther from their work area.   

Do you have larger IT and office supply items such as keyboards or laptops that may not fit into a Supply Dispenser?  Or perhaps you would like an inventory asset management solution for reusable assets. IDS Supply Lockers provide secure storage and dispensing of larger consumables and reusable assets. Our Supply Lockers keep your employees accountable by using a simple check-in and check-out system. Plus, these lockers can be used for will-call, asset management, loan periods and more. 

Using IDS’ Supply Dispensers is simple, as you just scan your ID and dispense the item you need.  There is no need to spend time tracking down an IT service desk rep to open the supply closet or digging through a messy supply closet searching for the specific item you need. With a swipe of your employee badge and the peripheral is logged against your name and tracked at the inventory end.

Decreasing wait times for IT service requests lets workers access replacement laptops to keep them working. A week-long process to get a new laptop can now be supplied in minutes leading to a rise in productivity and associated improvement on returns on investments.

With IDS’ Supply Dispensers and Lockers, office supplies and IT peripherals can be maintained instantly to better manage your stocks. IT will become more efficient, save costs, and improve employee satisfaction.  

Automated supply dispensing allows IT staff and employees to work more efficiently. It also allows companies to monitor the cost, deployment, and use of those supplies to make sure that office supplies and IT peripherals are accounted for.

Automating the distribution of necessary hardware such as keyboards, mice, headsets, cables, and other peripherals keeps employees productive and gives them the business products they want.  With IDS office and IT inventory asset management solutions, your employees will have convenient, secure access supplies they need, no matter what time of day it is. Call us today at 1-855-570-2673 to learn more.

We’re Heading to Orlando for “Work”

Posted on by John Van Horn

We are excited to be heading to gorgeous Orlando, Florida November 9-13 for the Service Management World Show. IDS will be showing off our helpful solutions for managing office and technology supplies. The Service Management World Show from HDI is a great opportunity to hear from service management experts and learn about the latest trends in the industry.

The IDS iVendTech solution reduces costs from untracked office and IT supplies and increases employees’ productivity. Our machines are simple to use, they work 24/7, they don’t take breaks or need vacation time.  

Supply dispensers provide instant access for employees to IT products and other essential office supplies.

https://youtu.be/Gx7S540dE3Y

“I used to be inundated with requests for IT peripherals and other office supplies, said Kyle Williams, IT Support Specialist at GoSpotCheck.”But since implementing the vending machines these requests have dropped to almost none.”

Kyle Williams, IT Support Specialist at GoSpotCheck.

Daniel Bolens is the Desktop Services Specialist at JAMF Software. He calls the IDS iVendTech machines the “perfect solution.” After researching other suppliers he determined “IDS had the best technological solution.”

Daniel Bolens, Desktop Services Specialist at
JAMF Software

For more information about our iVendTech machines for your office and IT supply management give us a call at 1-877-771-4446.

iVendTech: Secure Access to Technology and Office Supplies

Posted on by John Van Horn

Successful businesses are always on the lookout for ways to save time and money. Intelligent Dispensing Solutions incorporates the latest controlled dispensing technology to help businesses and organizations across the globe work more efficiently and save money.  IDS has supply dispensers that provide instant access for employees to IT products and other essential office supplies. Our supply dispensing equipment is a cost effective and instant way to secure supplies while getting them into the hands of those who truly need them.

Employees need access to certain tools in order to perform their job well. Unorganized supply cabinets and locked up technology can lead to time wasted for employees and lack of productivity. IDS’s iVendTech reduces costs from untracked office and IT supplies and increases employees productivity. Our machines are simple to use, they work 24/7, they don’t take breaks or need vacation time. The IDS Supply Dispenser contains a state-of the art control system that allows secure web based interface for 24/7 real-time transactions and reporting. Supply Dispensers track who is taking what supplies and when. There is security, organization and accountability with our machines. No more losing money on lost supplies or wasted time. IDS has APIs that customers can use to integrate with their internal systems. Our machines can use access codes and key cards to enable and track employee access. Your implementation specialist will work with you to customize equipment that works best for your business and organization. IDS also provides leasing programs as well as equipment branding services. If you have any questions during the life of your equipment, we have expert technicians on call ready to help you.

For more information about our iVendTech machines for your office and IT supply management give us a call at 1-877-771-4446.

https://youtu.be/Gx7S540dE3Y

Inventory Management

Posted on by John Van Horn

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions takes pride in being leaders in serving companies manage their inventory. We are working to develop the best software and hardware to help all types of organizations save money.

“What we do at IDS is: How can we help with managing your operations?” said IDS VP of Sale John Van Horn. “So we put our efforts into our software from a managing perspective. Managing what you have and that could vary.”

Our inventory management and control solutions are designed to save you time and money. IDS has designed many successful applications to assist businesses, EMS, schools and hospitals securely dispense important supplies. Our applications are used to track supplies, sell products and control dispensing.

Companies spend a great deal of money either tracking inventory or losing money from “lost” invent. IDS has inventory management and control solutions that are easy, effective and automated so supplies and inventory can get in the hands of those they were intended for when they need it. We understand that for any organization it’s about the money.

“Historically 30% has been saved by using our equipment,” said Van Horn.

IDS is committed to working with our clients to create money saving solutions that allow them to spend time and money on responsibilities other than inventory control. Call us today at 1-877-771-4446 to learn how we can help you.

Vending Machines Aren’t Just for Snacks

Posted on by John Van Horn

                  It is most common for people to associate vending machines as only serving food and drinks. However, more and more we are seeing vending machines that have a variety of uses besides dispensing food. Businesses are understanding the value of convenience and the ease with which products can be stored and delivered in non-food vending machines. Vending machines also provide a secure location for items and easy tracking and inventory information.

                  Companies are learning that vending machines help them get their products in front of their possible customers sooner. A recent Small Business Trends article titled “Vending Machines Aren’t Just for Snacks Anymore” noted that companies are selling jackets and headphones out of electronics vending machines in airports. Vending machines help companies go to their customers rather than on relying their customers coming to them. In addition to airports, schools and universities are becoming popular places to place non-traditional vending machines.  These machines can help travelers that are missing something they want for their trip or a student who needs a piece of technology for class.  Fitness centers are also great places to reach a target market through automated dispensing. Just like in traditional snack vending where location is important and a business profits when they can take their product to where people interested in their product already are.

iVendTech Satellite Machine

                  Organizations are also learning how vending machines are efficient and cost effective ways to get necessary supplies to their own employees. Businesses can use vending machines to track supplies, so they know exactly who is taking the supplies, and can limit how many workers can take. Employees can also take supplies 24/7 and do not need to wait on anyone else to access what they need. Intelligent Dispensing Solutions had been very successful helping hospitals dispense and sort their scrubs and other medical supplies. IDS also has helped fire departments track and dispense emergency supplies. Improved inventory management with vending machines is helping organizations save money and better serve their workers.

             We will let other companies get customers snacks and drink. We are proud to be on the cutting edge of automated inventory management systems helping businesses save time and money. Helping companies develop automated retail plans to reach their target market is important to us. Intelligent Dispensing Solutions is excited about the future of vending and the growing awareness and opportunities to vend non-food items. Do you have an idea of something you would like to vend but need helping making it happen? Contact us today at 1-877-771-4446. We would love to learn how we can serve you!