Utilizing lockers and dispensing equipment to access office supplies is more than just an asset management initiative.

The benefits of utilizing lockers and dispensing equipment - idsvending.com

Resource availability and its impact on the modern office environment

Timely availability of necessary office supplies is essential for a business to maximize productivity. Sometimes missing a $40 computer mouse can ruin everything when deadlines are tight. Not having the necessary IT and office supplies can also lead to unplanned downtime, a.k.a. waiting. The Ponemon Institute’s annual report concludes that the average cost of downtime could be anywhere between $137 a minute for small businesses to $17,244 a minute for large corporations. [1]

The cost of lost productivity is just one of the impacts of unavailable office resources. Approximately one out of every eight employees who participated in a Paychex survey claimed to be very dissatisfied when they felt they had too much downtime. [2] Safety-related supplies and materials can impact the well-being and morale of the workforce, too.

Addressing these and other potential challenges due to inadequate supply of resources can be easily overcome using controlled dispensing solutions. This article discusses the benefits of smart inventory management technology like Supply Lockers and Supply Dispensers for the modern office environment.

Controlled dispensing as a solution to resource availability challenges

Controlled dispensing solutions can provide access to necessary resources by validating the user based on prox cards, barcodes, keypad and mag stripes. This ensures timely access to supplies for employees instead of waiting at a help desk or for IT to respond to their request. This also allows the business to track the consumption of supplies by employee, department, branch, or any other level of designated personnel.

A comprehensive smart inventory management solution has two essential components – hardware and software. The hardware consists of Supply Lockers and Supply Dispensers that hold the supplies. The software layer is the backend brain behind the hardware. In our case, iQ Technology software sets access workflows, product restrictions, as well as alerts and reporting. There are several applications for controlled dispensing in an office environment. Some of them are listed below:

  • Service Desks

IT support professionals are busy fending off external attacks, evaluating device performance, asset monitoring, network connectivity and other essential tasks for business continuity. Providing IT supplies to employees who need them is important, yet does not require the skills of a trained IT expert. Controlled dispensing can help eliminate service desks and free up valuable IT bandwidth.

  • Procurement Systems

Efficient businesses are always in the pursuit of maintaining the right level of inventory. Purchase departments are tasked with ensuring the availability of necessary materials while keeping the cost of inventory as minimal as possible. Inventory management modules of controlled dispensing solutions help maintain an optimum amount of supplies in stock. The solution can provide real-time information about reorder levels that help maintain the best amount of inventory.

Benefits of Controlled Dispensing

Controlled dispensing solutions deliver direct benefits to IT support desks, procurement departments and employees. Factors like business continuity, operational efficiency, and real-time insights create value for large organizations. This translates to business benefits like:

  • Profitability

Businesses can enjoy cost savings and operational efficiency by using controlled dispensing technology. Lockers enabled with inventory management software can track and optimize the usage of assets. Shrinkage due to hoarding, loss, and expiration can be avoided by implementing controlled dispensing technology.

  • Accountability

iQ Technology software makes sure only designated individuals can access certain supplies. Administrators can track who is taking what items, when and how many. The system establishes a transparent chain of custody for valuable assets and drives accountability at all levels.

  • Reliability

Supply Lockers and Supply Dispensers can improve resource availability. This creates a reliable process and eliminates resource-related uncertainties. Automated alerts about PAR levels can preempt purchases to avoid unplanned downtime.

  • Efficiency

Controlled dispensing minimizes downtime and keeps employees on task. It also reduces human effort, freeing up bandwidth for more important activities. By minimizing downtime, the inventory management component of the dispensing solutions improves the efficiency of capital utilization. The availability of real-time information about resources allows for better workload planning. 

  • Safety

Controlled dispensing results in fewer touchpoints, decreasing the likelihood of transmitting viruses and bacteria. This will translate to a safer workplace in the age of fast-spreading contagions. 

  • User Experience

Employees can now avoid the need to line up to collect essential supplies. Frustration that arises due to the unavailability of the necessary tools and supplies for day-to-day operations can be avoided with dispensing equipment. Employees can plan better with the help of real-time visibility and inventory alerts, to keep on hand the tools and resources that are essential for executing their responsibilities.

Conclusion

Controlled dispensing solutions can deliver value across the entire organization. Different stakeholders like production employees, IT support teams, procurement divisions, administrations and maintenance departments participate in the flow of inventory and the value creation process. Dispensing technology delivers value to all these stakeholders by ensuring the availability of resources and acting as a single source for all inventory-related information.

Implementing the proper hardware and software is the key to realizing these benefits. IDS has helped large Fortune 100 businesses and small enterprises harness the power of controlled dispensing technology to achieve business benefits.

Talk to our experts at 1-855-459-4536 to learn how we can get you started on empowering your office with the best controlled dispensing and inventory management solutions.

UCapIt Specialty Applications Spotlight

Pandemics are not new to our world, but COVID-19 has taught us the need for prevention, testing and protection unlike any other in contemporary history. Intelligent Dispensing Solutions brings a comprehensive set of products that cover all three aspects through its UCapit family of machines.

  • Sani-Center Plus machines can dispense large and small PPE Kits to help in preventing the spread of harmful diseases, such as influenza, COVID-19 and even the common cold.
  • IDS Testing Center enables access to self-administered COVID-19 test kits for quick identification of the COVID-19 viruses in order to slow the spread in businesses and college campuses.
  • Harm Reduction Supply Dispenser helps to deliver essential supplies like needles, syringes and disposal containers in a safe manner.

UCapit specialty application machines can help businesses and institutions fight the spread of this pandemic while ensuring proper medical supply distribution and accountability. Emergency Medical Supplies (EMS) are not just expensive, but also very valuable as they have direct impact on the lives of people. UCapit machines help distribute medical supplies, ensure proper usage and prevents waste of such life-saving essentials.

Sani-Center

Preventing the spread of viruses reduces the social and economic impact of the pandemic by saving lives. The   dispenses PPE equipment and sanitation supplies to help contain spread of contagious diseases like COVID-19 and influenze.

Sani-Center dispensers are configurable to ensure delivery of a wide range of supplies – big and small. So, investing in a single machine, operators and institutions can cater to different PPE and sanitation requirements of the end-users. The proprietary  technology eliminates coils and the need for frequent maintenance.

IDS Testing Center

The key to successful testing for COVID-19 lies in two aspects, timeliness and trackability. Timeliness means the access to tests for symptomatic and asymptomatic hosts of the disease. Early detection can help both the affected and those around them.

The series of our medical supply distribution machines helps educational institutions and businesses in Return-to-Learn and Return-to-Work initiatives. It ensures easy access to self-administered test kits in a controlled process that allows trackability. This is achieved by scanning the bar code on the employee badge or the campus card. After sample collection, when the kit is returned, it is cross referenced with the bar code on the badge to ensure proper attribution of results.

IDS Testing Center uses a combination of cloud technology,  , optical sensing and its features like iVend guaranteed delivery to ensure proper dispensing of test kits, collection of samples and accurate attribution.

Harm Reduction Supply Dispenser

Prevention and testing are important steps towards mitigation of spread. Protecting or treating is important to save the lives. It helps in reducing the spread of HIV and other diseases. This is where UCapit’s comes into play.

These machines enhance safety in drug use through its automated syringe dispensing system. It is used by institutions and civic administration to provide health officials access to clean needles, clean syringes, and needle disposal containers for used needles.

Technology

Providing access to EMS and other life-saving commodities need to be reliable, controlled and trackable. UCapit leaves no stone unturned in terms of bringing in the right technology pieces from both Hardware and Software perspectives to deliver these values to its users and operators.

  • Hardware

The portfolio of products includes everything from that are installed in institutions or public spaces to Supply Lockers. are a critical component of the medical supplies value stream to proper ensure collection and distribution of narcotics and pharmaceuticals. But that is not all. The portfolio also boasts that of the that combine benefits of dispensers and supply lockers into one machine. This not only reduces the footprint, but also reduces cost of operations.

At a sub-system level, UCapIt uses cutting edge technology like IR sensing based iVend Guaranteed Delivery systems and  systems to ensure safe and assured delivery of essential commodities.

  • Software

Data visibility is the key to making timely and accurate decisions in the supply chain. It is more so when it comes to dispensing EMS and critical supplies. That is why UCapit’s iQ Technology ensures availability of real-time analytics that can provide actionable insights into consumption of supplies and usage of the machine. The data can help executives and managers make informed decisions for enterprise-wide inventory and asset management.

Benefits of UCapit Specialty Applications

In times of the pandemic, healthcare organizations look for ways to easily distribute medical supplies. When patient volumes are high and the need for quick access to testing is at never-before-seen levels, they also must minimize cost of operations. The cost of inventory is a big component of the cost of operations. The different features of the UCapit portfolio of machines help optimize the cost of inventory and reduce expensive wastage to deliver savings for its customers.

But that is not where it stops. It delivers benefits to all players across the value stream from civic bodies to end users and everyone in between.

Government & Civic Bodies Hospitals Businesses and Educational Institutions End Users (Students, workers, patients, etc.)
Reduces Inventory Carrying Costs

Eliminates ‘shrink’ and hoarding

Eliminates waste due to expired products and pharmaceuticals

Provides real time intelligence

Provides access to inventory while maintaining control and security

Meets the FDA and DEA federal guidelines for pharmaceutical management

Reduces administration costs and streamlining operations

Increases the time apparatus trucks can be in service

 

UCapit machines can make a difference in the EMS and critical supplies space by positively impacting business profitability and the lives of people. To learn more about how we can help you or your institution distribute medical supplies, you can contact us at (866) 409-2895.