Owing to the advances enjoyed by business tools in the recent past, laundry tracking has fast become a popular solution in the commercial sector.
Given the complexity of the operations undertaken by laundries, which rent linen to businesses, the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to track laundry is now considered standard practice.
If you’re curious to find out how this technology works and the benefits of utilising RFID for expedient operations, our blog this week takes a look into precisely this. Continue reading to find out more!
How does RFID laundry tracking technology work?
Defined broadly as the wireless use of electromagnetic fields to transfer data, RFID technology utilises tags which carry electronically stored information. In the case of commercial laundries, these tags are attached to various items of linen and textiles that allow them to be identified and tracked.
Given the sophistication of this laundry tracking system, therefore, how does RFID technology contribute to more expedient operations?
It increases efficiency through faster textile identification and control
When it comes to identifying and sorting seemingly infinite stacks of linen, commercial laundries lose out on time and speed when these tasks are conducted manually.
With the ability to identify each piece with a unique tag, RFID technology allows for expedient laundry tracking. With this system in place, therefore, professionals know which item belongs to which client, what cleaning processes are required, and where the laundry needs to go when the cleaning process is completed.
RFID eliminates processing costs and errors
Processing costs and errors often inhibit commercial laundries from operating at their peak.
Without RFID tracking, mixing up inventory, repeating the cleaning process on the same items, and spending hours simply processing the various laundry loads submitted are common occurrences.
With this laundry tracking system in place, however, minimising labour costs and saving time, through the automation of tasks, is rendered an almost thoughtless process.
In this manner, commercial laundries can improve profit margins and enjoy an unparalleled edge in the market.
It allows for better inventory control
When it comes to effective laundry tracking, another benefit of RFID technology is that it allows laundry operators to ensure that stocks and inventory are always maintained.
Through the use of electronic tags, commercial laundries can track and identify exactly where each piece of linen is and under whose custody they are at any given moment. This not only prevents the loss or theft of individual items – especially for companies that rent linen as well – but also ensures accountability among clients and employees.
Customer service is improved through live reporting
Another perk commercial laundries can anticipate through the use of RFID technology is the live reporting capability that allows for easier interaction between a business and client.
wIn this regard, information pertaining to wash cycles, inventory levels, receipts and billing, as well as purchase orders and life of linen accounts, are all those that can be updated automatically.
In this way, greater clarity is introduced into the service delivery process, preventing excessive coordination and hassle in replenishing stocks of clean linen and laundering dirty items.
Laundry tracking with RIFD reduces the need for manual labour
Another way in which RFID technology allows laundries to cut down on cost and inefficiencies is by automating a number of tasks that would otherwise be left to manual labour.
In this way, employees are only hired for meaningful and fulfilling work, while more routine activities, such as sorting, is left to machines. This allows businesses to save on expenditure that could be used to invest in other tools that can expedite the laundry cycle.
In this context, RFID tags are intercepted and read, directing individual items of linen to the right areas of the washing cycle. This eliminates the need for manual labour in this particular process.
Key takeaways
Laundry tracking with RFID is an increasingly common feature in commercial laundries that are on the path to success.
With capabilities spanning critical areas such as inventory control, reporting, and the wide ambit of laundry processing, businesses can stop worrying about the little things in favour of those that matter.
With these solutions in place, going the distance and capitalising on the opportunities present in the commercial laundry industry is now just a few smart investments away.