In today’s ever mobile work environments, many business are looking for ways to enable their workforce without hindering them with fixed stations or heavy, clunky mobile devices. A common trend today is using existing iOS or Android devices paired with rugged cases and for enhanced data capture capabilities, a cordless barcode scanner.

There are a wide range of cordless scanners to choose from but few have been designed with smartphone compatibility specifically in mind. Zebra’s CS4070 is the perfect solution for any application looking to add enterprise-level scanning to any smartphone or tablet.

The wireless Bluetooth CS4070 Companion Scanner provides the reliable scanning and  ergonomics that are missing in your tablets, laptops, smartphones and other devices that are not designed with intensive barcode scanning in mind. This affordable pocket-sized device offers advanced barcode scanning that’s able to capture virtually any barcode, in any condition, in the time it takes to press the trigger, even if it is damaged, dirty or scratched. And the natural feel delivers comfortable no-fatigue scanning, no matter how many times a day your workers need to scan.

Key Features:

• Wireless scanning for iOS, Android and Windows mobile devices
• PRZM Intelligent Imaging technology for next generation bar code scanning performance
• Scan any 1D, 2D or PDF417 barcode on any medium
• Superior ergonomics
• Point-and-shoot scanning simplicity8
• Full-shift power
• Real-time and batch mode support

For assistance finding the right Zebra scanner for your specific needs, contact us at Barcodes, Inc.

The readers of Business Solutions magazine have honored Seagull Scientific, manufacturer of BarTender software, for the eighth straight year as a “Best Channel Vendor”—the only labeling software company to be recognized so many years in a row. With more than 2,700 readers voting, the magazine’s reseller subscribers again cited Product Features and Product Reliability as our top two areas of strength in the category of Labeling Software.

“We are grateful that our channel partners have publicly supported Seagull longer than any other labeling software company,” said Harold Boe, President of Seagull Scientific. “In our 30th year in business, we launched a major new version of our BarTender software and introduced fresh new branding and a new website, but this award demonstrating the continuing strong relationship with our valued channel partners is really the icing on the cake. We look forward to deepening our relationship in 2016.”

Business Solutions conducts its annual survey in partnership with Penn State University, and does not consider vendor advertising in the magazine as a factor in the results. The full results and methodology were published in the January 2016 issue.

The Power of Personalization: Consumers Increasingly Seek Customized Offers

It seems everyone today boasts a public profile on social networks from Facebook and Twitter to LinkedIn. And in the e-commerce space, consumers have become armchair critics, commenting on retailers, products and services via customer reviews. In turn, notions of privacy have been upended in the era of social sharing.

So it’s not surprising that most shoppers (74%), are willing to share some level of personal information with retailers, such as their age, likes, dislikes and purchasing history. As a bargain never goes out of style, those shoppers reluctant to share are swayed most by discount offers to provide their personal information. But they expect personalized product and sales offers in return.

One-size-fits-all retail promotions and blanket sale offers, like a diaper coupon emailed to a woman without children, seem woefully archaic today.

Shoppers prefer receiving personalized offers, for example, before leaving home via email rather than in the store so they can plan ahead. That’s because consumers often research products online, or “webroom,” before heading to the store to make a purchase. By contrast, once consumers are near a store or shopping its aisles, a relevant text offer is preferred, shoppers surveyed said.Retailers now make product recommendations based on shoppers’ purchasing patterns. That’s helped condition consumers to expect offers targeted directly at them.But while consumers increasingly expect retailers to be clued in to their needs with customized offers, they want to determine themselves how they get those offers. Once they’ve set the agenda, they’re open to a variety of marketing tactics.
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