Feb/Mar 2008

Just because you've used a particular make of mobile computing equipment in the past, you can't assume that the same supplier will be suitable in future. Yet sometimes the natural solution also turns out to be the right one, as Jewson IT has found.

The company provides IT services and solutions to most of the UK businesses in the Saint-Gobain Building Distribution Group - the largest of which is Jewson itself. It was acquired by Saint-Gobain in 2000, and has a nationwide network of over 500 branches.

More than seven years ago Jewson installed wireless handheld terminals in a large number of its branches - mainly for managing sales and stocktaking functions. Recently the company recently decided to upgrade its solution using wireless technology.

The existing units were Symbol PDT handheld terminals, and the natural replacement was the MC9090 wireless mobile computer from Motorola, Symbol's successor. However, as business services manager Russell Bower explains: 'We realised that we needed independent advice in finding a handheld unit that would meet all of our requirements.'

 

The company had been working closely with Spirit Data Capture, which had sourced cordless handheld barcode scanners for Jewson in the past, so it appointed the company to research the market. Four handhelds were trialled, but two were quickly discarded because of poor battery life. The MC9090 emerged as the favourite.

A key function for the new handhelds is when timber products are loaded on customer's vehicles in the open air. Previously a paper document was created, but now Jewson staff can scan the timber as it is loaded and transmit the details instantly to the checkout, so that the inventory list is ready when the customer gets there. The handhelds are also used for stock-taking and similar functions.

Bower says the handhelds 'provide us with faster processing capabilities, and are lighter and more robust than ever.'