In a bustling retail store during peak hours, where employees are multitasking between inventory management, customer assistance, and transaction processing, device reliability and durability are essential for uninterrupted operations.
Hence, rugged devices are purpose-built to withstand the challenges of the retail industry, from warehouse chaos to busy sales floors. However, managing rugged devices can be complex.
This blog will help you understand about rugged devices and the benefits and key features of rugged device management for the retail industry.
What are Rugged Devices?
Rugged devices are alternatives to conventional consumer devices, designed specifically for fast-paced industries such as retail, logistics, construction, and warehouses. They can withstand extreme temperatures, challenging environments, and wet or dusty locations.
Rugged devices can withstand sudden impact, shocks, moisture, exposure, and challenging factors that standard consumer-grade electronics cannot. They are essential for improving efficiency, accuracy, and reliability in various retail operations.
Rugged Devices vs. Consumer Devices
There has always been a dilemma on which device is appropriate for use in the retail industry. With an increase in the ruggedization of consumer devices, the line between rugged and consumer devices has blurred.
Although both these devices function in the same way, they have their respective advantages and disadvantages. There are some key considerations that retail organizations should look at before choosing rugged or consumer devices:
Cost
Consumer devices are cheaper upfront, which makes them a tempting choice for budget-conscious organizations. However, enterprises must also consider the total cost of ownership (TCO) which includes all expenses over the device’s lifespan, such as repairs, downtime, and maintenance.
Consumer devices need more repairs and replacements, leading to higher costs over time. Frequent repairs and downtime can hamper business operations. Alternately, rugged devices are built to withstand tough conditions, reducing the need for repairs and minimizing downtime. This durability makes rugged devices more cost-effective in the long run.
Additionally, consumer devices need frequent updates to keep up with new technology, adding to their TCO. Rugged devices are designed for long-term use with fewer updates needed. While consumer devices are fine for general use, rugged devices are essential for demanding environments like retail or fieldwork.
Durability
Unlike consumer devices, rugged devices are specifically designed to withstand extreme conditions such as high temperatures. They are made shock-resistant, water-proof, and dustproof because of their use in industrial and warehouse environments. Therefore, rugged devices require less maintenance during their lifespan.
On the other hand, consumer devices have a high chance of failure in tough conditions as they are not made for tough environments. Hence, they have a shorter life cycle as compared to rugged devices.
Work Environment
The choice between consumer and rugged devices depends on each organization’s specific needs and environment. The nature of work in warehouses and retail stores is tough and fast-paced, and consumer devices are not suitable due to their lack of durability. Consumer devices aren’t designed for tough conditions and are not typically used in retail operations.
Alternatively, rugged devices are built for demanding environments. They also have long battery life, fast processors, resilient screens, better acoustics, drop resistance, large memory, and advanced screen technologies. These features ensure rugged devices perform reliably without malfunctioning, even in challenging conditions. In contrast, consumer devices may require extra protection to survive such environments.
Selecting the Right Rugged Device for Retail
Considering the nature of work in the retail industry, retail businesses should look for some factors before choosing appropriate rugged devices that will align with their compliance and work environment. These are some key factors retail businesses should consider when choosing rugged devices:
1. Readable Display
Using rugged devices with readable, high-resolution screens can simplify retail operations like inventory management and self-checkout kiosks. These screens also enhance store branding and boost customer engagement.
2. Responsive Touch Screen
It’s important to have a responsive touchscreen that can be used with gloves, wet hands, or a stylus. In the retail industry, employees need to input or retrieve information quickly, often while handling products or working in varying conditions. A touchscreen that remains functional regardless of these factors ensures efficiency and seamless customer service.
3. Certificate Compliant
In retail, it’s crucial to choose a provider that offers rugged devices specifically for tough environments. These devices need to have certificates such as Ingress Protection (IP) and the American National Standards Institute to prove they’re reliable and durable enough for busy retail settings.
By getting the above certifications, retailers can trust that their rugged devices will withstand the rigors of daily use, ensuring uninterrupted operation and optimal performance in the fast-paced retail setting.
Challenges in Managing Rugged Devices in the Retail Industry
Managing rugged devices can be challenging for the retail industry, primarily due to high operational demands and diverse settings in which they are deployed. Retailers rely on rugged devices for various critical functions, including inventory management, point-of-sale (POS) transactions, order fulfillment, and customer engagement.
However, several factors contribute to the complexity of managing these devices effectively :
1. Business Ready Rugged Devices
Since the IT team is not present in a retail store, the rugged devices used by the employees must be preconfigured, making them business-ready. This calls for an MDM solution offering centralized management and seamless policy deployment onto the devices.
2. Operational Complexity
Rugged devices in retail have diverse use cases. They are used for multiple purposes, from rugged tablets for inventory management to mPOS for self-checkout processes; each application requires effective management to ensure uninterrupted operation. Ensuring rugged devices perform optimally across these diverse settings adds layers of complexity to their management.
3. Device and Application Downtime
Rugged device downtime is a significant challenge in retail, disrupting operations and hindering workflows. This downtime can delay projects, lead to customer dissatisfaction, and pose security risks. It directly impacts financial performance through lost sales and decreased productivity.
To mitigate these issues, retailers must implement an MDM solution for proactive maintenance, regular system checks, and timely software updates. Addressing rugged device downtime ensures operational continuity, maintains service standards, and safeguards financial health.
4. User Adoption
Effective use of rugged devices in the retail industry requires a user-friendly interface for employees and customers. It is essential that these devices have a short learning curve and be more streamlined in usage. With a seamless rugged device management solution, these devices can be configured with a simple user interface. This minimizes the training time of employees and maximizes user adoption.
5. Security
Rugged devices such as POS systems and card scanners contain customers’ search history and payment details, respectively. To improve customer data security and prevent data breaches, such data should be encrypted, and access to these devices and their data should be configured.
Benefits of Rugged Device Management to the Retail Industry
1. Better Customer Service and Personalization
Customers always look for a personalized shopping experience. An MDM solution enables consistent organization branding across all devices used in the retail space. This fosters brand recognition, which is crucial for building long-term customer loyalty.
By monitoring device performance in detail, MDM minimizes downtime and allows quick troubleshooting when issues arise. This ensures customers consistently have a positive experience with the devices, enhancing their overall satisfaction.
2. Operational Efficiency
Rugged devices such as tablets for point-of-sale (POS) systems and handheld RFID readers require constant monitoring and maintenance to ensure optimal functionality. MDM software enables remote access to these devices, allowing administrators to monitor their status in real time.
Through a robust MDM solution, administrators can periodically check the health information of each device, such as battery life, memory usage, and network connectivity. This proactive monitoring helps identify potential issues before they escalate. Additionally, administrators can remotely control and configure devices as needed, ensuring uninterrupted operation in the retail environment.
3. Enhanced Device Performance
Many rugged devices interact directly with the customers in a retail environment, along with warehouse and back-end functions. This makes it essential that they operate at their full potential. An MDM solution enhances the performance of rugged devices by effectively managing them.
With MDM, administrators can ensure that inventory tracking, order processing, and logistic devices are in optimal condition. By keeping the device’s software and firmware up to date and optimized, MDM helps maintain high-performance levels, ensuring rugged devices run smoothly, leading to uninterrupted retail operations and better customer engagement.
4. Remedy for Security Risks and Device Theft
In retail organizations, rugged devices are used for various purposes and are even shared among the employees. Devices such as RFID scanners contain customer data and information, making it crucial that the devices are under constant security to protect the enterprise data. MDM software enhances security for such devices by implementing robust security measures.
Administrators can enforce strong password policies, ensuring that only authorized personnel can access sensitive data. MDM also allows you to block user access to certain functions or data, preventing potential information leaks. Additionally, in such a fast-paced environment, in case a device gets lost or stolen, MDM can remotely wipe data to prevent unauthorized access, safeguarding the organization’s confidential information.
Key MDM Features for Rugged Device Management in the Retail Industry
1. Kiosk Mode
Kiosk mode controls access to your devices, ensuring they are used for their intended purpose. It restricts devices to specific applications, preventing unauthorized access. This is beneficial for retail stores with self-checkout kiosks, interactive product catalogs, or customer feedback stations, enhancing customer loyalty.
You can set your device into two types of kiosk modes:
- Single App Mode: This mode restricts devices, such as rugged tablets or POS systems, to run only one application. This feature enhances focus by eliminating distractions and reducing the risk of data mishaps. Additionally, it can be applied to self-checkout kiosks, ensuring a seamless and efficient customer experience.
- Multi-App Mode: It enables devices to run multiple applications simultaneously. You can consolidate essential work apps onto a single device, streamlining workflow and eliminating the need for employees to search for different applications. This boosts employee focus and productivity.
2. Application Management
An MDM solution offers precise control over which apps can be installed and run on mobile devices. This ensures employees use only business-related apps and customers can access appropriate tools on customer-facing devices. Application management capabilities allow you to remotely install, update, or remove both public and private apps across your retail devices, ensuring consistent customer experiences and optimal employee productivity.
3. Content Management
With content management, you can update and schedule content such as promotional videos, product images, and presentations on digital signage screens remotely. This ensures your screens always display the right content at the right time, improving customer engagement.
4. Remote Monitoring and Maintenance
Monitor devices remotely to assess their health and usage. Comprehensive reports at the device level offer insights into metrics such as data usage, battery consumption, device activity, and any security breaches. Additionally, an MDM dashboard facilitates remote monitoring of recurring IT tasks such as device updates, clearing device cache, or rebooting a device whenever necessary.
5. Remote Troubleshooting
Remote troubleshooting allows active monitoring of devices and immediately addresses any issues by remotely accessing the device’s screen. This remote access capability allows IT personnel to diagnose and fix problems without the need for physical intervention, saving time and resources.
MDM minimizes device downtime by instant resolution of technical issues and ensures retail operations remain smooth and efficient. The ability to provide real-time support enhances overall device reliability and reduces the impact of technical disruptions on the business.
6. Branding
Branding allows retailers to push various brand elements, such as the home screen, lock screen, and organization logo, onto rugged devices in your organization. You can set your organization logo as a home or lock screen wallpaper and personalize your device screens.
7. OS Updates
Retail enterprises can schedule, automate, or delay software and OS updates based on your organization’s needs using an MDM solution. This ensures updates occur at optimal times, minimizing disruption to operations.
By effectively managing update processes, you can maintain device functionality and security without interrupting critical tasks. Additionally, the ability to customize update schedules ensures updates align with your workflow, maximizing productivity and efficiency.
Optimize Rugged Device Management with Scalefusion MDM
Retail organizations that want enhanced rugged device security and a seamless device management experience must adopt an advanced rugged device management solution like Scalefusion MDM.
With a 14-day free trial available, add Scalefusion MDM to your SaaS shopping cart and manage rugged devices at your fingertips.
