Creating visibility beyond the SKU for Mobile Guru
How Mobile Guru improved inventory visibility, accelerated stocktakes and increased online order accuracy by using RFID to track individual devices through every stage of their lifecycle.
OVERVIEW
Tracking every device, not just every SKU
Mobile Guru buys, repairs and sells a high volume of new and reconditioned technology products including mobile phones, tablets, laptops, monitors and gaming consoles. With around 12,000 SKUs and more than 18,000 individual items moving rapidly through the business, inventory management presents a particular challenge. Every phone has its own unique IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) and can move through multiple stages including receiving, testing, repair, sale and return.
Mobile Guru had used Cin7 Core for inventory management for some time but needed greater visibility of the individual physical devices as they moved into, through and out of the business. Ramp worked with Mobile Guru to develop a customised RFID solution that extended Cin7 Core, enabling individual devices to be identified, located and tracked across the business.
THE CHALLENGE
Finding one specific device among thousands
For Mobile Guru, knowing how many devices were in inventory was only part of the challenge. The team also needed to know exactly which device was where. A pick list might identify a product by SKU or batch, but ultimately the warehouse team needed to find the handset with the specific IMEI assigned to an online order.
With thousands of small, valuable and often visually similar devices moving rapidly through the operation, manual processes created significant potential for human error. This was especially important for online order fulfilment and keeping track of items as they move through the process of repair and refurbishment. Picking the correct model isn’t enough – the individual handset needed to match the specific device assigned to the customer order.
Stocktakes were labour-intensive. Individual barcodes had to be manually scanned, with a typical stocktake taking more than an hour. The time involved meant counts were naturally conducted less frequently rather than whenever the operations team wanted an up-to-date view of inventory. Mobile Guru needed a way to connect its Cin7 inventory data with the individual physical devices moving through the business.
THE SOLUTION
Connecting individual devices with Cin7 records
RFID emerged as a potential solution for Mobile Guru, and after being referred to Ramp, they began discussions around how an RFID solution could help improve stock visibility and operational efficiency.
Following a series of meetings and consultations, Ramp developed a customised solution around an important requirement: Mobile Guru wanted to continue using Cin7 Core as its inventory management platform while gaining greater visibility of serialised inventory.
Ramp extended its Cin7 integration so that serial number and IMEI data could flow into Ramp alongside the SKU and other inventory information. Each individual device could then be assigned an RFID label, with RFID reads mapped back to the corresponding inventory record in Cin7. This meant Mobile Guru could track the individual device rather than numerous devices associated with a SKU.
Different RFID labels were developed to suit devices at different stages of their lifecycle, including repair and sale. The solution was initially piloted before being rolled out across Mobile Guru’s operation which included multiple physical locations, with Ramp providing implementation, training and ongoing support.
The result was an additional visibility layer on top of Cin7 that made it significantly easier and faster to find, count and verify individual devices.
“The team at Ramp RFID were outstanding from the earliest consultations to the implementation to ongoing support as needed. Customer support was excellent and very responsive, and this helped the team get up and running quickly with the new RFID functionality,” said Manas Anant Sowale, Mobile Guru Operations Manager.
THE OUTCOME
From hours to minutes, with vastly improved accuracy
One of the most immediate improvements was the stocktake process. Instead of manually scanning individual barcodes, Mobile Guru can sweep an area with an RFID reader and identify multiple tagged devices at once. A stocktake that previously took more than an hour can now be completed in just two to three minutes, more than 20 times faster. That means stock can also be counted more frequently and whenever the business needs an accurate view, rather than waiting for a scheduled stocktake.
RFID has also introduced another level of verification into online order fulfilment. When an individual device is picked, the team can check that the physical handset matches the IMEI assigned to the order. Mobile Guru estimates that online order fulfilment accuracy has increased from around 90% to 98%, while returns resulting from an incorrect device being sent have fallen from around five per week to just one, an 80% improvement.
Greater visibility also helps devices move more efficiently through their lifecycle, which can involve moving between different physical locations. Specific items are easier to locate as they move through receiving, testing, repair, sale and return, reducing the risk of valuable inventory becoming stuck at one stage of the process. In some cases, a repaired or returned device that may previously have taken around a week to move through the operation can now potentially complete the process in around two days.
“The ability to match the exact device to a customer order quickly and efficiently has been a real game-changer for us. And given many of our products are small, we love the Geiger counter feature to quickly find a specific device among hundreds or thousands of them,” said Manas Anant Sowale, Mobile Guru Operations Manager.
AT A GLANCE
Ramp RFID delivers for Mobile Guru
“Ramp RFID has solved a very complex inventory management challenge for Mobile Guru. Visibility means accuracy and improved efficiency, not to mention far better outcomes for customers. The system is also easy to use and enables us to export and share up-to-date product data for internal stakeholders.”
Mobile Guru
Manas Anant Sowale
Operations Manager
THE FUTURE
Tapping into the full potential of RFID
After Ramp RFID was successfully adopted by Mobile Guru to extend Cin7 and improve inventory visibility and accuracy, the business sees a range of opportunities where RFID can provide more efficiency. For example, adding in another layer of data analysis and reporting will help identify if devices are staying too long in repairs, and whether more parts need to be held for those models.
Similarly, knowing what devices are being held in the warehouse for what length of time will help inform decisions around pricing and promotions to increase stock velocity through the business. The foundation is in place and RFID is working seamlessly with Cin7, so Mobile Guru can now explore further improvements in operations management and business decision making.
TECHNOLOGY
The technology behind the solution
Ramp RFID designed the Mobile Guru RFID solution specifically around the requirement to extend the ability of Cin7 to manage serialised inventory, beyond just managing SKUs.
The solution includes:
- Ramp RFID software integrated with Cin7 core
- Extend Cin7 to support serial number and IMEI data
- Customer orders module for picking and traceability
- Edge Starter package, up to 5 locations
- SATO CL4NX industrial printer with UHF RFID module
- Chainway C5 UHF RFID handheld reader
- Deployment services including integration, data mapping, training and support
