INTRODUCTION TO SMART LOCKERS
Introduction to smart lockers
The key benefits of Smart Lockers are numerous.
From improved functionality, greater security and governance, they are an enabler for new business processes, providing more flexibility and enhanced efficiency through connectivity with other business systems and mobile devices.
So, in summary, Smart Lockers help organisations enhance their workspace by;
IT Inventory Management Lockers
Inventory Lockers have been designed as a time and cost-saving solution as the locker tracks and records every item, limits access only to authorised users and provides detailed reporting for departmental cross-charging.
These lockers provide governance over business inventory, including IT peripherals, consumables and stationery. IT equipment such as replacement laptops or mobile devices can remain fully charged and ready for immediate use.
Similarly, stationary usage can be monitored and charged appropriately.
IT Inventory Management Lockers benefits:
- 24/7 self-service user access
- Remote management / contactless distribution
- Suitable for all types of inventory, from stationery to computer peripherals
- All inventory accessed is tracked and recorded
- Unique pin code or id card access assigns each item to a specific user
- Easy to use and saves management time
In the face of the Coronavirus crisis, the Ricoh Smart Locker solution has become critical to protecting the Coventry City Council workforce and enabling it to deliver essential services to the community.
Gary Griffiths, ICT Engagement Lead, Coventry City Council
Click to read how Ricoh helped Coventry City Council
Asset Management Lockers give the business total control of expensive devices, tools, calibrated instruments and keys typically found in retail and warehouse environments.
They provide significant cost savings with an 80% reduction in device losses or damage over a 12 month period.
In addition, Asset Management Lockers also facilitate up to 68.5% reduction in time taken for staff to self-serve versus having to personally collect or hand over devices or keys.
As your people arrive to work they simply help themselves to the appropriate device required to complete their role, use it throughout their shift then simply return the device to the locker once their work has concluded.
Asset Management Lockers benefits:
- 24/7 self-service access
- Full visibility, transparency and control over allocation and retrieval of assets
- Access real-time reporting and usage history
- Assign assets to specific employees with a keyless pin code or ID card access
- User accountability of device
- Easy to use and saves time and resources
- Faster check-in/check-out equals more ‘picks per hour’
Working with Ricoh to introduce Smart Lockers to our distribution centres is helping us to optimise our operational processes. We expect that the combination of time savings, enhanced productivity, and reduced asset repair and replacement costs will generate a very strong return on investment, and enable us to deliver a higher quality service to clients
Logistics Company Spokesperson
Parcel Management
Lockers
Today, organisations need to be flexible and adaptable, managing remote and contactless access to mail and parcels like never before. Smart lockers seamlessly enhance your parcel management and logistics to enable agile hybrid working.
Mailroom Lockers are modular, scalable and customisable to enable mailrooms and receptions to deal with increasing volumes easily. They bring full automation to the handling process, saving time and providing end-to-end accountability, alleviating the responsibility to manage and secure potentially valuable packages.
When received, the recipient details are entered and an appropriate locker allocated, so the delivered item can be stored securely. From this point the entire process of communication is managed with email or text notifications until the delivered item is collected.
Parcel Management Lockers benefits:
- 24/7 self-service access, faster collection
- Removes queues and saves employee time
- Automation of parcel deliveries and collections
- Increase convenience for your employees
Click & Collect benefits:
For most retailers, contactless click and collect offers them a safe way to entice customers back into shops. Already a growing trend prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, these can help optimise store personnel’s time and provide valuable analytics on shopping patterns, dwell and pick-up times.
Retailers see the need to incorporate contactless self-service solutions into their businesses to stay competitive, streamline operations, increase footfall in stores, sell more and adapt to the new normal.
Retailers that succeed in offering click and collect without long collection queues will gain a greater share of customer minds and wallets
Smart Lockers enable employees to use a personal locker on a permanent or ad-hoc basis.
The locker can be booked in advance via a mobile device and accessed via a pin code or by the employee's security card. This means lockers are self-service and always available. The lockers, which can be designed to offer a variety of storage sizes, can then be used for the secure storage of personal belongings, documents and equipment.
For reception, lockers provide many benefits. From simple and effective storage for visitors personal belongings to a location to securely store and manage the delivery of parcels or deliveries for employees. Not only does the locker take care of the storage, it's smart technology also manages the contact, liaison and reminder notifications to the addressee.
Personal Storage Lockers benefits:
-
Single view, remote management of the entire locker portfolio
-
Keyless entry via a keypad or ID access card
-
24/7 self-service access
-
Flexible management modes suited to unique and changing business requirements
-
Real time management information and reporting providing key data such as utilisation rates
-
Modular, customisable and extendable design
-
Remote online booking via a mobile device
