Improving Operations and Efficiency with Our New Asset Management System

As part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing our services, here at Red Occasions, we are always looking at ways to improve for our clients.  We recently conducted a full review of our systems and processes to see where we could make some changes. One area we felt needed addressing was our inventory stock. So, off the back of this, we have recently implemented a new asset management system – barcode inventory. We are excited to share with you the benefits that this project has brought to our company and our clients.

Red Occasions are audio visual professionals. You can hire AV equipment from us, so if you’re looking for audio visual equipment in Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Bedford or beyond, give us a call. We can also provide event production such as award shows, product launches or conference production in Cambridge and the surrounding regions. Get in touch if you need help arranging your next event.

From manual to modern

When we first started the company, a manual stock-piling system worked fine. Our staff knew where the items were usually kept and could pick these to send them out for hire. However, as we have grown and our inventory has scaled up and become more complex, this manual picking system became impractical, slow and open to errors.

We felt that a barcode inventory system would help bring us bang up to date. A barcode inventory system is when each product is assigned an individual barcode. When the audio-visual product is hired out, the warehouse employee scans it. The scanner can tell the employee if they’ve picked the right item. It will also then record the action and the information is sent to a central database. This allows us to keep accurate track of each item in our inventory.

Better inventory, better practices, better service

Over three months, we successfully barcoded every asset, including all our cables and accessories, to create a complete inventory of all of our products. We have integrated our AV kit with our hire system, giving our office team immediate visibility of product availability, condition inspection status and job history. This has helped us to better manage our inventory which ultimately leads to better practices and a better service for you, the client.

The new asset management system has made a significant impact on our warehouse operation, improving the efficiency of our working practices. The warehouse team can easily send out equipment and check it back in by scanning the barcode. This has led to faster turnaround times and a more efficient hiring process.

Benefits of barcoding our inventory:

Improved accuracy

By having a detailed record of all of our assets, we can eliminate any errors in inventory and reduce the risk of missing assets. Mistakes happen when people are distracted or tired which can cost us time and money. With the barcode inventory system, we now have an accurate, real-time live inventory count. There are fewer mis-picks. We can ensure we are giving clients the correct information when they call to hire an item as we can see its availability immediately.

Increased efficiency

The asset management system helps to streamline our business operations and improve workflows. This results in better time management as it reduces the time and effort required for manual inventory management, minimising errors and inconsistencies. 

Better organisation

With a centralised database of all assets, we can keep track of all of our equipment, reducing the risk of loss or damage.

Real-time data

The speed that the data is processed means that our inventory levels are always up-to-date and accurate. We know the availability of our stock in real-time.

Reduced training

The barcode scanner is really easy to use. This means we don’t have to take the time to train our staff about each and every AV item in the inventory. They have the barcode scanner to confirm they’re picking the right item.

Transforming our business for the better

Not having to manually keep track of our products has been invaluable, saving us time and allowing us to run our business more efficiently. We can continue to scale up our AV stock, knowing it’s being tracked by the barcode system.

The new asset management system is just one example of how we are investing in new technology to provide innovative solutions that meet the needs of our clients. We’re really happy with the advantages this system has bought about for our team.

If you’re looking for audio visual equipment in Cambridge, Bedford, Milton Keynes, Northampton or beyond, speak to us. We not only hire out AV kit but also offer event production services including conference production in Cambridge and the surrounding regions. Speak to Red Occasion about your next event.