Manufacturing Case Study
With unprecedented demand for office furniture, it was more important than ever that their operational capabilities could satisfy and exceed customer expectations.
Relying on Carlton’s extended depot repair plan and rapid local delivery, the furniture manufacturer saved hundreds of thousands of annual technology expenditures by using Zebra MC9190s long after their end of support date.
With a partnership going back many years, Carlton was the first choice for the manufacturer’s latest technology refresh.
The Challenge
Upgrading from Zebra MC9190s running Windows TE to new rugged mobile computers on Android was the next logical path, but the operating system and software needs added an additional layer of complexity to the project.
A substantial ROI with minimal disruption to productivity was expected for a full upgrade and migration to hundreds of Android devices across 11 U.S. distribution centers.
The Solution
Procurement Plan and Reduced Ownership Costs
With intimate knowledge of the manufacturer’s technology infrastructure and daily operational challenges, Carlton developed a custom procurement plan that would provide tangible, substantial improvements to the enterprise’s technology. After careful evaluation of existing technologies and internal improvement needs, the Honeywell CK65 mobile computer was the best Android-capable solution for their needs. Leveraging a strategic relationship with Honeywell, Carlton locked in a 20% reduction in upfront costs compared to the previous solution.
Personalized Project Management and Support
As the new devices were deployed to each distribution center, Carlton served as the single point of contact, resulting in faster and more efficient support. This removed a communication barrier and redundancies that are common when several third party IT vendors are involved in a technology migration.
Remote Device Management and Emulator Modernization
Updated, Android versions of their critical applications were tested, integrated, and configured on every device. This required upgrading their mobile device management to Android in order to remotely push security patches and application updates to each new Honeywell CK65. Daily troubleshooting, upgrades, software pushes, and usage logs for all devices could now be performed remotely on a cloud server.
Carlton also modernized their terminal emulation (TE) application to enhance worker productivity in their distribution centers. The previous Windows TE image was now a simpler, faster Android version, and required no custom development or internal IT resources from the manufacturer.
Key Findings
- 60% reduction in incidents requiring repair
- 20% lower upfront cost of new rugged mobile computers compared to previous solution
- Vastly improved security, stability, and user productivity in U.S. furniture distribution
- Remotely managed, Android computers saved literally thousands of internal troubleshooting hours
- Minimal disruption to the supply chain during system-wide migration and deployment
“No matter who I buy IT equipment from, I wouldn’t trust anybody for service and repairs like I trust Carlton. Not even the OEM. The migration and implementation had to be done from scratch and they made sure we were taken care of every step of the way.”
Tyler R.
Director of Operations
The Results
Carlton locked in lower device ownership costs, deployed and integrated remote support for the Android emulation, and ensured all devices were functioning in every U.S. distribution center with minimal disruption.
