Picking Devices for People Who Do Not Sit at Desks
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The environment decides more than the specification
A device for a warehouse needs a barcode scanner and to survive being dropped onto concrete. A device for a field engineer needs battery life and readability in sunlight. A device for a delivery driver needs to be usable in a vehicle, one-handed, in the rain.
Choosing on processor and screen specification while ignoring these produces a fleet that people work around.
Rugged or consumer with a case
| Consumer + case | Rugged | |
|---|---|---|
| Unit cost | £200–£500 | £600–£1,500 |
| Lifespan in harsh use | 1–2 years | 3–5 years |
| Scanner quality | Camera-based, slower | Dedicated, fast |
| Repair and support | Consumer channels | Business support contracts |
| Best for | Light field use, occasional | Warehouse, heavy daily use |
Total cost over three years is frequently similar. The deciding factor is usually scanning speed for high-volume tasks and downtime cost when a device fails.
Standardise ruthlessly
One model, or two at most. Every additional model multiplies testing, support, spares and training. A fleet of six models assembled over four years is a support burden nobody budgeted for.
Budget for the real costs
- Breakage and loss — assume a meaningful annual replacement rate in harsh environments
- Spare pool, so a broken device does not stop someone working
- Chargers, mounts, cases and spare batteries
- Connectivity per device
- Device management software licensing
Device management is not optional
Remote configuration, application deployment, lock-down to permitted apps, location for lost devices, and remote wipe. Without it, a fleet drifts into inconsistency within months.
It also protects you when a device is lost, which will happen. A device with business data and no wipe capability is a data incident waiting for a bus seat.
Involve the users before buying
Give three candidate devices to the people who will use them for a fortnight. Their verdict on weight, glove usability, battery life and scanning speed is worth more than any specification comparison.
It also produces advocates rather than recipients, which materially affects adoption.
Frequently asked questions
Can staff use their own phones?
How long should devices last?
What about software compatibility?
Do we need mobile device management?
Fleet of six different devices and no management?
Standardising and adding management usually pays for itself in support time. Happy to talk through what fits your environment.
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