RFID: 4 Steps To Do It Right

Deploy and test.
Deployment generally takes two parts. First, BrickHouse identifies a small group of users and rolls out a pilot program. This includes setting up the database, assigning the readers and attaching tags. In the case of the microscope manufacturer, the tags were placed inside the microscopes themselves so that the tags couldn't be removed. BrickHouse worked with the client to make sure the tags were inserted correctly so that they are able to transmit signals and to protect them from getting damaged.

After deployment and getting familiar with the setup, the field engineers were encouraged to test the equipment in possible scenarios. "For testing, we push the risk envelope," Morris said. The microscope manufacturer's field force was sent to a hospital that had some of the evaluation microscopes and told to play "hide and seek" to try to find the units. This way, the engineers got firsthand experience on how the system worked and any problems could be ironed out before full-scale deployment. While the engineers didn't know the actual product locations, someone did, so it was a controlled test that gave engineers the opportunity to see what the system could do.

For a jeweler or gemstone supplier, the risk may be a little different. Instead of misplacing equipment, the supplier might be concerned about robbery. The test can be a staged mugging, where the sales rep is stuffed into the trunk of his car, Morris said. Enacting scenarios, even the really far-fetched ones, tests the system to its fullest and ensures the RFID technology meets all of the customer's requirements and rules. Structure is key.

In the end, everything boils down to having a well-balanced business.

Initial conversations and the design phase of the project can account for as much as 60 percent of a project. Because the hardware is not yet commoditized, margins are still high, but a successful practice balances professional services, hardware expertise and software solutions.