Way before COVID-19 reshaped our lives, customers have cited food safety as a key concern they consider before making a purchase. As a result, companies have refocused their efforts in maintaining an efficient cold storage system to track and manage food processing and compliance codes. However, while 63% of decision makes see themselves as equipped to meet food safety demands, less than half of customers agree. A meager 22% of customers are truly confident in a brand’s food handling capabilities according to Zebra’s newest Food Safety Supply Chain Vision Study.

Whether it be from complicated device usage or due to inexperienced workers, improper cold storage has cost supply chains as much as $750 billion annually. Today, poor refrigeration accounts for 20% of food waste globally, resulting in even larger financial costs from spoilage, recalls, and compliance fees. To meet customer concerns without crossing budgetary constraints, we recommend assessing your cold storage solution with three questions to evaluate durability, efficiency, and scalability.

1. Does your solution integrate cold chain features?
   While there are a lot of enterprise-grade devices available for harsh conditions, not every device is ready for the challenges of sudden low temperatures. To safeguard ease-of-use for all your employees, freezer-ready devices should include one or more of the following characteristics:
   ● Heated scan windows
   ● Freezer-rated batteries
   ● Internal heaters
   ● Condensation-resistant touchscreens
   ● Larger keyboard keys
   ● Glove-friendly screen
   While this list is not exhaustive, the benefits below have proven to be vital in keeping devices running smoothly within sudden temperature drops.
2. Are ergonomics still prioritized in your freezer-ready devices?
   A common misconception surrounding freezer-grade devices is that they must be larger in order to survive the cold. However, ergonomics remains crucial as employees often work with bulky gloves and heavy coats. Instead of adding to the weight, ergonomic freezer-grade devices like Zebra’s MC9300 mobile computer promote worker safety, durability, and data capture accuracy as scanners can read codes at a long range with omnidirectional scanning capabilities.
3. Can you add real-time visibility features in the future?
   Last but not least, as supply chains adapt to meet new compliance requirements and customer demands, cold storage solutions should also remain flexible to meet new expectations. That’s where technologies such as RFID, locationing, and wearable computers come into play since they enable real-time visibility and in-motion tracking, giving you better insight and control into your cold storage units. As a matter of fact, over 40% of decision makers today plan to integrate RFID into their food traceability solution. To see other ways businesses are adapting, download Zebra’s Food Safety Supply Chain Vision Study here.

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, it may be time to reevaluate your cold storage solution. As a Zebra Premier Solutions Partner, CSSI works with a variety of freezer-ready devices that fit and adapt to unique workflows. To see how you can secure cold storage efficiency with devices that last, contact us for a free assessment of your workflow.

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An average of 8 in 10 customers don’t trust your traceability system.
See how you can upgrade your cold storage solution with CSSI.