RFID Applications

Applications enabled be RFID systems are limited only by the imagination, but generally fall into the following categories:

• Metering applications such as electronic toll collection
• Telemetry, telematics, and sensor applications
• Inventory control and tracking such as merchandise control
• Asset tracking and recovery such as computing equipment monitoring
• Tracking parts moving through a manufacturing process
• Tracking goods in a supply chain
• Payment systems

RFID systems can improve CRM systems through inventory control.  For example, a customer service person can immediately and authoritatively tell a customer whether a particular merchandise item is in the store and exactly where it is within the store.  In addition to the CRM benefit, this can provide a huge benefit in productivity, virtually eliminating the time and expense of employees locating merchandise.

Combining RFID systems with sensor applications enables solutions such as detecting when a uniquely identified object has come into contact with an environment that it should not, such as an area that is too hot, too dusty, to humid, etc.  Sensor systems can also provide valuable CRM data via RFID communication such as detecting that car engine needs maintenance when a consumer brings a car in for an oil change.

RFID can be invaluable for applications in which uniquely identifying the item/object is critical due to concern over safety or quality assurance such as management of hazardous materials or manufacturing situations in which quality control depends on precise parts control.

As RFID evolves to allow for standardization and personal RFID readers, various presence-based wireless marketing features will be enabled such as the ability to automatically inform a consumer when they are within the vicinity of a product type that they desire.