In the world of event rental software, the debate over RFID technology has never stopped. When it comes to RFID portals, Chris Stein, CEO of Flex Rental Solutions, has long been a skeptic. Citing past limitations in technology and workflow, he believed the risks of inaccuracy and poor visibility outweighed the potential rewards. But recent advancements—and the innovative spirit of Flex’s own customers—have changed his mind. This is the story of that shift.
The Past: Why Portals Fell Short
For years, the promise of RFID portals (automating inventory scanning without a handheld) was overshadowed by critical flaws. The core issues, as Chris Stein saw them, were a lack of real-time visibility and accuracy with accountability.
Earlier RFID systems would push scan data directly to a backend system without a live feedback loop for the user. This “blind scanning” meant a user couldn’t immediately see what was being scanned, making it impossible to catch errors in the moment.
Equally problematic was the lack of user accountability. If the system mistakenly scanned an item, it would be recorded without immediate human review. This introduced the risk of flawed data entering the system, which could lead to inaccurate manifests and incorrect inventory availability down the line—a risk Flex was not willing to take.
The Turning Point: A Shift in Perspective
The live event industry is filled with innovators, and it was the creativity of Flex’s own customers that challenged the company’s assumptions about RFID. Through their research and testing, customers demonstrated that RFID portals could deliver real value while preserving the three pillars of the Flex vision: visibility, accuracy, and accountability. This proved that with the right hardware and smarter configurations, RFID portals could fit seamlessly into existing workflows, becoming a tool for optimization rather than a liability.
The RFID Business Opportunity
The evolution of RFID is more than a technological upgrade for your business; it’s an opportunity to gain a competitive edge. By adopting RFID, you can move beyond simple tracking and unlock powerful, data-driven insights that directly impact your bottom line.
- Unparalleled Visibility: Know where every item is, all the time. Gone are the days of searching for misplaced gear or guessing where an asset might be. RFID allows you to instantly pinpoint the location of every item in your warehouse, on a truck, or even at a job site. With a handheld reader, you can scan an entire storage area to locate a specific item without having to open a single case. This eliminates wasted labor and saves valuable time during a job prep.
- Absolute Accuracy: The biggest risk with automated scanning used to be a lack of accuracy. RFID changes this by providing real-time verification. A portal or handheld reader gives the user immediate feedback on what’s being scanned, allowing them to instantly confirm a correct read or flag a discrepancy. This crucial human oversight ensures that every piece of data entering your event rental software is accurate from the start.
- Operational Efficiency: The ability to bulk-scan items up to 10 times faster than traditional methods means your teams can process gear more quickly and with fewer bottlenecks in the warehouse. This speed minimizes labor costs and allows your crew to focus on high-value tasks.
- Financial Accountability: Having a precise, real-time record of every asset minimizes lost gear and reduces the need for manual audits. This accurate data provides a solid foundation for billing and insurance claims, directly improving your financial performance.
The Flex Vision: What’s Next?
Our approach to RFID is guided by our core philosophy of building incrementally. The next major step is to bring RFID capabilities directly into the Flex Desktop application. Upcoming updates will increase the line-item tag limit and introduce bulk scanning functionality in the “Free Scan In” screen, allowing teams to process larger volumes of gear with greater speed and data confidence.
The ultimate vision is for every scanning mode in the Flex5 Desktop to be RFID-enabled, ensuring higher efficiency, stronger visibility, and greater accountability at every stage of the rental process.
Ready to optimize your workflow?
Looking to get more out of your event rental software? Contact us today to learn how to integrate RFID into your operations and get a head start with our current RFID solutions.