What are Smart Lockers and why your hybrid workplace needs them?
With hybrid working as today’s normality, team members work remotely and onsite at various times. This flexibility requires efficient digital solutions to help maximise team productivity and to support this, you need smart asset management.
Whether it’s a replacement laptop for the marketing manager or the distribution of hand-held scanners at the warehouse - getting your team the tools they need can be tricky if the right people aren’t onsite at the right time. That’s where Smart Lockers come in.
Imagine those parcel collection lockers at your local supermarket - the solution is similar. A seamless, self-service bank of lockers that enables employees to drop off and collect devices, mail and packages, securely.
With Smart Lockers, you can create a more agile, automated, and resilient workplace, supporting hybrid operations and empowering employees with 24/7 access to essential assets
What are Smart Lockers?
A smart locker is an advanced electronic storage solution designed to securely and efficiently store, manage, and share assets. From incoming mail and parcels to distributing valuable devices or equipment with your team, our Smart Lockers seamlessly integrate with your digital workflows.
Organisations, from offices to warehouses, benefit from secure storage and asset management, more efficient business processes, end-to-end tracking and full reporting capabilities. Team members enjoy an enhanced user experience, with self-service access, 24/7.
How do Smart Lockers work?
Smart Lockers are centrally managed with our leading cloud-based software offering teams full visibility and real-time reporting. API integration enables your IT or operations team to connect the solution with 3rd party software, for example, ServiceNow.
Allocate lockers for various asset management requirements, such as giving laptops to new employees. Set up notifications and alerts for each collection or drop-off, and track who has accessed which locker, and when.
As this solution is keyless, lockers are equipped with a touchscreen or ID card reader. Once a locker is assigned, users receive the details securely via email. They simply scan or enter a unique code to access the correct locker to collect, drop off or swap its contents.
What are the benefits of Smart Lockers?
Whether you’re an operations manager at a warehouse or part of an IT team, Smart Lockers will benefit you.
1. Secure Access and Collection: Devices, confidential mail, parcels and other assets can only be collected by the intended person.
2. Asset Visibility and Tracking: An auditable digital trail provides complete visibility of what asset is where, and who can access it.
3. Tools for the job: Quickly deliver projectors, replacement laptops or other essential devices so your team can focus on what they do best.
4. Ready to Go: Ensure all devices are charged using built-in charging ports.
5. Seamless Integration: Easily link our software to your current business systems and processes for remote management and monitoring.
6. Reduce Asset Damage and Loss: Real-time reporting on who uses what, where, when and for how long, holds users accountable for taking care of company devices.
7. Handy Locations: Put banks of Smart Lockers at convenient locations in your warehouse or office for maximum efficiency.
8. Improve User Experience: As a completely self-service solution, team members can access equipment and supplies 24/7.
Putting a stop to regular device damage and loss at Trimble’s distribution centre, the business now saves €7000 annually thanks to the implementation of Ricoh Smart Lockers.
Who can benefit from Smart Lockers?
There are many use cases for Smart Lockers. Notably, we see offices and warehouses enjoy huge operational benefits. Customise your Smart Lockers to meet the demands of your workplace and automate inefficient distribution processes.
1. Smart Lockers for the office
Smart Lockers for the office facilitate a modern, self-service approach that supports the unique needs of hybrid working practices. Research by IDC indicates that 88% of enterprises have made or are planning investments to update physical spaces to make them more suitable for flexible work models. Smart Lockers are an essential solution to support this — they can reduce IT equipment issuing and receiving time by up to 80%.
“In the face of the Coronavirus crisis, the Ricoh Smart Locker solution has become critical to protecting Coventry City Council's workforce and enabling it to deliver essential services to the community. Without it, I doubt whether we could have implemented such effective social distancing measures as we have done.” Gary Griffiths, ICT Engagement Lead, Coventry City Council
Calculate the impact of Smart Lockers on your IT Management.
Is your IT team bogged down by manual equipment check-out and tracking? Ricoh Smart Lockers streamline IT asset management with secure, keyless access and real-time inventory tracking. Use our free IT Calculator to see how much you can save with a smarter solution.
2. Smart Lockers for warehouses
Smart Lockers for logistics and warehousing, help facilities enhance staff productivity to meet and fulfil increased global demand. Handheld terminals are business critical, and Smart Lockers remove the delays and inefficiencies of their distribution by up to 68.5%.
"Using Ricoh Smart Lockers for asset management, we have found a solid and clean solution for our scanner storage. We can trace and securely store our scanners, saving valuable time and improving operational efficiency." Simon Hooglugt, General Manager, DHL Supply Chain
Why choose Ricoh Smart Lockers?
Our lockers have embedded high-security standards and simple user and management functionality, all in aesthetically attractive units that won’t look out of place in your space.
With over 80 years of designing workplace solutions, 4,800 certified field service engineers, 25,000 lockers installed (that’s 1.3 million doors) and 150 installs each week across Europe — you can trust Ricoh is an experienced solution provider.
Our end-to-end service, from onsite surveys to ongoing support, ensures seamless integration into your existing digital infrastructure. Designed for the workplace of today and tomorrow, Ricoh Smart Lockers don't just offer storage, they enhance workflows, streamline processes, and deliver lasting value for organisations across multiple industries.
Harald List
Director EMEA Strategic Portfolio | Workplace Experience Solutions
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