Joe Barnes, Regional Product Manager from Zebra Technologies, explains how to realise more value from your government or utilities operations by using mobile printers
Today’s government and utilities operations are increasingly driven by efficient processes that enhance accuracy, productivity, and expectations around solutions that further enhance the public’s experience with you. So, how does your technology work for you? Is it helping you work smarter, not harder, to maximise opportunities for value optimisation across your operations now and in the future?
A clever way to maximise cost-savings
Government and utility service providers often assume that to equip employees with mobile printers and scanners; they must also purchase smart mobile computers to link those two ‘dumb accessory’ devices. But that’s not true – and they’re missing a trick. Cost-effective mobile printers can perform many functions without needing more expensive ‘intelligent’ middleware.
In a government or utility service, you can deploy ‘print from the hip’ capabilities anywhere across operations, enhancing field workers’ productivity in the most challenging or remote environments. A comprehensive portfolio of Zebra mobile printer accessories is available, ranging from cases, straps and belt clips to in-vehicle mounts, docking cradles and vehicle power adapters.
Time spent by field workers on writing tickets or receipts, for example, could be time spent covering more ground or making more service visits. Flexible and affordable mobile printers allow employees to print receipts and labels anywhere, improving the user experience and optimising efficiencies for you.
Multiple applications and use cases
Parking and traffic enforcement officers can leverage mobile print capabilities when issuing tickets and fines. Using the mobile printer to assist a mobile computer or a scanner, they can quickly scan a vehicle’s registration plate, process the action, and print an instant parking fine, traffic violation notice or speeding ticket. Other emergency services also use mobile printing devices; some fire brigades use them to issue building safety certificates.
Mobile scanning and printing devices can also be used to tag and track military ordnance. Meanwhile, in the utilities sector, field service operatives can easily use a cost-effective combined scanner and mobile printer to read meters and provide reading receipts.
Within an operations centre, wireless local area network (WLAN) connectivity is an option for most of the product range, so tasks can be sent from a central cloud location straight to the devices before a field worker sets out on the day’s rounds. Zebra printers have plentiful memory capacity throughout a shift to perform functions like printing labels in the right format with the correct information.
Using linerless self-adhesive labels helps save time and reduces the hassle and potential slip/trip hazard of having a snake of yellow backing paper coming out of the printer. Intelligent feed of labels means that the next label is swiftly printed and delivered only when the previous one is torn off. This also helps enhance a brand’s carbon neutrality and sustainability credentials, thanks to lower waste and carbon emissions in linerless manufacturing processes.
Fast and efficient, with full-shift capabilities
Wherever mobile printers are introduced to help make your operations more dynamic, they must be reliable and robust, delivering maximum durability and flexibility for many use cases. Plus, you’ll want long-lasting battery performance for full-shift capabilities, with the ability to monitor battery status remotely across your entire print fleet.
Zebra’s cost-effective ZQ300 Series of mobile printers are ideal for government and utility service providers.
Whether your staff are printing out on-the-spot parking fines, tagging and tracking equipment, or leaving a meter reading receipt with a customer, the ZQ300 Series is fast, flexible and reliable. It’s the little mobile printer that can do it all – and all at a price that won’t break the bank.
An inside-the-four-walls model enables workers to print labels and receipts anywhere in your building, improving both accuracy and productivity.
An outside-the-four-walls model can withstand the elements, generate high-quality receipts and guarantee power for the longest shift in the field.
- More versatility, more value: With the ZQ300 Series, you can print labels, receipts, or both. In addition, Zebra Technologies offers the broadest range of charging options for maximum flexibility to meet the scalability of your business requirements – including large deployment, at-home and in-vehicle charging
- Optimal compatibility: The ZQ300 supports both Wi-Fi and It’s straightforward to switch from using it as a cloud-networked device inside a facility to using the same printer paired to a ‘mobile computer’ (either a Zebra enterprise device or tablet or a user’s own iOS® or Android™ device) for off-site operation, which further enhances workforce mobility.
- Durability by design: The ZQ300 Series – a lightweight printer, boasting superior industrial design to ensure user comfort all shift long, gives you the best of both Choose between a sleek public-facing housing that fits into the most design-conscious of service environments or a scuff-resistant, durable housing option that can handle all outdoor elements.
- Easy remote management: Optimise uptime by updating, monitoring and troubleshooting your mobile printers in real-time from a remote central location with Zebra’s one-of-a-kind Bluetooth remote management.
Device security and performance
The Zebra ZQ300 Series offers integrated Print DNA software, providing your mobile printing with security, device optimisation and customisation capabilities.
Print DNA combines our bespoke Link-OS operating system for mobile printers with a suite of smart software products that drive the functionality of our devices – to help ensure that the security and performance of your mobile printers is optimised at all times.
These halo capabilities are always working for you in the background, enabling you to do things like lock down a device when it’s connected to your network, for example, or seamlessly upgrade security patches without losing uptime.
Print DNA also optimises battery performance to help ensure longer-lasting capabilities, with easy remote management of devices and battery status. You can even use it to customise the production of different label formats through one mobile printer.
With Print DNA, everything’s fully optimised for you, for an easy and secure ‘print-out-of-the-box’ experience:
- Anytime, anywhere visibility and
- Split-second tap-to-pair
- Reduce battery power consumption up to 30%.
- Bluetooth management – update, monitor and troubleshoot printer- related issues from a remote central location.
- Simple integration with MDM
To discover more about the versatility and affordability of the Zebra ZQ300 Series of mobile printers, visit Zebra.com.
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International.
