This is part of the Chainlane Interview Series, where we talk with supply chain, retail, and technology professionals on the hottest topics, solutions, and thoughts on the industry.

Should you have your own supply chain/ retail tech insights to share with Chainlane’s readers, feel free to contact us at marketing@chainlane.io for a potential interview.

Our guest this time is Andrew Getter from Denso Wave Europe, who discussed AIDC and solutions for long-lasting results.

About you - tell us a little bit about yourself

Name, position, company, years in the company

Andrew Getter, I’m Denso’s Sales Manager in the United Kingdom and Ireland (UK&I). I have just joined Denso in September 2023.

High-level summary of your career path and how you arrived at your current role

I have been working in sales pretty much for my whole working life. I had my own digital agency which I sold in 2010 and since then I have mainly been involved in selling software focused on digital transformation, particularly in retail. My AIDC (Automatic Identification and Data Capture) experience comes from 6 years at Scandit where I was the first 'boots on the ground' for the UK, helping to scale their UK&I business.

Are there any interesting stories or projects within your role or industry, which you're proud to share?

I think the use cases around data capture are varied and interesting. One of the things I have always been focused on for any project is making sure that those projects deliver tangible business value in a way that is quantifiable and measurable. This has been key in ensuring my customers' projects are successful.

About your company and role

High-level: Company name, what does it do, what's its value proposition, and who are its main audiences

I work for Denso Wave Europe which is a global provider of high-quality Auto-ID, RFID, and IoT solutions. We are part of the wider Denso group which is a large, global organization well known for manufacturing car parts.

It's this automotive history that has driven the data capture innovation that has helped form a large part of our business and in fact it was Denso that invented the QR Code!

Any awards, recognition, inspirations, or achievements worth mentioning?

In 1994, Denso employee Masahiro Hara developed a special two-dimensional code: the so-called QR code. QR stands for Quick Response and refers to the extremely fast decoding of information. Originally developed for the marking of assemblies and components for logistics in the Toyota Group's automobile production, the QR code is now one of the most ubiquitous and well-known codes, used by billions of people daily.

Products/Solution: please provide a little bit more info on your offering/s

We have an extensive range of very high-quality mobile computers, scanners, and RFID solutions as well as robotics and IoT solutions. Whilst these are used in a wide range of vertical markets, we are most active in Retail, Manufacturing, Logistics and healthcare.

Your role: what does your position consist of, why is it so important (internal/external), and what makes it interesting?

It's my job to help define the go-to-market strategy for the UK&I as well as to drive growth in my region. Denso is investing heavily in Europe as a high-growth region and so my role is about helping existing and new partners understand and sell our products. What makes it interesting is the potential that I see to grow our business in the UK&I as well as the chance to form new alliances with some innovative partners.

Hardware, Software, RFID, and Denso

There is a growing move towards RFID to improve supply chain visibility and operations. Where does Denso fit in?

Denso supplies a range of RFID readers for a wide range of use cases from in-store retail to warehousing and logistics. We have some of the best read speeds of devices on the market today and work with experts like Chainlane who we believe can deliver the most value to the customer.

Are there other important technologies besides RFID Denso focuses on which companies should be aware of? What's the advantage/disadvantage for each?

Of course, the AIDC market is a rapidly evolving one and what we have found is that it is rarely one single technology that can solve a customer's requirement. Barcodes will continue to be a cheap and effective technology and I think we will see some innovative and exciting developments in that area. For example, Denso has recently developed the SQRC or Secure QR Code which has both a publicly readable and encrypted area which offers huge potential for Identity Validation use cases when combined with facial recognition technology.

What use cases can companies expect to solve using Denso hardware solutions?

Denso customers can solve a wide range of data capture problems, using Denso hardware, dependent upon the vertical in which it is used. For example, Denso has developed a medical scanner that has no moving parts and no seams or creases, making it ideal for clinical environments where sterile equipment is required, enabling scanning at the point of care, even in operating theatres. What's key is to understand customer pain points, by vertical and by use case, and then develop data capture solutions that address those pain points directly.

Denso is known as a leading hardware provider for supply chain visibility. How is Denso providing complete solutions or software per market trends and needs?

Denso has a range of RFID, mobile computing, and scanning solutions that can help in various parts of the supply chain. We only sell through partners so we look for market leaders and innovators who can deliver real business value to the end customer and then work with those partners who can deliver complete solutions.

With the advancement of technology, changing market needs, and end-user expectations, how is Denso adapting and what is planned ahead?

Whilst Denso sells through a partner network we are always keen to work closely with our partners' end customers to understand how their requirements are changing over time. We are also more flexible than other hardware manufacturers in our industry and will often try to accommodate specific customer requirements, working with them in a more solution-led approach than many of our competitors. By working with our partners and listening to the voice of the customer, we are able to steer our product development to deliver new products and functionality.

About the Supply chain:

In your own words, how would you define ‘the supply chain’?

For me, it's the activities involved in both getting the materials needed to manufacture a product and then delivering that product to the end customer, either directly or through a number of third parties. Those activities involve people, transportation, and technology and require systems and processes to ensure efficiency. Supply chain efficiency is key in keeping the manufacturing and distribution costs as low as possible, to maximize margins whilst still being competitive.

What has changed in the Supply Chain since you’ve started in the industry?

I think that the biggest change has been in retail where customer expectations in terms of availability and delivery have grown exponentially over the last 10 years. We are now living in an omnichannel world where customers expect to have a unified customer journey across multiple digital and physical touchpoints with the flexibility to receive their goods how they choose. The pandemic was instrumental in further driving the demand for same-day or next-day delivery and so retailers have had to evolve supply chain systems at an extremely rapid pace to cope with customer demands.

What does “Inventory Accuracy” mean to you? Why is it so important for businesses?

If I think about retail then inventory accuracy and stock availability go hand in hand. Since product availability is one of the biggest drivers of customer experience it's essential for retailers to have stock accuracy at high levels. This is even more the case where there is a need to ship directly from the store to fulfill customer orders and the ability to do this with accuracy enables a true omnichannel customer experience, minimises overstocking, and consequently reduces the need to mark down stock to clear.

What do you recommend other industry professionals focus on in the coming year/s?

It's easy to focus on the projects you are working on and miss some new potentially innovative and disruptive technology. Try and find the time to continually learn and proactively look to keep abreast of developments at conferences and trade shows.

How would you describe your collaboration with Chainlane?

At Denso, we say we are 'driven by quality' and indeed, we have some of the most robust and reliable devices available in the market today as a result. It's important therefore that our partners have the same approach to quality and customer satisfaction as Denso. We also look for partners that can drive innovation and offer solutions using Denso devices that deliver really strong business value. We believe that Chainlane ticks all of those boxes and we see that our collaboration is a true partnership where both parties work hand in hand to deliver the best solution possible to the customer.

How has Chainlane helped you or the businesses/clients you serve?

Chainlane takes our hardware and then uses it to deliver complete, innovative solutions to the customer. It's that application of our technology as part of a wider solution to address complex and challenging customer pain points that delivers the real value to the customer.

How would you describe the process of working with Chainlane? From concept, to planning, to integration/implementation, soft launch, QA, and ongoing support and growth?

Chainlane has been a great partner to work with. It's clear that they understand their customers really well and they take a high-quality and solution-led approach. We've been happy to work with them to combine our hardware expertise with their supply chain expertise in a way that I think their customers really appreciate.

In closing

Where can people go and learn more about you, what you do, and your company?

The best place to find out more about us is either to reach out to me directly or to go to https://www.denso-wave.eu/

What final thought/s would you like to leave the readers with?

Supply chain technology is an exciting and rapidly evolving area. It's important to choose partners and providers that really understand your business and the problems you are trying to solve and that can tailor high-quality solutions that directly address those problems. It's not about features and functions, it's about business value, and that almost always requires industry experience and expertise so always look for that with a new technology partner.