Digital camera technology helps revolutionize Insurance Contents Restoration Industry

CHALLENGES

Founded in 2009, iCAT Solutions Inc. was developing a software solution for the field of contents restoration where an in-depth study, combined with key strategic relationships, helped iCAT in identifying deep process inefficiencies, unnecessary business costs, and poor information management systems as areas where technology could provide answers. The Pack-Out process, for most companies, required a camera on-site to capture images of the items being collected for cataloging, and those cameras broke frequently as a result of the harsh environment. The pack-out process also required detailed information gathering:  key information about items (including serial numbers, related accessories, brands and models), the state they were found in, what type of item they were (electronics, clothing, furniture etc) and where they were packed and stored for shipment to the cleaning facility. The process was incredibly time intensive and most industry insiders confessed to skipping certain details in order to speed up their process.

SOLUTIONS

iCAT Solutions Inc. made contact with a Ricoh senior specialist in the digital cameras division who immediately identified the Caplio 500 model as an impact resistant product that could not only endure the sometimes harsh working conditions of a Pack-Out environment, but also address other hardware shortcomings which existed in the Pack-Out process. Utilizing Ricoh’s patented memo field technology, iCAT was able to work exclusively with Ricoh to design a process which captured key cataloging details the industry required using only the Caplio 500 Digital Camera.  With its best in class – shift on the fly – macro technology, users can easily document detailed information with exacting clarity up to 1cm.  Users can further qualify pictures with a voice memo.  Ricoh’s voice tag technology embeds the voice memo directly into the image file.  After fitting the Caplio 500 to include an optic barcode scanner, the user can capture available barcode information using the ‘quick fire’ integrated scanner.  Finally, when synced with the iCAT Software Solution via USB or integrated Bluetooth connection, the barcode information captured further allowed users to leverage the entire Pack-Out details gathered with the Ricoh Caplio 500 Camera throughout their operation cycle in a simple, logical, and on demand system.

MEASURED RESULTS

Ricoh’s exclusive memo field technology, which includes voice tagging and barcode recognition, allowed workers to give unique identities to every item being cataloged with only a few clicks of the camera.

iCAT Solutions Inc. worked with their industry specialists to introduce their merged technology solution and measured its direct impact on operations over a number of months. Some key measurable have resulted. Monthly budget for replacement cameras have been reduced from $350 to $0. Cataloguing time at a job site has been reduced by more than 55%.  Customer satisfaction measurements improved by 96% as a result having on-demand detailed pack-out information.

See the release on PRWEB here: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/06/prweb4103084.htm