Automation Providers vs Robotic Resellers: What integrations can you offer?
|Article by Megan Gee
Ensure your industry 4.0 partner can deliver the goods by asking “what integrations can you offer?”
It is one thing to deliver amazing warehouse automation technology. It is something else to make that technology actually work.
When you are looking for a partner to bring your business into the world of industry 4.0, it isn’t just about the equipment they offer. It’s about the solution they supply. To separate the people who just resell robots from the teams that provide proper automation, you need to ask the right questions.
In this series, we’ve looked over questions of functionality, of customisation, and the ability to see the robots in action. Now, we’ll be examining the difference between excellent equipment and a superior solution. The way you separate those two is with this important question:
What integrations can you offer?
When you know the kind of software and system integrations a given business can offer, you discover quickly the kind of business you’re dealing with. To determine whether it’s a robotic reseller or an automation provider, see how the answers you get line up against these templates.
Robotic reseller
As their name implies, the software side of things is not a robotic reseller’s speciality. Robotic resellers are about the best possible hardware. They focus on the robots and leave the task of getting them operational, and the overall success of the solution, up to the customer.
When asked about their robot’s software integrations, robotic resellers might describe how their devices are “plug and play”. This sounds like the robots are simple and easy to work with, but in practice, it means that the reseller is passing the buck. When buying from a robotic reseller, the software side of the solution is something the customer will need to do. Robotic resellers might explain which software packages the robots work best with, and what kind of software integration’s you will need, but they won’t provide any of that software themselves. If there are software issues, or custom solutions are needed, it’ll be up to the customer to sort and fix them.
Automation provider
As their name suggests, automation providers are about more than just robotics. They offer you a full and complete automation solution, and that means fully integrated software. Automation providers understand that there is no value in customised storage, and customised robotics, without a customised piece of software to make them work. Consequently, they will work with you to make sure that happens.
Automation providers aren’t just going to sell you software as an additional extra. They will build and provide integrated software for your business. Whether that means designing specific programmes to work with your existing situation, or building a new system from the ground up, automation providers do not shirk from their responsibility to the client.
This will also be another situation where the answer to a client’s questions will most likely be more questions. When a client asks “what integrations can you offer” an automation provider’s response will be something like “what integrations do you need?”. When you’re getting a customised solution, tailored to your business’s needs, you need to have an in-depth conversation about what those needs are. An automation provider will engage with you on this subject, listen to what you say, and act accordingly.
Superior software solutions
At Wise Robotics we understand that an automation solution is 50% robotics hardware and 50% integration software. That’s why we will work with your business to build you a software integration system you can count on. Handling orders, data, KPIs, or anything else you could ask for.
With the three decades of experience from our sister company OrderWise, we’ve learned a thing or two about WMS operations. We understand how to collaborate closely with businesses to get the best possible solution. Integrating software with robotics is part and parcel of the service we provide.
Discover what that means in person, by coming to take a tour of our robotics demonstration centre. See how our robots and your software could work together to build unstoppable success. When you work with Wise Robotics, you can be superlatively sure that you’ll be receiving a superior software solution, suited specifically to your business.
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