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Survey Shows Majority of Lucas Systems Customers Combine Voice And Scanning in Jennifer Applications

Lucas Introduced Multi-Modal Voice Solutions Ten Years Ago; Scanning Is Used By 80 Percent of New Customers Since 2010

Lucas Systems, Inc., the largest independent provider of voice-directed warehouse applications, this week announced the results of an analysis of multi-modal usage among current users of Jennifer™ VoicePlus applications. More than half of all customers are using scanning within their voice picking and other voice-directed applications, and scan usage has grown to eight out of ten customers that installed Jennifer since 2010. Similar to scanning, increasing numbers of customers are using the device screen within their voice applications. These figures are based on an analysis of companies using Jennifer VoicePlus applications as of November 1, 2013.

“The use of voice and scanning is not a new development, and its only one part of the larger multi-modal trend that Lucas Systems pioneered ten years ago,” says Jennifer Lachenman, VP of Product Strategy at Lucas Systems. “Every Jennifer VoicePlus application supports the interchangeable use of speech recognition and scanning. This is a site-configurable feature that warehouse managers can turn on or off, as needed. What sometimes gets lost in the discussion of multi-modal, however, is that it’s not just about voice and scanning. Just like consumer applications that use screen, touch and voice, every Jennifer application incorporates a powerful visual user interface that complements the voice dialogue. You don’t need to use a screen all the time, but there are many situations where a screen just makes more sense than voice. For example, a touchscreen-based log-in process is more intuitive – and much more secure – than a voice-based process. Why would anyone design a mobile application today that doesn’t use all the tools available?”

According to the Lucas survey the vast majority of customers are using standard mobile devices that support voice direction, speech recognition, barcode scanning, touchscreen displays and keypads:

Eighty-five percent of customers are using standard mobile computers with an integrated scanner. The remaining 15 percent are using devices that can be paired with an external scanner.
Every customer using standard computers uses the device screen for log in and user training.
A growing number of companies are also using the screen to present visual information to users: view item/SKU number or product image; view and manage work lists (such as base items); detailed user alerts; and on-screen help and diagnostics.
Fifty-eight percent of companies are regularly using scanning as part of their voice applications. The most common uses are to scan barcodes to identify equipment, verify item UPC codes, cart set-up, and carton/tote induction. Scan usage has increased to approximately 80 percent of customers installed since 2010.
The use of barcode scanning to capture item-level data – such as serial numbers, lot numbers, etc. – has doubled since 2010, to 28 percent.

About Lucas Systems, Inc.
Since 1998, Lucas Systems has pioneered warehouse productivity solutions for mobile workers and distribution center managers. Customers like Cardinal Health, the Container Store, C&S Wholesale Grocers, HD Supply, OfficeMax, Mondelez (formerly Kraft Nabisco) and Rust-Oleum trust Lucas to deliver solutions that greatly improve worker productivity and accuracy because Lucas truly understands warehouse operations. Jennifer VoicePlus, the Lucas solution, seamlessly combines voice, barcode scanning, and other mobile technologies to create more efficient warehouse processes that allow workers to focus on the job at hand. Jennifer also provides managers and supervisors with real-time reporting and management tools that help them better manage their operations. Tens of thousands of associates at hundreds of distribution centers work with Jennifer every day.

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