World News: RFID integrators must evolve with the market, says ABI

Companies specialising in RFID integration services can no longer make a living by offering clients specialist knowledge of how RFID technology does – or doesn’t – work. Today, RFID works well out of the box, and ABI Research suggests it’s time for RFID i

According to principal analyst Pete Poorman, while the evolving RFID market still presents opportunities for technology specialists, they need to have a strategy to expand their value proposition.

Strategies include focusing on a particular well-understood vertical market, or augmenting services with packaged product offerings, since RFID equipment increasingly obviates the need for deeply-technical integration services.

Some vendors are repositioning themselves from being frontline solutions providers to taking a second-tier role. “Companies choosing to remain technology-focused are looking to channels to provide the deep vertical market knowledge,” says Poorman.

Whatever formula is chosen, Poorman’s message to RFID integrators is: “You can’t stay where you are: the highly valued technical knowledge you deliver today will become more common as time passes and, ultimately, be embedded in products. Your services offerings must adapt to this market change.”

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