Finally, the 196 controller has 4 Kbytes of on-chip ROM that could be used to store software routines, again, eliminating the need for external memory chips. It requires a mere 3.3 volts thus can run longer and on batteries. Thanks to the on-chip peripherals and simplified design process made possible by the Intel 196 controller, the team finished the unit ahead of schedule. They also ended up with more features and less weight than they had anticipated. The handheld scanners have been in place for only a few months, but already the store is seeing savings.
Management uses the more accurate stock data to better control in-store theft.
In the aisles, the stocking clerks use the devices to change pricing and check inventory, eliminating hours of manual labor spent counting and re-shelving product. These people now use their extra time serving customers rather than handling and managing inventory. At the checkout counter, there's much less error in ringing up prices, not to mention less fatigue and carpal stress, since clerks no longer have to work a cash register keyboard. From management's perspective, the scanning system has provided a wealth of data on the movement of goods through their stores, giving them a window into which products sell better at which stores, at which prices. Being able to adjust stocking levels to buying patterns and run specials at stores where merchandise is not moving has saved them thousands of dollars in revenue.