How to Modernize Your Warehouse/Distribution Center: Part 2
In Part 2 of our process to modernize warehouses, we discuss the systems and automated confirmations necessary to eliminate human error and increase efficiency.
Support Systems
Support systems are critical in transitioning a warehouse into the modern age of logistics. Some of the most common types of support systems include Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, Order Management Systems (OMS), Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and Inventory Management Systems (IMS). Whether your distribution network consists of hundreds of warehouses around the globe or a single warehouse that ships to just a few customers, there is a support system that can help. There are numerous different options out there and each one has different capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Finding the right support system for your business is critical for any operation. These systems generally support warehouse operations by collecting and tracking data, standardizing processes and allowing operations to be executed more efficiently. The system should support all the current operations by decreasing manual work and helping implement future improvements. Without a WMS or other support system, warehouse processes and operations will be very manual and slow. Additionally, without a support system you will be limited in the further improvements and technology that can be added to the warehouse. Implementing a support system is a significant investment and might be difficult to see the exact ROI but it is one of the most important investments that can be made in a warehouse. It will support the entire operation by:
Allowing processes to run quicker, meaning less time is spent on standard operations and higher throughput is achieved.
Tracking and giving access to data which can be analyzed to see where further improvements can be made to reduce costs and increase output.
Making it easier to track and manage inventory and KPIs which will result in better performance, lower costs, and higher output.
Automated Confirmation
Automated confirmation is the piece that brings together everything that we have talked about so far. We use the term ‘automated confirmations’ to be a blanket statement for all methods of an operator verifying their warehouse activity systematically, such as RF scanning, RFID, voice picking, etc. Using automated confirmation technology can drastically reduce the opportunity for human error and the time it takes to perform operations. An operator just needs to scan/speak/move a product and/or location rather than writing information down or updating the system manually. This will also provide increased visibility. Since the system is being updated at the time of the transaction, there will be a more accurate and real-time look at data which can help with knowing where products are and how much time is spent on different operations.
Adding these improvements will modernize your warehouse and allow it to operate more effectively and efficiently compared to how it operates today. They will also set you up to continuously grow and improve by making it easier to implement new improvements and technologies down the road.