Your new startup company started out well enough but lately you seem to be falling deeper and deeper into debt, paperwork, and perhaps even downright despair. The business idea sounded so good on paper, why are things suddenly falling apart?
Perhaps your customers are filing complaints, or your (modest) department of warehouse workers is spending so much time trying to locate product on the shelves that orders are falling between the cracks.
If any of these issues sound like yours, you may need a WMS. You need Sphere Warehouse Management Software.
1. You’re creating back orders even though the product is in stock
You are positive that a certain product is in that warehouse, but where? Unable to locate it, you find yourself being forced to contact the buyer to inform them that their shipment will be delayed due to backorder.
2. You’re shipping the wrong products, the wrong quantities or to the wrong location
Your worst nightmare! A customer sends an angry email late Thursday evening, receiving ten of “Product A”, when they actually needed 100 of “Product B”! They threaten to start searching for a new supplier if things don’t change...that’s a headache you don’t need right now, or ever.
3. Your order profile is changing: More orders, smaller orders
You thought you knew your customers’ needs, but needs can change often, through no fault of your own.
4.You are shipping customized orders (Value Added Services, customer specific paperwork, Labeling)
You wanted to go for that ‘small town business’ feel, but it turns out that offering customized extras is a lot of work. Specifications should be spelled out online, leaving no room for error.
5. You’re unable to measure & track individual and overall productivity
Orders are going out so quickly and so often, you have no idea if you are doing better on time (or worse) compared to six months ago.
6. You’re growing fast and can’t handle the volume without adding more people and more space
More isn’t necessarily better! While the customer database is growing, more people working in the warehouse will just diminish your earnings.
7. It is getting more and more expensive to keep modifying your WMS system to meet your operational requirements
If your current WMS requires updates and maintenance, the fees can be astronomical to a smaller business. SphereWMS doesn’t nickel and dime you in made-up departments.
8. Your information flow is not automated
Repeat customer orders should be a simple matter, but if those orders aren’t essentially taking care of themselves, precious man hours are being wasted.
9. Your employees have to walk long distances between simple actions
Your employees have enough to do, and checking the floor to double check the numbers shouldn’t be on their itinerary.
10. You are still using paper for directing activities
Communication is key to a well-run business-big or small- but sticky notes aren’t going to cut it. If there are exact instructions to be followed, they should be documented on the cloud, not on the back of a piece of paper.
If one of these ten common (constant?) problems resonates, give us a call so we can point you in the right direction.