+1.818.678.2601Is your current warehouse management system outdated? The practices you use in your warehouse are what make the difference between being productive and efficient rather than wasteful and slow. If you are not implementing the most current software procedures, you may be costing your company money in wasted time and lost revenue from limiting company growth.
Warehouse Management Practices
Overtime the demand and need for warehouses, distribution, fulfillment and ecommerce centers have grown. Along with the physical growth has come a growth in technology and a need for those warehouses, distribution, fulfillment and ecommerce center to optimize operations, becoming more efficient to support the growing demand. Manual WMS procedures limit this efficiency. Are you still using any of these outdated warehouse practices?
- Writing down product location or information
- Manual batching
- Paper lists of inventory
- Paper inventory information forms
- Excel spreadsheets
- Faxing Orders/Shipping/Receiving information
Remember when everything was done manually? Countless stacks of paper, having to write everything down and not lose it, and taking up a lot of valuable time. Now consider the way most businesses operate in the 21st century. It is hard to think of something that is not taken care of electronically now. People shop online instead of in a store, they track their packages on a website, and can even sign on an electronic tablet when they receive it.
The same comparison can be applied to your warehouse. Look for anything that is still done manually. Consider whether this task could be completed more efficiently if it were done using electronics. Implementing a new warehouse management system is a good way to update how your company functions.
Eliminate Human Error
Having too many manual steps leaves your process open to human error. Here is a list of possible human mistakes associated with a mainly manual system:
- Someone miscounting while taking inventory
- Poor handwriting leading to miscommunication between people
- Losing track of an important piece of paper
- Forgetting where inventory has been stored
- Losing order forms
- People missing work due to sickness or vacation
Everyone will agree that doing this the old, manual way is no longer acceptable. It limits the potential growth of your company by requiring you to hire numerous new employees every time you try to expand. Not only do manual steps have the potential for human error they are also time consuming and inefficient. Graduating from an outdated system to one of the newer WMS is the easiest way to ensure continuous growth and success for your business.
Why Use a WMS?
Warehouse management system software can provide you with the high-tech, problem-solving technology that your company needs. A WMS can provide you with 24-hour access and visibility allowing you to handle your inventory more easily. It can show you where products are through the entire shipping service. Additionally, it can suggest to you exactly when to restock, as well as how much you should consider ordering.
Using warehouse management software can also improve your order fulfillment. WMS’ can provide you with web-based customer order entry, shipment confirmation notification, and proof of delivery, all provided to you online. These benefits will help improve your customer satisfaction.
Ask yourself, should you stick with your old manual warehouse management system, or is it finally time to upgrade? Changing from a manual WMS system to a software based WMS will completely alter the way you do business, bringing you firmly into the future. Although there is an upfront cost, the benefits should make your decision quite easy. It is time to say goodbye to the manual way for good.
