Warehouse Management System

An effective warehouse management system (WMS) offers more than just data to those who know how to take advantage of it. It is an effective means of catering to the business warehousing needs, it can increase transparency across the supply chain, provide accurate data to improving the collaboration amongst all members of your team - making a more productive and thus profitable business. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to choosing warehouse management systems since every business will have different needs based on products, computer systems, and so on. Regardless of the type of WMS you use, however, the advantages it can bring will remain constant. Increasing demand for faster order fulfilment by consumers requires an effective solution to managing warehouses. Also, the number of competitors in the market is rapidly growing as more companies create omni-channel supply chains capable of filling orders faster than ever before. Rather than muddling through endless paper trails and inefficiencies, you can optimize operations.

Using a fully-functional, comprehensive Warehouse Management Solution provides your business with a level of control and organization that you have never seen before. You can now proactively manage employees through productivity data and system directed tasks, resulting in a significant reduction in the need to fight fires. Warehouse Management System (WMS) performs instant verification of operator data entry to ensure accuracy and prevent errors in receiving, stocking, picking, and shipping that cause productivity lapses, poor customer service, and lost revenue. The dynamic real-time communication between the business system and ensures accuracy and quick response throughout your entire organization

In the warehouse, it’s the team who makes sure that the last step between you and your consumer, the last link in the chain, is the strongest. Receiving the merchandise quickly, in order and without any mistakes, makes all the difference in a competitive market. I’m not saying anything new here. So, how can we make their life easier? How can we assist them with their difficult tasks? How to be more productive, more precise, and more competitive? There is no miracle recipe, but a warehouse management system is close to it.

Companies in all industry sectors today are under an extraordinary amount of pressure to keep their supply chains running smoothly. Moreover, there is an increasing need for a rapid turnover of goods in warehouses and distribution centers. An efficient way to assure organization and keeping a supply chain company successful is having an optimized warehouse management system. Let’s take a look at the top benefits of a warehouse management system.

• Increase Productivity

Distributors using WMS have found that real-time warehouse management allows existing warehouse people to crank out more work in less time. The system also gives them better inventory control so they can stock more of what’s hot and less of what’s not. They get more out of every dollar they spend on labor, and have a higher return on every square foot of warehouse space. New employees are significantly easier to train, and existing employees don’t want to look back.

• Effective management control

We must not overlook the improvement in management control that often accompanies the installation of a WMS. Offering advance warnings of stock control issues and process events can be created to generate purchase orders once inventory hits a specified level - such technology can reduce the likelihood of costly mistakes, having excessive stock or not enough stock, help to improve profitability and make your entire enterprise more efficient and productive. But most importantly, it allows buyers or senior managers to make informed decisions based on the accurate data generated.

• It boosts efficiency and productivity of workers

Similar to equipment improvements, a WMS can have significant benefits for workers as well. For example, workers that know exactly where products are shelved can reduce extra walking time, reducing the risk of overexertion and ensuring the continued productivity in your warehouse. Moreover, workers can pick more orders in less time, increasing overall profit margins and efficiency in order fulfilment.

• Improved Security and Safety

A modern WMS system should require workers to enter transactions using their own unique user account. This results in an audit trail that ties transactions to that specific worker. When accountability is in play, it helps to reduce pilferage and other forms of shrinkage, as well as highlight opportunities for coaching and more intense training. Accidents happen, but when you have an automated system that minimizes their fallout, both the C-suite and the floor workers can breathe a little easier.

• More efficient labor management

Warehouse Management System lets you freely determine which picking, packing and putting-away methods work most effectively for your business. In addition to helping optimize inventory placement and route creation, WMS solutions can determine the best employee for the job. Considering factors such as skill level, proximity and other tasks, WMS helps users assign jobs to each team member. In addition to creating schedules and assigning daily tasks, WMS software can be used to gain a broader understanding of your workforce. Using labor forecasting and KPIs, warehouse managers can see when they may need more or less staff, identify top performers and seek areas of improvement.

• Enhance customer service
  

By streamlining processes from order to delivery, companies can more accurately determine product availability and realistic delivery dates. A WMS can automatically identify and release back-ordered inventory and also can reduce returns as a result of increased shipment accuracy. Customers can receive up to the minute visibility to order statuses along with electronic Advance Shipment Notification (ASN) which can significantly streamline the receiving process at their facility.

• Transparency

Warehouse management systems provide complete transparency for on-hand balances and inventory usage, which allows suppliers to more effectively map out their own processes. This results in reduced lead times and helps minimize the risk of ending up with costly excess inventory. Additionally, since employees have access to real-time data, they’re able to provide more accurate information to customers in a timely fashion.

• Reduced equipment usage and related overheads

The ability to reduce your workforce will typically enable you to use less equipment in the running of your warehouse. You’ll need less of everything, for fewer people will be present to use your machinery and technology. This can amount to some significant savings, not just in the sense of reducing the need for replacement equipment in the future, but also in helping to minimise annual maintenance budgets as a result of less wear and tear on your equipment.

• Enhance customer service
• Improved security and safety
• Effective management control
• Efficient labor management
• Increases productivity