When Is It Time for a Warehouse Software Upgrade?

Sign #1 – Inventory management woes

Are inventory discrepancies causing headaches? Manual tracking methods are prone to errors, leading to misplaced items and stockouts. Downtime related to conducting physical inventory, along with difficulty engaging in knowledge transfer from veteran employees on inventory placement and system-based verifications, can be hard to avoid. A software system can provide real-time visibility into inventory levels, ensuring accurate stock counts, efficient replenishment and reduced carrying costs.

Sign #2 – Order fulfillment challenges

In many cases, order processing times may take longer than desired, causing service level agreement (SLA) contracts to be missed. Manual order picking and packing processes can be time-consuming and error prone. A software solution can help optimise order fulfillment workflows, minimising picking errors and maximising order accuracy. Workflows like batch picking or cluster picking from wave-based or order streaming allocation can significantly streamline operations. Adding automation can further complicate fulfillment efficiency if not addressed as part of a holistic approach. Ensuring operations has a software layer that allocates resources across manual and automated workflows expands the opportunities for operations to achieve desired results.

Sign #5 – Rising labour costs

Are your labour costs escalating due to inefficient processes? There’s a good chance that labour scarcity and rising costs are also having an impact on your operations. Manual workflows often require a larger workforce to handle repetitive tasks, increasing labour costs. Automation can reduce reliance on manual labour by automating routine tasks such as order picking, replenishment, and palletising, which can lead to labour savings and improved productivity.

Sign #6 – Customer expectations

With the ever-increasing customer acquisition costs, accelerated delivery requirements, and accuracy demands of today’s consumer base, meeting customer expectations is paramount. Manual processes may struggle to keep up with rising customer demands for faster delivery times and order accuracy. Implementing a software solution can enhance order processing speed, accuracy and on-time delivery, improving customer satisfaction and retention. Focusing on automation-appropriate operations and ensuring the software not only supports task execution of those operations but also informs warehouse operations staff about changing demands and how to balance the demand between the manual and automated workflows offers the next step in the operational excellence journey.

FORTNA Can Help

For companies grappling with manual processes, the signs that it’s time to upgrade to a software solution are clear. By investing in the right automation software solution, these companies can unlock new levels of efficiency, productivity and competitiveness in today’s dynamic marketplace. It’s not just an upgrade; it’s a strategic investment in the future success of your business.