Usually, a company's success is measured by its ability to adapt quickly to new technology. It doesn't matter what industry the business in question belongs to. What matters is that folks in charge know their company's up-to-dateness is crucial. Unless, of course, they'd rather be running an inefficient business (which we guess is out of the question). Anyhow, the so-called up-to-dateness is synonymous with modernization, and that's a term we'll talk about today. To be more precise, we'll show you six effective ways to modernize your warehouse. Since the supply chain is one of the crucial elements of brick-and-mortar retail and e-commerce, we'll assume that you'll want to know everything about running your warehouse in full-productiveness mode!
#1 Sync a mobile app with your warehouse management system
That's right, allowing your warehouse management system & other software to migrate with a mobile management device will help you mobilize your tasks and operations, making them movable. This will, of course, prevent the scenario where you're "convicted" to stationary computers. If you're looking for a way to keep track of your warehouse operations in a more straightforward way, mobile migration is key.
#2 Keep track of your inventory with software
Here's the thing: you'll want to opt for some inventory management software. It's pretty much a necessity these days. The preciseness of your warehouse's inventory records is, without any doubt, one of the pillars of effective warehouse management. Here's why properly keeping your inventory is so important:
- Inventory tracking guarantees better inventory planning
- It will help you avoid stockouts on fast-moving items
- Also, it will help you avoid overstocking slow-moving products
Needless to say, all of the above will save you both money & time. Otherwise, you'd be dealing with hefty long-term storage costs. Therefore, keep track of your warehouse inventory with good software.
#3 Collaborative robots to the rescue
Did you know that you can ask for assistance in the form of mobile robots? They do a great job helping their fellow human colleagues by performing certain tasks around the warehouse. Most experts (with a thing for poetry) would agree that they perform much like worker bees. You'll find such folks at hansensmovingandstorage.com. Collaborative robots are able to act as movable storage bins or handle the expedited order fulfillment.
#4 Automatic data collection, anyone?
How can you tell your business is ancient? Well, it's quite simple: if you notice there are folks writing notes on paper inside your warehouse, that could be a clear sign that you're not trying hard enough to make things easier for everyone. Your employees could just scan barcodes or RFID tags. With tens of thousands of items you've got stretched across various locations, there's no denying that one. Therefore, automatic data collection is one of the most important elements of a modernized warehouse. Your employees will enjoy it, too. That's because it'll do away with all the mundane yet time-consuming tasks. Also, you'll significantly reduce human error inside your warehouse.
#5 What about AGVs?
Here's another way to modernize your warehouse. The acronym AGV stands for automated guided vehicles. Needless to say, they do a great job of making certain tasks more manageable. For instance, they move inventory around your warehouse without your employees having to move a muscle. Usually, AGVs replace manually-drive forklifts or pick carts. Therefore, you can also say that they boost your employees' safety. As always, safety comes first!
#6 Ensure better communication between teams
Well, of course, technology is there to help us better communicate with each other. Therefore, you should use it to simply and unify communication between your teams. You'll want to eliminate all that messing around and juggling different apps or devices. Fast, straightforward communication is key. Companies like Zebra have introduced certain tools, such as Workforce Connect. This solution will enable your employees to access push-to-talk, voice calls, secure texting, and many other goodies (PBX phone access from a single mobile device and app, for instance).
Final words on ways to modernize your warehouse
That's about it, folks. These are the ways you can modernize your warehouse. We're sure that since you've finished reading, it helped you make your company's warehouse work more effective and easier on your trusty employees. All in all: there's no reason you should fall behind in the modernization game.
For over 30 years, 18 Wheels Logistics has strived to be the most customer-centric trucking, warehousing, and logistics company around. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 18 Wheels relies on experience and integrity to make customers happy and remain on the cutting edge of shipping and logistics management.
If you have any questions about this article or you would like to talk to us about your shipping needs, please call us at (604) 439-8938.
