The warehouse, whether it’s the size of a mall or a tool shed, remains the heart of a company.
Because we can find in it, a bit like a beehive, a big team that works everyday to receive, classify, control, organize, pack, and ship our products to the entire world. These products that we have worked so hard on, we have perfected, adored, and we want so much to share them with everybody.
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.
If you want to stand out from the competition, want to automate some redundant tasks in your expediting or reception process, or if you want to make more with less, a warehouse management system is what you need.
Curious to learn more about warehouse management systems? Read on.
And if you are still trying to figure out ERP systems, read our latest blog on what is a erp software.
What is a warehouse management system?
Before even covering the benefits of warehouse management software, we should understand what it is. Even if its name indicates pretty clearly what its use is, it remains a complex tool that offers a wide range of services.
Beforehand, you have to know that a warehouse management system is not only for big enterprises and doesn’t only control stock.
In fact, warehouse management software is a group of applications that enables you to automate some parts of your supply chain. In your production process, the WMS software system will work on every step surrounding the movement of stock from supplier to customer.
WMS software uses a database to control the stock movement in your warehouse and deal with all associated transactions, from reception to storage, control, restocking, selection, and expediting. We have to stress the fact that tracking the quantities is only a small part of what a strategy with a WMS system software can do for your enterprise.
What is really impressive with WMS software, is that it’s able to capture information without any human intervention from a member of your team. It completely automates the supply chain by using cutting-edge technologies like bar codes and radiofrequency identification (RFID).
Even though RFID might be pricier, it’s the identifier that gives the information to read, treat, and transmit more quickly, and more efficiently.
A WMS software handles everything
Obviously, WMS software doesn’t leave anything to chance. From planning to control, the warehouse management system handles everything, down to the smallest detail. In fact, these functions can be detailed under 5 categories that reflect every step of your expediting or reception process.
The planning
Warehouse management software can help you through your daily planning tasks in your warehouse like:
- The dock activities
- Calculating the number of team members required for shipping and selection
- Selecting the order of tasks
The organisation
The organisation of your orders and your warehouses can be done by WMS software that will proceed according to your preferences.
Whether it’s with wave selection or any other way, the first goal of your warehouse management software is to optimise the usage of your loading docks, and your workforce by not selecting orders by time of arrival, but by a particular logic that increases productivity.
This way, you will create a more natural production rhythm, you will be able to evaluate more thoroughly, and you will avoid last minute stress with carriers.
The employee management
As the title indicates it, WMS software can help you manage the employees needed for each task according to your stock, number or orders, selection and shipping process.
The direction
The direction makes sure that your processes are integrated and respected in your warehouse management software so they can reflect the standards and requirements of your enterprise.
The control
This option is more interesting since every application helps you improve productivity, but you will now have a tool to evaluate if your strategies are the best.
The control will give your progression rate throughout the day and will allow you to solve the problems in a timely manner without slowing the process. You will then be able to analyse every performance report and constantly improve your work.
WMS software, more affordable than ever
In the past, only big enterprises could financially afford to adopt a warehouse management software. However, the technology has evolved a lot in the past few years and with the rise of competition, we have been able to see the cost reduced considerably.
Plus, WMS solutions offer different functions and different prices that can be adapted to every SMB and every budget. That way, the WMS software has become an affordable solution for every SMB, and it’s for the best.
Why adopt WMS software?
It’s a bit of a big question that constantly comes back. It is, most of the time, that enterprises see their team and work flow executed to perfection. They have worked so hard to perfect their system and their training to get there.
The true problem is not your team or your process, it’s that you have the potential to optimise, automate, and delegate to digital management so you can liberate your employees from redundant tasks and weights.
Warehouse management software is more than a tool. It’s a way to do business. It’s a way to reach your goals and surpass them. How? With benefits like these:
The benefits of a warehouse management software
As you can see here, the warehouse management software can be detailed in 4 great benefits that completely change your relationship with inventory and production cycles.
The precision of WMS software
Obviously, by automating data collection with precision, you can now forget about manually entering data. WMS software can eliminate errors and improve the exactness of data by 99%.
Quickly fill out orders
A WMS software system will rationalise your warehouse process to solve some logistic problems, and increase productivity. That way, you will be able to fill out orders quicker, and more precisely, so you can retain more clients.
The general productivity of your warehouse
Every bit of information can be tracked, from pickup to overstock. Your employees will be able to optimise their movement to fill out multiple orders at the same time.
Automation of some tasks with warehouse management software
It goes without saying that with such a tool at your disposal to simplify the life of your employees, and to automate some of their tasks, your expediting team can be redirected to other functions.
With your warehouse management system able to generate packing slips, shipping notices, and content labels on boxes before they are wrapped, your team will have time and energy to give to other demanding projects.
Whether you manage a big or a little warehouse, or even a complex distribution centre, there are many warehouse management system options that can help you automate your warehouse, improve your customer service, and gain a better understanding of your supply chain.
You will then be more productive, more profitable, with a team that is available to conquer new summits. A warehouse management system is more than a simple tool. It’s a way to reach new goals.
