How much time do you spend searching for items in your manual warehouse? You don’t need to give an exact time frame to know that a warehouse management system would significantly reduce the time spent searching.
Even though every warehouse is different, the challenges faced by employees and warehouse managers seem to be consistent across the board. We took a closer look at five signs that your warehouse needs to embrace digitalization.
1. Searching takes time
Searching is rarely a desirable task. The time wasted searching for materials, parts, or products while moving around a manual warehouse is precious. In that same amount of time, a person using a MIA Mobile can collect all the parts for an order in the fastest and smartest way possible and still process many more orders.
2. Sticky notes and Excel: You've lost track of everything
Everyone jots down the “outbound” goods on some sort of “slip of paper,” tosses it in the direction of the person handling the order, and goes on their way. The slip falls to the floor and is gone. And when you later draw up a general list where everyone has to record their outgoing goods, you can’t even read the handwriting, or the information is incomplete because batch or item numbers are missing.
It may seem like a lot of work to collect all this information. But it isn’t. An employee simply scans a QR code with a handheld scanner, which captures all the information about the goods—information that is then recorded and stored in MIA WMS Core. Inventory levels are accurate, and goods received and shipped are clearly tracked and traceable.
Provided, of course, that employees do not help themselves to items in the warehouse without logging it in the system.
3. Knowledge resides in people's minds
Employees have to be contacted while on vacation because the goods can’t be found. Or even worse: The warehouse or the order comes to a standstill because no one except Klausi knows where these goods were put.
This is a recurring—but also unnecessary—hurdle that’s the last thing you need on a stressful day. MIA WMS Core works with you to set up a database that all warehouse employees can access. Klausi can enjoy his vacation without a care in the world, and everyone else can rest easy knowing they don’t have to worry when he’s not around.
4. Picking errors are becoming more frequent
In the day-to-day operations of a manual warehouse, there are many points where information can be lost. Employees can’t remember everything; sometimes they forget something, take too many items, or pack too few. As a result, goods arrive at customers’ locations in the wrong quantities, and dissatisfaction grows.
The brain is capable of a great deal, but to err is human. A WMS can help remedy this and minimize picking errors significantly. Based on the “person-to-goods” principle, the picker is guided through the warehouse via the fastest route to fulfill the order. Meanwhile, QR codes on containers and goods are scanned to update inventory levels and complete the order.
5. Warehouse management is planning blindly
Is there enough inventory for the order that’s supposed to go out tomorrow? And when do we need to reorder? In a manually managed warehouse, the answer is often, “I’ll take a quick look.” What’s actually in stock can only be estimated—or exists only in theory. The manager has to rely on gut instinct and take risks instead of relying on numbers.
With MIA WMS Core, that’s changing: In the inventory overview and the MIA Cockpit, warehouse management can see at a glance what’s actually in the warehouse and how goods are moving. They still decide for themselves which orders are running low and when to reorder, but they do so based on data rather than gut feeling. The prerequisite for this is that all goods movements are recorded in the system. After all, only what is recorded can be displayed.
Do one or even more of these signs apply to you?
If you answer “Yes” to even just one of these “warning signs,” it’s time to learn more about digital transformation—and you’ve come to the right place.
With our standardized MIA WMS Core, you can digitize your warehouse in no time—and with us as your partner, you’ll have a team with 20 years of industry experience dedicated to helping you get the most out of your warehouse. SMEs with manual warehouses know firsthand that their operations deserve greater organization and transparency. We’d be happy to help you along the way.
Still not quite sure? Would you like to take a closer look at your warehouse yourself first? With our free checklist, you can assess the condition of your warehouse even more accurately.