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How Smart Distributors Use Their WMS to Deliver a Better Customer Experience

Advice from true warehouse experts

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P a t h G u i d e T e c h n o l o g i e s w w w . p a t h g u i d e . c o m 1 . 8 8 8 . 6 2 7 . 9 7 9 7 c l i e n t s e r v i c e s @ p a t h g u i d e . c o m the most efficient paths. Special items like rope, chain or netting that need to be cut to size, or items that are custom-assembled for individual orders can be easily allocated to specially trained staff and prioritized in the picking flow. The right WMS can also help reassign flexible workers to whichever part of the warehouse needs them at a particular time. As the workload within the different zones ebbs and flows throughout the day, there's a great potential for inefficiency. With a WMS, an idle worker on the loading dock can easily check to see if another team has a backlog. What does this transparency mean for management personnel? The answer is they no longer need to constantly track how and where to shuffle employees throughout their shifts, resulting in more time and greater efficiency. Many WMS systems offer employee and warehouse metrics that give managers the information they need to make their warehouses more efficient. Do you know where your operation loses time? Is it in picking? Receiving? Cycle counts? All of these elements affect your business's ability to deliver outstanding customer service, and data from a WMS will help you find the problems and fix them quickly. A WMS gives near-instant access to a huge amount of information, which directly translates to a better customer experience. With a WMS, employees can check the status of orders or the exact location of inventory on the shelves. Looking at it from your own perspective today, if a customer calls your team to ask about an order, can you give that customer the status without even having to put them on hold? If so, it's impressive; if not, perhaps it's time you took a closer look at your systems. The cumulative improvements made possible through the deployment of a WMS mean that distributors can get more done in less time, giving them the freedom to concentrate on delivering better service to their customers. Instead of competing on price, companies can more smartly focus on quality customer service through fast, accurate deliveries built on a lean, efficient distribution process. It's a timeless competitive advantage. About the Author: Eric Allais, president and CEO of PathGuide Technologies, Inc., has over 30 years of experience in marketing, product management and sector analysis in the automated data collection industry, including warehouse management practices in wholesale distribution. Contact him at eric@pathguide.com.

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