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Will I get a live person on the phone when I call? Can I call 24 hours a day? What's
the average response time? Problems will come up with any new system, so be
sure you can solve yours quickly. Find out as many details as you can about the
training process ahead of time, because this will let you know how easy (or
difficult) you can expect it to be. Being able to talk to a local product expert any
day of the week is much different than getting a phone number for a help-desk
call center in a foreign country.
Many small and medium-sized distributors find that these material handling
systems are good ways to expand their operations without adding more floor
space. If you're a growing company, looking for a WMS that integrates with these
can make it easier to expand a few years down the line.
Can your WMS extend to provide small parcel carrier shipments, including less-
than-truckload? With the rise of ecommerce, single-item shipping is only going to
increase, so make sure your new WMS can handle it.
We've seen a trend in the WMS industry toward modules that let you schedule
incoming freight. Some WMS vendors also offer transportation management
systems. This could be a good way to make your unloading and shipping
processes more efficient, particularly if your company isn't big enough for a full
Yard Management System.
About the Author
Eric Allais, President and CEO of Washington-based 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 Eric at eric@pathguide.com.