We’re often asked about warehousing technology and labour tracking methods that goes beyond the traditional stock control and warehouse managment software solutions. Performance and budgets are a key driver so how do you make major improvements using technology if you have no intention of changing your warehouse system?
Joined up thinking in warehousing
Major improvements can come from major projects within warehousing. Significant budget and performance improvements can also come from smaller changes in current working practices. So it’s important to consider both areas particularly if return on investment is the key objective in the current economic climate.
Our consultant successes include looking at warehouse operations and understanding the key value added activities as well as legislative and health & safety necessities. This often happens across the board for example from goods receipt through to putaway, picking and despatch procedures and from looking at throughput, storage capacity and the needs of individual SKUs. Alignment of thinking and ways of working doesn’t stop there. Consider for the example the roles of:
- Budgetary alignment from senior level to warehouse shop floor application
- Communication between all senior personnel and their operational colleagues
- Technology used in abundance in some parts of the warehouse and completely missing in others
Juniper runs a complete process and statistical review of your warehousing operation including return on investment figures for recommended performance improvement initiatives. Using your existing warehouse systems with our methodology you can:
- Consider inventory current and future space requirements including better management processes, freeing up space and lowering external stoarge costs
- Improve stock flow
- Increase employee performance
- Lower budgets
For smaller projects we also look at performance metrics and data capture, automation of management reports outside your current warehouse system, use of barcoding and RFID technology, use of PDAs / mobile phones / digital pens, integration of training and quality systems and combining warehouse data with transport, customer order, financial, time and attendance and other 3rd party applications for more meaningful and powerful management reporting.