There is no getting around warehouse management when it comes to growing an e-business. As the number of products grows, the management of the whole process becomes more complex. That’s where modern software that takes into account the needs of both the business and the people working in it can come in.
In a smaller company, where everyone is interconnected, talking across the table gets things done. As a company grows, the team creates its own processes and once they are in place, it is difficult to change them. That’s why it’s important to make the right choice from the outset – a scalable choice – so you don’t have to make an expensive platform change years down the line. The cost of the platform is a small expense compared to the deployment and let’s face it – there is a tendency to be in the comfort zone when introducing new solutions, even if they save time.
At Lumav, we’ve visited our customers’ back offices on quite a few occasions and worked with them to figure out how to make processes more convenient for both employees and customers. Below we will write about warehouse processes, Erply WMS (Warehouse Management System) and why we recommend it.
User specificities of warehouse software
The work of a warehouse worker requires speed and accuracy, there is usually more work than there is time to get it done, and this can vary from season to season. It is not uncommon for the whole admin staff to be called in to help pack products at Christmas or other peak seasons. The position may be the first job for a young person (including the author) and it can be argued that people working in the warehouse may be quicker than average job changers. A simple and intuitive technical tool is therefore an essential part of onboarding. Unlike e-commerce and marketing tools, it needs to provide the user with one very clear pathway of what to do in a given situation.
Imagine a large warehouse where goods are constantly coming in and going out. Warehouse staff can be constantly interrupted by various unexpected events, and even large consignments can mean that work has to be interrupted from time to time. Many warehouses are still pen-and-paper, and the core values of digitisation – avoiding double entry and reducing errors – have not yet reached many businesses. And people themselves may resist it out of convenience.
Below we briefly present different use cases and explain how Erply WMS functionality can solve them. It should also be noted that WMS can be interfaced with other business software.
Technical solution
A paperless warehouse means that the storekeeper who used to run around with a pile of paper has a new tool – a handheld scanner, a mobile phone or just a computer. A WMS is essentially a web page that can be opened on any device, but the most convenient way to collect data is with a scanner.
Reception of goods
Receiving goods is a process where human error tends to creep in more than average. Goods are dispatched by people and received by people – you have to print out the purchase document, check the goods one by one and then enter the details into a computer. The goods then have to be placed in the right place on the shelf.
With Erply WMS, the purchase order is displayed directly on the screen, and incoming goods can be conveniently “tweeted” in the order they are received from the pallet/box – you always know which goods have already been received and which still need to be read. Multiple people can receive a single purchase order. With Erply WMS, it is also possible to leave the goods in the receiving area or to transfer them directly from the receiving area to the warehouse addresses.
Compiling a sales order
Without a digital warehouse, order assembly would mean searching the warehouse for goods with paper in hand and deciding which goods to take in which order. More experienced warehouse staff know off the top of their heads where the goods are in the warehouse, while less experienced ones have a learning curve. This is a time and energy consuming exercise that can be avoided by implementing Erply WMS. Erply WMS guides the user to pick the goods on the sales order along the shortest path, making order fulfilment fast, efficient and labour-saving.
In the WMS, you can assign a notification to the warehouse address, which device can be used to access the goods. For example, if the product is located at a higher level and a special lift is needed to pick it up, the user will be warned of this before the collection starts. If the order has been bundled and transport interfaces (DPD, Smartpost, etc.) are used, the necessary parcel labels are automatically printed upon confirmation and the transport company is notified of the waiting goods.
The above can be configured by the customer taking into account the particularities of their business.
Further solutions
In addition to the goods in/out solutions, Erpy WMS also offers a number of other functionalities. After an inventory has been taken, you can conveniently check for differences between warehouse addresses and inventory results. To keep stock levels in order on an ongoing basis, a functionality can be used that lets the warehouse worker check the quantity remaining on the shelf. In this way, stock levels can be kept accurate on an ongoing basis.
Summary
Warehouse is an integral component of e-business, and a well-functioning warehouse system is a key factor for the success of a growing e-business.
At the beginning of the post, we talked about the fact that processes emerge from best practices, but here’s a nuance: “Heavy customization is the root of all evil,” say software developers (at least when it comes to freeware), and this also applies to warehouse software.
Built from scratch solutions can be convenient for the team and create a sense of ownership among the people who develop them, but like a bespoke solution it can mean losing support and/or simply falling behind the times. A good starting point for building your own WMS means both making the software convenient to use and changing people’s processes in line with best practice. When it comes to implementation, the Erply team will support your business.
Erply POS is used by many of the world’s top brands (e.g. Zapos) as well as startups. The time savings are measurable – for example, in one case, there were 8 full-time warehouse staff in a warehouse with 400 orders, but after implementation there were 4 (including 2 night shift) with 800 orders.
Come for a consultation and together with Erply we will help you to think about how to make your warehouse work in synergy with your e-shop!
