Episode 3: Labeling Your Warehouse. Learn How.
In concrete terms, process optimization is about identifying waste or opportunities in the warehouse processes, and, most importantly, finding solutions that can be implemented in
Episode 3: Labeling Your Warehouse. Learn How.
01/08/2023
Author
Christian Mikkelsen, CCO
In concrete terms, process optimization is about identifying waste or opportunities in the warehouse processes, and, most importantly, finding solutions that can be implemented in the end.
Warehouse process optimization encompasses everything from recognizing a need to realizing a solution. This means that if your company needs to save money, ensure quality, or optimize warehouse processes, this can be achieved through the implementation of a WMS (Warehouse Management System).
A WMS, also known as a warehouse management system, can automate, streamline, and optimize manual workflows, thereby uncovering the waste that has been identified in the processes. In short, it is possible to optimize and streamline warehouse management through process optimization.
Most importantly, it involves acknowledging the need. For example, if you recognize the need to save money, you also acknowledge that a solution model can ultimately help your company achieve this financial goal.
The classical process optimization has four phases:
Waste
We help uncover and outline the challenges your warehouse is experiencing by identifying the types of waste present in your warehouse.
Holistic
We avoid sub-optimization and “cut-of-corners” by thinking holistically, considering how optimizing one step or process can affect another.
Action
Once waste is identified, we determine what can be done to address it and what actions are required. For example, it could be that customers receive incorrect goods during delivery.
Optimization
Process optimization through a warehouse management system affects the entire organization’s processes, as the company becomes streamlined, creating a better work environment.
What errors can process optimization reduce or eliminate completely?
Through process optimization, you gain benefits in specific processes like picking and receiving goods. For example, if an employee picking goods retrieves the wrong item from the correct location, it may indicate a need to optimize the receiving process to ensure that items are correctly placed in the picking location. Keep in mind the holistic approach: Do not measure your warehouse process results in isolation.
For example, your receiving process may show a smooth flow efficiency when analyzed in isolation, leading to potential staffing reductions. However, an increase in returns or complaints may be attributed to errors in the picking process.
Therefore, always consider a holistic approach, as issues may arise from incorrect control in processes leading up to the picking location.
LEAN: The Process Optimization Tool
Have you heard of LEAN? LEAN is a method that can be used for process optimization, and one of its tools is the value stream analysis.
In a value stream analysis, all processes in the entire value chain are examined, from the moment the customer places an order until the solution is implemented and in use.
At Apport, we come to your location and focus on what happens in your warehouse, identifying the necessary process changes, not just on the warehouse floor, but possibly also in areas such as ERP systems, procurement, sales, or wherever unsustainable waste behavior originates.
Let’s get specific with two examples:
It's not as cheap as you think.
Click here to read the first example.
There is a hidden cost
Your company might have purchased from a supplier to get a cheaper solution because the goods are not marked. But the true cost lies in the hidden costs of handling the additional process of labeling the items.
Additional efforts for employees.
Click here to read the second example.
Additional efforts for employees.
If your company sells items individually instead of in a package that offers the best value for both your company and the customer, your employees are faced with additional efforts compared to selling the product in multi-orders.
When do you know that your company needs to optimize its processes?
Bo Kristensen, Head of Consulting, gives five tips:
- Typically, if output fails, it's due to inadequate quality.
- Implementing a WMS for process optimization includes realizing the ROI (Return of Investment) idea. ROI should be considered and cannot be achieved simply by turning on a system. Therefore, consider transformation and behavioral management.
- Investigate if the efficiency of warehouse processes falls below some of the industry's key performance indicators: How many lines/boxes are picked per hour? How many complaints do you receive? How many incorrect shipments occur?
- Instead of focusing on the cost of implementing a WMS or process optimization as a condition to solve current and future problems, let the company reflect on the gains that process optimization and a WMS can bring.
- In the end, it's all about the results obtained from process optimization. A gain can include your company overcoming poor quality, slow processes, and high costs by improving processes through a WMS.
Apport WMS optimizes your warehouse
With over 20 years of experience and expertise in the domain and system, Apport leverages its knowledge to help you optimize your company’s warehouse processes effectively.
If you’ve realized through this blog post how your company can achieve growth, satisfied customers, and gains through process optimization, the next step for you is a service check. We visit your warehouse floor, working with your company’s operational staff and experts to assess your processes: identifying challenges, actions, problem origins, opportunities, and solutions through optimization.
We believe in incorporating quality assurance into our solution. By organizing processes to make the best use of the system’s tools, we ensure that, for example, the receiving department utilizes the resources provided by Apport WMS to send the right goods to the right locations.
A simple example is scanning an item to know its exact location.
At Apport, we believe that people drive change. The change that enables process optimization through a WMS. There are no logistics projects that are not behavior or change projects. Therefore, we guide and support the people involved in the logistics project throughout the process. We believe this approach yields the best results and gains for your company.
Del indlæg:
Are you interested in learning more about WMS?
Do you need help evaluating whether a warehouse management system is right for your company? Feel free to contact me so that together, we can find the best solution for your company.
Christian Mikkelsen
CCO, Apport Systems
E: [email protected]
T: +45 4177 6304
Christian Mikkelsen
CCO, Apport Systems
E: [email protected]
T: +45 4177 6304
Have you seen these blog posts?
GreenDozer want to reduce the carbon footprint
GreenDozer aims to reduce the carbon footprint of the construction industry. In the spring of 2023, we visited Greendozer at their new premises in the
Boost your picking speed with Pick-by-Voice
In this blog post, we will focus on how you can utilize your WMS (Warehouse Management System) even more efficiently with the right equipment. At
