How to Avoid Cloud Warehouse Systems Selection Mistakes (Part 1) By a Cloud Warehouse Management Systems Specialist
Are you a growing distribution, manufacturing or retail company struggling with outdated systems and processes? It’s time for a change – now what? As an experienced Cloud Warehouse Management Systems specialist, we suggest before we discuss avoiding mistakes in selecting a new system, we suggest you first take time to evaluate your requirements.
A Warehouse Management System (WMS) solution is an automated warehouse solution to run your distribution and manufacturing operations. This includes your receiving, assembly, shipping, fulfillment, inventory tracking, warranty and repair, etc… A WMS system is often part of your overall Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system or it’s sold as a standalone system. Finding the right WMS system is a daunting task and we are here to help! A cloud WMS solution may be your choice to help alleviate the upfront costs and accommodate long-term growth.
Click below to get our free whitepaper created by our Cloud Warehouse Management Systems Specialist:
“10 Tips to Avoid Cloud Warehouse Management System Mistakes”
First, let’s review some questions to ask to help you get set up for success. To better understand what you want with a new system, it’s important to explore your current warehouse challenges. Knowing how your current outdated system effects management and employees across all departments and how it impacts your warehouse operations will help you justify your investment in a new warehouse management system (WMS) solution.
10 Questions to Ask about Your Future Requirements
- ACCESS TO DATA – Are your Sales, Purchasing and Warehouse departments effectively communicating with the right data at the right time?
- DELIVERY TIME – Is your Inventory tracking allowing your company to get warehouse data and product availability when you need it?
- FULFILLMENT – How efficiently and cost-effectively do you pick, pack and ship?
- Does your current system handle your shipping processes or are you using tracking manually?
- Have you recently evaluated or compared your shipping costs with other carriers?
- Have you recently reviewed your packaging methods and costs? – DIM weight rules now impact how you are charged based on weight and the dimensions of your boxes.
- INACCURACY – How often do you run into problems because of inaccurate inventory? Do you have shipping errors, backorders, customer service issues?
- PURCHASING – Is Purchasing getting the right information to make decisions about holding enough but not too much inventory to meet customer demand?
- FORECASTING – Do you have any inventory and sales forecasting capabilities?
- TOO MUCH OVERHEAD LABOR – Do you “have a feeling” you pay too much for warehouse employees to solve problems an automated warehouse system may solve?
- BROKEN PROCESSES – Do you understand the struggles of customers, management and essential warehouse employees? Meet with them to briefly document the likes and dislikes of the existing system.
- Make a list of new system requirements and a desired budget and timeframe for implementation.
- This list should include functionality you must have considering your short and long-term plans.
- Be sure to get buy-off from the owner, the budget holder, management and executives from different departments on the new plan. Unfortunately, this step is often overlooked.
- SCALABILITY – Do your future growth plans include global markets, additional divisions or warehouses, e-commerce (B2B, B2C or make-to-order), etc…
- CONNECTIVITY- How will each department benefit from information made available from a new WMS system that offers improved communication, real-time information and open transparency?
If you need help with your Cloud WMS selection or implementation, our expert cloud WMS consultants are available to start a discussion with you.
Contact AKA Computer Consulting at www.akaconsulting.com or 888-351-8355 or e-mail.
Since 1995, AKA Computer Consulting has established an outstanding reputation in the New York City Metro and Tri-State area for first-class implementation of WMS, ERP business management systems, innovative and flexible custom software development and utmost dedication to customer service. AKA offers a wide array of services and solutions to manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, importers and exporters.
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