Distributors play a crucial role in the supply chain, managing and moving products from manufacturers to retailers and customers. However, with the constant evolution of industries and supply chains, distributors face the challenge of modernizing their operations to keep up with technological advancements and changing market trends. Warehouses are the lifeblood of distributors’ operations, and modernizing them through the adoption of a Warehouse Management System (WMS) is critical to their success. In this blog post, we’ll discuss Infor’s Total Warehouse Logistics (TWL), including the benefits, how it helps solve common warehouse challenges, its impact on warehouse operations overall, and NSA’s role.

What is Operational Excellence?

Before we explore Total Warehouse Logistics, let’s define “Operational Excellence.”

The Operational Excellence Society defines it as: “…a state of readiness attained as the efforts throughout the enterprise reach a state of alignment for pursuing its strategies; where the corporate culture is committed to the continuous and deliberate improvement of company performance and the circumstances of those who work there-and is a precursor to becoming a high-performance organization.”

The Importance of Modernizing Your Warehouse

Distributors face several challenges in their operations, and without modernizing their warehouses, it’s difficult to remain competitive. Warehouses still utilizing old technology such as Legacy systems often mean dated business processes are still being followed, OR that new processes must be jury-rigged into old systems that were never designed to support them. The traditional warehouse operates with manual processes such as receiving, put away, picking, and packing, leading to human errors and inefficiencies.

What might have worked in the past, might not work in the future – or even the present. Committing to operational excellence begins with a modern cloud-based Warehouse Management System, such as Infor’s Total Warehouse Logistics (TWL) solution, which equips distributors with greater visibility and control in warehouse management, resulting in enhanced productivity, employee satisfaction, and customer loyalty.

Warehouse Challenges & How to Solve Them

Automating your warehouse with a modern solution such as Infor’s Total Warehouse Logistics (TWL) can afford your distribution company significant operational benefits, and at the same time, help solve many of the challenges below:

• Inaccurate Inventory – Outdated systems simply can’t track every product. You require barcode scanning which provides data validation including multi-step validation to prevent shipping errors for example.
• Inefficient Processes – This can result in higher operating costs and decreased customer satisfaction. A scalable WMS on the other hand boosts the efficiency of every aspect of warehouse operations. Fulfillment algorithms and wave picking optimize order filling and cross-docking minimizes inventory movement.
• Higher Freight Costs – Customers expect rapid, customized delivery which results in tighter operating margins. TWL will help your distribution company optimize the routing, receive electronic proof of delivery, and enable optional freight mark-ups – all key areas of earning and keeping your customers’ confidence.
• Attracting and Retaining Talent – Older systems including paper-based processes are oftentimes frustrating for employees who are used to having the latest, user-friendly apps for personal use. They demand the same functionality of their work environment – handheld devices with simple screens and easy navigation that automate workflows, include voice enablement, and so forth to optimize work performance.
• Real-Time Visibility – If your warehouse is still paper-based or using Legacy technology, it’s extremely difficult to optimize your systems fully. Incorporating a modern WMS provides CONSTANT and COMPLETE visibility into every aspect of your warehouse operations.
• Managing a Complex Tech Stack – Did you know that a distributor’s Legacy WMS that was built incrementally becomes increasingly difficult to maintain? NSA’s TWL frees up IT staff to handle other IT-related situations because the cloud-based technology is regularly updated/maintained.
• Cybersecurity – Since Legacy systems are not designed with protections against cyber threats in mind, your distribution company’s data is at risk and your IT staff will incur more work. The TWL Solution is built on Infor’s CloudSuite Distribution platform, an industry leader in warehouse management software, providing distributors with greater resources to combat cybersecurity threats.

A Modernized Warehouse with Infor’s Total Warehouse Logistics

With the aid of artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced algorithms, a modern WMS optimizes warehouse management with automation processes and will have your distribution business on its way to complete warehouse operational excellence.

TWL is powered by Infor’s CloudSuite Distribution. And as a partner, NSA provides and implements effective Total Warehouse Logistics into your distribution business. For nearly 40 years, NSA has assisted wholesale distributors to evolve their business with industry-specific functionality. Let us help you in your journey to warehouse operational excellence in 2023 – for increased productivity, profitability, and MORE! Visit our TWL page for more information.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!