Whether you use an RF based Warehouse Management System (WMS) or a paper-based system, maximizing efficiency is key to an effective warehouse. From warehouse design, and product arrangement to business processes, and everything in between, efficiency is gained or lost in all areas. Today we are going to take a high-level look at some key items to upgrade your warehouse.

Changing the physical design of your warehouse might not be in the cards, but your racking layout might be. Take a walkthrough of your warehouse and put yourself in the shoes of the workers, does the flow make sense for your business as it is today? Not just for picking, but for all areas of the process. Don’t just stop there, review these items as well:

• Bin Location Structure:
  • Is it easy to read and understand?
  • Do users spend time looking for the correct location?
  • Are the location labels quickly visible and clearly identify the correct location?
  • Does the flow from one location to another make sense?
• Bin Sizing:
  • Do the locations have dead space that could increase storage space by reducing bin size?
  • Are the locations accessed easily and safely?
• RF Equipment:
  • Is your RF equipment causing a slowdown in the process?
  • Are they intuitive to users?
  • Can they be used for more than just WMS functions, such as communications or documenting issues?
• Documentation:
  • Do you have your current business processes documented?
  • Are the users trained on them regularly?
  • Do they have access to them if needed?

These are just a few key areas to review to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your warehouse. As you take a good hard look at your warehouse, don’t forget the users, they can have invaluable insight to upgrade the warehouse. 

What might have worked in the past, might not work in the future – or even the present. Committing to optimizing your warehouse 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.

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. Visit our TWL page for more information.