Inventory Automation Lets Your Team Save Steps (Literally) and Become More Efficient

July 9th 2019 15:00:00 PM

As the e-commerce industry grows, warehouse owners and managers are being faced with a problem. On one hand, consumers are embracing the ease and convenience of ordering products of all kinds online. They spent $517.36 billion at US merchants’ websites in 2018. At the same time, it’s become more challenging to attract and retain warehouse employees. In this situation, it makes sense to look to technology for solutions. Inventory automation offers several benefits worth considering.

Do you already know that inventory automation is the right choice for your business? Contact us online or call (330) 645-9959 to set up an appointment with a Scanco Solutions Expert now!

Prolonged Standing and Employee Health

Potential candidates for warehouse jobs may have concerns about the amount of time they are expected to spend on their feet each day. Prolonged standing can lead to several health issues, such as fatigue, lower back, and leg pain.

During the recruitment process, it’s always best to be transparent about the requirements of the position you are trying to fill. You can suggest measures the candidate can take, if hired, to reduce hazards associated with standing for a long period of time. These may include wearing comfortable shoes with non-slip soles, shoe inserts, and support socks or stockings.

For existing team members, allowing them to have breaks during the workday where they can sit and rest is important. Employees who are tired or distracted because they’re in pain won’t be able to give you their best effort. If you’re already feeling a pinch from being short-staffed, you want to make sure that everyone on your team can perform well.

Inventory Automation Saves Steps, Boosts Efficiency

If you’re still using paper-based picking because you think it’s the most cost-effective way of getting the job done, it may be time to re-assess. You may be saving money on the cost of scanners, but it’s much more difficult to track inventory levels in the warehouse.

Keep in mind that you are likely having to ask your team members to do more, especially during your busy season. Each action they make must be purposeful. Your associates simply don’t have time to waste going to bins that are empty because there isn’t any way to relay that information to them in a timely manner. It’s inefficient and it creates extra physical wear and tear on your team members.

Mobile devices allow your team members to make a note in the system when they find an empty bin. This action counts the location and triggers that the location needs to be restocked if there is more inventory at another location. In the meantime, other associates are stopped from walking to that bin only to discover the same thing.

Sage Enterprise Warehouse Management Offers Advanced Shipping Functions

If you want to make shipping as easy and convenient as possible, consider Sage Enterprise Warehouse. A selection of the features that will give you more control over your inventory and allow your warehouse to operate more efficiently are:

1. Quick Pick

Single order picking for items in all warehouse codes. Allocations are created in the bin where the items are picked, which gives you the flexibility to pack and ship them from multiple applications.

2. Wave/Order Picking

Directed picking guides your team member through the warehouse by bin location for all items on either single or multiple sales orders. This saves steps, since the associate only needs to visit a specified area of the warehouse once.

3. Invoice Picking

Once the sales order and items picked are entered, the information is sent to Sage Invoice Data Entry automatically.

Sage Enterprise Warehouse is packed full of features to make your warehouse more efficient. To learn more about this inventory automation solution, contact us online or call (330) 645-9959 to arrange your personal consultation with a Scanco Solutions Expert.