Top 6 Ways To Track Warehouse Efficiency and Productivity

Warehouse inventory management could make all the difference between financial gain and incurring losses for your company. Work on improving your inventory management accuracy and efficiency with guiding principles and guidelines from industry professionals.

Establishing a warehouse management system through NetSuite implementations can be complex as there are so many factors to take into account. The impacts of deviating from your goal, discovering a barrier, or selecting the incorrect response can be severe.

Although no two projects are comparable, the six guidelines by NetSuite specialists will assist in strategizing the optimal management for your company.

Top 6 Ways To Track Warehouse Efficiency and Productivity

1.  Choose Your Implementation Partner To Succeed

It's imperative to have the practical resources and support if you want to get the most from your NetSuite investment with a WMS.

• NetSuite Alliance Partners are experienced at assisting NetSuite customers with implementation services.

• NetSuite Solution Providers offer help with licenses, as well as accounting, ERP, CRM, and e-commerce services.

• SuiteCloud Developer Network (SDN) collaborators, including RF-SMART, are unaffiliated providers who use the SuiteCloud platform to develop NetSuite ERP expansions and applications.

The knowledge and qualifications of SDN partners vary. Assess how well prospective vendors are engaged with organizations similar to yours and how their product works with NetSuite. Look for testimonials to guarantee that the implementation process will go successfully and smoothly.

2.  For Efficient Mobile Inventory Management, Evaluate Equipment Decisions In Advance

Most companies know that their NetSuite Warehouse Management system requires mobile devices, label printers, and a good WiFi network. Hardware, on the other hand, is often overlooked. It's essential to review these requirements early since selecting the required equipment is critical for your end users' performance. It's a great idea to get guidance from a hardware partner who can assist you with issues like:

• Pricing.

• Devices that work best in your environment.

• Wireless infrastructure, connectivity, and site surveys.

• Services for device configuration and post-deployment.

3.  Evaluate your demands and preferred workflows

Many companies only realize that they should have been more meticulous while assembling their changing demands. 

This is the most significant aspect: all stakeholders involved, including the warehouse personnel who will be the end-users of your future solution, should thoroughly define and assess your needs. The following factors must be included in your assessment:

• Deficiencies in existing processes.

• The operations you want to manage with mobile.

• Peers' reviews from all relevant business areas.

• Requirements for implementation and support.

• Validation of the return on investment.

4.  Before deploying the warehouse management system, execute an ROI analysis

To compare the performance of your WMS, it's imperative to develop measurable KPIs. Early understanding of the expected return on investment will facilitate the identification of a solution and the recruitment of senior colleagues. Here are parameters you might track before and after your implementation to verify ROI:

• Inventory Accuracy - Data errors occur when companies track their inventory using manual processes or fragmented solutions. At every inventory point of contact, a WMS system enables you to transmit data directly into your ERP, eliminating errors, producing a central database, and maximizing inventory accuracy to 99 percent.

• Labor Costs - As per the Wireless LAN Alliance, shifting to a mobile barcoding solution can improve productivity by at least 15% by directing workers' warehouse mobility and streamlining procedures.

• Inventory Carrying Costs - Understanding the precise figures you have for each SKU by area minimizes the volume for safety stock, enabling more responsive refilling. Safety stock levels are often lowered by 40% for WMS users.

5.  As the implementation stage commences, introduce significant stakeholders

The participation of decision-makers who will own the program from start till the end is necessary for the smooth WMS implementation. The communication links between operational executives, end-users, and the implementation team are coordinated by these significant professionals. 

Their objective is to guarantee that everybody working on the project is informed of the timelines, protocols, and assistance. You can minimize the probability of:

• Designing workflows that do not fulfill the demands of the end-users.

• Disruptions in team communication.

• Insufficiency in support and training.

6.  Ensure That Your Warehouse Management System Has Enough Support

During the implementation of a WMS, lack of expertise and supervision is a common halting point. This is usually averted if you pursue the instructions previously. Still, there are a couple of extra things that can be done to assure that your new program is adopted seamlessly by the company:

• Training courses must be arranged prior to the go-live deadline. If a delay occurs, begin planning refresher lessons.

• Brief training sessions on specific areas and procedures must be scheduled to do valuable training.

• Confirm that all essential stakeholders have access to the appropriate documentation, which should be simple to browse and understand.