With the recent disruptions in the global supply chain, people have had second thoughts regarding the storage and transport of essential goods. If you’re aware of the Ever Given catastrophe that held the Suez Canal, you should know that it caused the companies to lose $9.6 billion daily.
Thus, any redundancies with logistics can stand in the way of a prosperous enterprise. Since warehouses are part of that, employing efficient systems can help translate goodwill and trust in customers. Throughout this piece, you’ll learn about a warehouse management system’s various features and how it benefits customer service.
Standard Features of a Warehouse Management System
Thanks to the advances in digital and networking technology, warehouse management system software have become more efficient, granting various worthwhile features as standard across most industries. Moreover, here are few notable ones include the following.
Smart Wearables
As most employees have an objection to constant surveillance, smart wearables offer a workaround to keep track of them without invading their privacy. You can issue ID cards that geolocate each employee and smart bands that monitor their health status or issue credits for employee-exclusive outlets.
Barcodes and RFID Tags
A warehouse can have several products in any of the aisles, which you can quickly lose track of past a certain point in your business. Barcodes help the warehouse management system software take note of each item in the inventory. If you want real-time API integration, you can switch to radio frequency identification (RFID) tags.
Mobile Workstations
It is challenging to troubleshoot a problem in a separate physical location when your employees have to run the length of a small field to inspect it. Mobile scanners make it possible to keep the system portable for less physical stress and more effective time management.
Also read: The Right Parcel Scanning System for Your Business.
Robotics
The human body has inherent limitations that limit its ability to move heavy loads or maintain a consistent physical performance. The introduction of robotics has mitigated that to an extent. Leaving fragile items to machines is still risky, but they can transport robust packages throughout a confined space while reducing warehouse costs.
Role of Warehouse Management Systems In Customer Service
According to a survey from Statista, businesses state that demand-side challenges are often the most significant to overcome. Exceptional customer service is a part of that, which is where a robust warehouse management system can assist with several advantages.
Quicker Order Confirmation
It isn’t very pleasant to keep a prospective customer waiting as you examine whether the exact stock in their order is available or deliverable to their location. Instead of individual checks, a warehouse management system can integrate with an updated database. So you can confirm the order swiftly while also predicting the supply process accurately.
Increased Scope for Customization
With bespoke products being a massive part of any market, catering to customized demands is essential to help any business fulfil its potential. Effective warehouse management allows for accurate parcel analysis to prepare a stock of raw materials or building components that can mark the availability of possible configurations in real time.
Improved Stock Accuracy
Speaking of accurate stock analysis, an ERP system can indicate when particular products have remained in storage for too long; as a matter of fact, you can create a last-in-first-out (LIFO) policy to remove that old stuff from the warehouse with exclusive deals, which can clear the storage for fresh pieces just off the assembly line.
Convenient Returns
When it comes to logistics, few businesses focus on a reliable return policy. That is a massive oversight as customers will be more comfortable ordering from websites that can easily replace or refund their products. You can use the WMS to register such returns and program the sorting systems to allow for manual inspections.
Short Summary
Warehouse management has come a long way from simply placing the products in a planned manner. The trend to integrate digital technology has allowed even small and medium businesses to deliver services at par with Amazon and Target. We hope this guide on warehouse management systems helps you curate the best customer service
