Consider
this

For many businesses operating without a Warehouse Management System (WMS), manual spreadsheets remain a common, though inefficient, approach to managing inventory. While they may seem practical and cost effective in the early stages, as operations grow, these spreadsheets tend to multiply, becoming cumbersome and difficult to manage.

Relying on manual processes brings a range of challenges that can severely impact the efficiency, productivity, and profitability of warehouse operations.

These challenges include:

Human Intervention and Error: Dependence on manual handling increases the risk of human error. Mistakes can affect the accuracy of stock records and transactions, often leading to costly oversights. Investigations to rectify these errors further also have a ripple effect on inefficiencies and cost.

Tedious and Time-Consuming Procedures: Labour-intensive workflows slow down warehouse operations, making processes inefficient and draining resources.

Reactive Management: Unlike a WMS, traditional systems lack proactive tools, limiting opportunities for strategic decision-making and leading to reactive management.

High Resource Demand: Managing stock by hand requires significant time and manpower, which drives up operational costs.

Lower Inventory Accuracy: Without automated verification, inaccuracies in inventory tracking become more common, reducing overall stock control and visibility. Item lacks or incorrect items picked on orders will become more prevalent risking service level agreements with customers.

Increased Risk of Stock Losses: Tracking stock without automation often leads to losses, especially through expired or obsolete inventory, impacting profitability. Conversely, the risk of issuing expired stock exists (such as food items, medicine, etc.) and could put vendors at risk from consumer claims.

Slower Turnaround Times: Non-automated workflows delay stock availability, order processing, and fulfilment, impacting customer satisfaction.

Suboptimal Solutions: Traditional allocation and rotation of stock lead to inefficient warehouse management and limit optimal outcomes.

Limited Visibility: Tracking stock movement without automated systems can be cumbersome, making it difficult to monitor inventory efficiently at a batch or receipt level.

From the increased likelihood of human error, to the strain on resources; and slower turnaround times, these challenges introduce significant complexity into daily operations, impacting all aspects from stock management accuracy to strategic decision-making. As businesses expand, these issues only become more pronounced, underscoring the limitations of manual systems.

The
solution
is clear

Implementing a WMS is crucial for overcoming the challenges businesses encounter when lacking an efficient stock management system. By partnering with experienced professionals like Value Warehousing,  you’ll benefit from a robust WMS solution that addresses these challenges, providing a range of advantages that streamline operations and enhance overall efficiency.

The benefits of utilising a Warehouse Management System (WMS) to effectively manage your inventory:

Detailed Stock Visibility: A WMS provides comprehensive visibility of stock from receipt to dispatch, including efficient handling of returns, ensuring complete visibility at every stage of the process.

Product Characteristics Management: The WMS easily manages stock based on key attributes such as product code, different SKU levels, product type, production date, expiry date, shelf life; and batch number, allowing for precise control of inventory.

RF Scanner Integration: Utilising RF scanners for multiple functions, including receiving, picking, cycle counting, and stock taking, increases efficiency and accuracy.

Real-Time Updates: Benefit from real-time stock and location updates as inventory is physically processed, ensuring accurate, up-to-the-minute information across all warehouse operations.

Simultaneous Actions: Achieve seamless efficiency with simultaneous real-time stock status updates, system-to-physical actions, and automated processes driven by pre-configured rules.

Auditable Stock Movements: Gain full transparency with auditable records of inbound, outbound, and general inventory movements, ensuring traceability and accountability.

System-Driven Processes: A WMS automates essential tasks, from put-away to storage, ABC classification, stock allocation, replenishment, expiry management, and more, reducing the need for manual input.

Automated Stock Rotation and Replenishment: A WMS automates critical tasks like stock rotation, replenishment to pick faces, and ABC placement, as well as the automatic blocking of expired items, ensuring optimal stock health and availability.

Stock Condition Management: A WMS systematically segregates stock based on physical conditions, offering visibility into categories such as “Good for Sale,” “Quarantined,” “Blocked,” and “Expired/Near Expiry,” so you can manage stock health effectively.

Failure
to act

Companies struggling with manual stock management systems will inevitably encounter numerous challenges that hinder operational efficiency and accuracy. Considering these obstacles, outsourcing warehousing solutions to experienced professionals, like Value Warehousing becomes crucial for businesses seeking to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and overall effectiveness of their inventory management processes. Partner with Value Warehousing to optimise your stock management.

Consider
This

Expanding your business’s warehousing operations is a pivotal decision for growth. Businesses need to evaluate their strategic objectives to determine whether renting, purchasing, or outsourcing their warehousing needs is the most suitable option.

The initial capital investment is paramount for those considering ownership or rental. Factors such as location, costs for interior infrastructure setup, warehouse suitability for specific products, and safety and regulatory compliance must be thoroughly evaluated. Effective security measures against internal and external threats are also critical considerations.

Moreover, businesses must budget for human resource expenses, including staffing and ongoing compliance audits and inspections. Essential investments in materials handling equipment and operational tools like scanners, printers, and computers are equally vital. Furthermore, ongoing maintenance and adaptability to evolving regulations, technology updates, regulatory changes and equipment replacements are ongoing considerations once operations are established.

However, businesses considering outsourcing should focus on a distinct set of criteria, including:

• Ensuring consistent service levels that meet their needs,
• Partnering with reputable providers offering compliant facilities,
• Choosing strategic locations that optimise logistical efficiency,
• Implementing robust security protocols to safeguard inventory,
• Leveraging specialised expertise in product handling,
• Utilising advanced Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) for efficient operations,
• Planning for scalability to accommodate future growth,
• Customising infrastructure to meet specific product requirements.

The
solution
is clear

In many cases, outsourcing to a specialist like Value Warehousing proves to be the most practical and cost-effective solution for businesses. Our versatile range of warehousing facilities offers clients dedicated or multi-principal options nationally. Should our existing facilities not fully meet your requirements, we are committed to sourcing or constructing purpose-built spaces to ensure an ideal fit.

With over 43 years of experience, we have refined our warehousing expertise across diverse industries. Our facilities are renowned for maintaining compliance and quality standards that align with relevant regulations and industry norms. We provide a flexible storage solution to support business growth, complete with materials handling machinery tailored for the task. Our comprehensive Warehouse Management System (WMS) is integrated internally with our Transport Management System (TMS), ensuring seamless services across our offerings.

At Value Warehousing, we take full responsibility for your inventory at our secure facilities, which are monitored 24/7. We invest in the necessary resources to relieve businesses of warehouse management burdens, enabling them to concentrate on their core operations. Additionally, companies often overextend or underextend their warehousing facilities, leading to unnecessary real estate costs and excess personnel. Outsourcing mitigates these risks, allowing businesses to refocus on their strengths and eliminate costly, complex challenges.

Failure
to act

Managing your own warehouses presents substantial financial and expertise demands. Without ample resources and know-how, it can entail significant risks and be a costly learning curve. Finding the right management and staff adds complexity while investing in systems and assuming management responsibilities inflates overhead costs.

As you consider your next step in expanding your warehousing, trust Value Warehousing for a clear, practical, and cost-effective solution. Make the smart choice for your business’s future – partner with Value Warehousing for seamless warehousing management.