It’s clear that the advent of the bar code has simplified our lives – we can check-in at airports, see a movie, and pay for lunch just by showing the clerk the bar code on our phone. We’re reducing our footprint more and more each day – when was the last time you wrote a check or sent a fax? If you haven’t done so already, you’re probably already planning to kick your organization’s paper-based system to the curb and implement a bar code system that will virtually change the lives of your workers.
As you begin the process, be sure to have these items covered:
- Management buy-in
- Budget allocated
- Resource assigned
- Plan documented
Of course you have already taken a look at your current operations, and have identified areas of your business that would benefit greatly, like:
- Order entry, shipping and receiving departments (heavy data entry functions)
- Asset management (equipment and inventory)
- Transfer of data and information to/from the field (admin, sales & service reps)
The cost savings and efficiencies that will result will likely justify the cost of systems and hardware based on what today’s workload is of your warehouse operations. Now that these areas have been identified, ask yourself how other functional areas will be affected by this new system, and whether it would benefit them in a tangible way as well.
To figure this out, select a group or specific worker and spend some time mapping out a day in the life. Look for the key functions that are challenges for them in terms of time and efficiency. Understand what they are doing on a task-by-task basis, and then determine which data collection technology solution will best solve those problems. For asset tracking, for example, having an automated system would allow you to manage equipment and tools being signed out by workers as well as knowing to what job those tools and equipment are being assigned.
You’ll probably also find some gems along the way that will add even more value to your decision to automate your processes:
Customer Service – The customer experience could be greatly improved by being able to easily acknowledge, track and communicate order status for your customers, accept and pay for goods in real time (with a mobile device), and improve order efficiency and accuracy.
Reduction in Errors – The ability to scan a barcode vs. manually entering data not only increases productivity of workers, but also greatly reduces the incidence of data entry errors. And the transfer of information from the field back to the warehouse is faster and more accurate.
Environmentally Friendly – When you implement data collection automation within your organization, your carbon footprint inevitably gets reduced by virtue of the fact that most manual processes involve paper! Sustainability also gives you a competitive advantage – lower costs mean greater flexibility.
Final Thoughts
As you draft your plan, examine the resources needed, the resources available and establish a realistic timeline. Perhaps you begin with an area of the business that requires the most need, or one that does not depend on too many other functions in the organization.
Carefully select outside resources being used – and obtain references for each. Align yourself with a strong solution provider that is well-versed in dealing with organizations like yours, and make sure they thoroughly understand your business and your culture.
A project like this means big change for your organization, so be sure to clearly communicate the benefits that everyone in the organization will realize as a result of automating your operations. Explain the ROI (return on investment) using language that will appeal to each area of your business. Some are concerned with profitability, others with efficiencies. A continuous flow of communication will make you, and your co-workers, more comfortable with the change that lies ahead.
For more information, request a free consultation.