Management + Systems

John Casagrande, vice president client services at Voxware Inc, looks at how companies can optimise operations and whether RF scanning or voice directed software is more likely to drive process improvements.

Today, getting correct orders out of the warehouse on time, every time is more important than ever. Fortunately, companies no longer need to be shackled by the poor efficiency and high error rate of historically inaccurate paper processes and can instead optimise operations by deploying a suite of technologically advanced tools. New solutions purpose-built for the supply chain are reaching maturity and becoming more accessible thanks to low-cost subscription cloud-based options.

Once companies decide to automate, there is an important question to answer: Is RF scanning or voice-directed software more likely to drive process improvements? It turns out that, for many warehouses, the answer is both.

RF scanning, which leverages handheld devices to scan barcodes to make tasks like batch scanning much less time-consuming, is an easy first step toward automation since it comes pre-loaded with many warehouse management system (WMS) software packages. RF scanning is also helpful in reducing the time needed to complete tasks that involve lengthy codes and forms an important technology infrastructure throughout the warehouse.

However, warehouses that stop at RF and fail to fully automate with voice-directed picking software risk leaving ‘money on the table’. Voice, which allows workers to move about the warehouse hands free, helps companies realise productivity gains in excess of 25% and to reach accuracy levels of 99.9%. While RF may present the illusion of a low risk option, companies must be careful not to confuse ‘low initial cost’ with ‘low risk’. Not only are voice solutions more affordable now than in years past, but they also contribute to labour savings. Many companies report that new and temporary staff are ready to start selecting items with voice within the first few hours of their first day.

Instead of picking one technology over another, companies that want to take full advantage of warehouse automation technologies should deploy a combination of technologies and deploy them where they are best suited. Some functions may be better suited to RF, critical functions such as picking are often better suited to voice. In an era of ever increasing customer expectations, it’s important to start delivering an exceptional customer experience in the warehouse and a comprehensive technology strategy is one of the best ways to ensure long-term customer satisfaction.