When a warehouse gets busier, the obvious solution can seem to be hiring more staff. More orders mean more picking, more stock movements and more work, so adding another pair of hands should solve the problem. What if the problem isn’t a lack of people though? If your warehouse team is spending hours searching for stock, checking spreadsheets, correcting picking errors or dealing with paperwork, you could have a process problem rather than a staffing problem. Before recruiting, it is worth considering whether a Warehouse Management System (WMS) such as that from THINK, could help your existing team work more efficiently.
Efficient Warehouse Processes
Adding another warehouse operative will give you more capacity, but it won’t necessarily make your processes more efficient. If your existing team struggles to find stock or doesn’t have clear visibility of what is happening in the warehouse, a new employee will simply be working within the same system. This can be particularly noticeable as a business grows. What worked when you had a small number of orders can quickly become difficult to manage when order volumes increase. Spreadsheets become more complicated, stock becomes harder to keep track of, and employees spend more time dealing with administration.
How Can A WMS Help?
A Warehouse Management System gives your warehouse team a central place to manage stock and warehouse activity. Instead of relying on paperwork, spreadsheets or individual employees remembering where everything is, staff can see what stock is available and where it is located. This can save considerable time as rather than searching shelves for a product, warehouse staff can be directed to the correct location. Stock movements can be recorded within the system, giving the business a clearer picture of inventory and helping reduce the risk of errors. It also means your office and warehouse teams can work from the same information, rather than having to constantly contact each other to find out what has been received, picked or dispatched.
Warehouse Accuracy
Speed isn’t the only consideration, getting orders right is just as important. A picking mistake can result in the wrong product being sent to a customer, leading to returns, additional delivery costs and time spent putting the problem right. It can also damage the customer relationship. A WMS can introduce greater control into the picking process, helping staff identify the correct products and quantities. Improving accuracy means your team spends less time correcting mistakes and more time processing orders correctly the first time.
Relying on One Person
Most warehouses have someone who seems to know exactly where everything is. They know which products are stored in which locations and can usually find something that everyone else has given up looking for. Their experience is valuable, but relying too heavily on one person’s knowledge can become a problem. A WMS helps put that information into a system rather than keeping it in someone’s head. This makes it easier for other employees to find stock and understand warehouse processes, while also making it easier to train new members of staff.
A WMS Can Help You Grow
One of the biggest advantages of improving your warehouse processes is that it can help your business handle growth more efficiently. If every increase in orders means another employee, your warehouse costs can quickly rise alongside your sales. A WMS can help your existing team handle more work by reducing wasted time and giving them better information. That doesn’t mean a WMS will eliminate the need for warehouse staff. As your business grows, you may still need to recruit. However, you can make that decision based on genuine workload rather than inefficiencies within your existing operation.
WMS Or Recruitment?
So, should a WMS or recruitment come first? There isn’t a universal answer. Sometimes you really do need more warehouse staff. However, before recruiting, look closely at how your current team spends its time. If employees are constantly searching for stock, manually checking inventory, correcting mistakes or dealing with unnecessary paperwork, improving your warehouse processes could have a bigger impact than simply adding another person. In many cases, the better approach is WMS first, staff when you genuinely need them. A WMS can give your team the information and processes they need to work more efficiently, while giving you greater visibility of your warehouse and helping you make better decisions as your business grows.
Contact THINK WMS
Your warehouse doesn’t always need more people, sometimes it needs a better way of working. A Warehouse Management System can help improve stock visibility, picking accuracy and efficiency, while reducing the amount of time your team spends on manual administration and searching for products. At THINK WMS, we provide practical warehouse management system solutions designed to help businesses take greater control of their warehouse operations. Before you hire another member of staff, ask yourself: could your existing team achieve more with the right WMS? Contact our expert team today.
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