As businesses cross over into the post-pandemic market, new challenges such as fluctuating workforce sizes and material shortages have arisen, pressuring warehouses to continue adapting to higher demands. While warehouses may have different areas of prioritization –receiving docks, aisles, and shipping terminals – inventory management is often a foundational workflow in need of optimization. Past studies show most warehouses currently operate with 66% accurate inventory counts. That means that one out of every three orders may be inaccurate or unable to be fulfilled.
With mis-shipments costing an average of $34 per returned order, reliable inventory management is crucial to minimize operational costs in today’s fulfillment operations. Modernized mobile technologies stand as one of the most popular ways to optimize inventory management since they…
- Facilitate instant notifications across the warehouse – When change occurs in the supply chain, mobile devices connected to one shared network can quickly diffuse notifications and alerts whether they be delivery delays or germ exposure in near real-time.
- Enable fast inventory updates to prevent stockouts and overstocking – Inaccurate cycle counting directly impacts the bottom line, yet real-time visibility in stock levels empowers workers to quickly adjust replenishment to avoid wasteful storage and surprise out-of-stocks.
- Automate repetitive tasks, mitigating worker disengagement – Your workforce is the biggest asset to your operations. By automating repetitive tasks such as data entry, mobile computers enable workers to focus on other more pressing tasks that cannot be easily automated, minimizing disruptions as you modernize.
- Accelerate fulfillment with less effort – Lastly, automated technologies such as RFID scanning and intelligent data capture can accelerate throughput by capturing several barcodes at once with on trigger pull. Hands-free scanning and voice picking further speed up the process by simplifying order picking with audible commands for best optimized pick paths.
Go beyond enhanced inventory management with Zebra and ScanOnline
To operate within a manageable budget, efficient modernization solutions should also favor scalability and adaptability. For example, Zebra’s latest evolution of enterprise devices consistently support:
- Maximized uptime through long-lasting and hot swappable batteries.
- Embedded push-to-talk capabilities that transform devices into two-way radios
- Greater device versatility through Android’s open ecosystem for new apps
- Reliable data security to prevent breaches and costly leaks
Download the Zebra mobile device portfolio to learn more details about Zebra’s next-generation devices.
Optimization can take many shapes depending on your operational goals. To see how you can best enhance your warehouse with scalable technologies, contact ScanOnline for a free evaluation of your current solution.
