When the personal computer first became ubiquitous in the 1980s, as Adrienne LaFrance wrote in The Atlantic earlier this year, some people found it so terrifying that the term “computerphobia” was coined. “In the early days of the telephone, people wondered if the machines might be used to communicate with the dead. Today, it is the smartphone that has people jittery,” she wrote. “Humans often converge around massive technological shifts, around any change, really — with a flurry of anxieties.”
Similarly, in a warehouse business, the cloud-based Warehouse Management systems are often referred to as a revolutionary change in the field of warehouse management. But, the only problem is that most of the warehouse owners are skeptical to adopt these systems, they are more comfortable in using their old ways to manage their warehouse.
If we break down the whole process we can analyze into six briefs points-
- Adapting to the Unstable Business Environment.
The business environment is a subject change. It changes very spontaneously. So to survive the company has to adapt to the changes. The changes can be an advancement of technology or change in government policies. If the company will not adapt the changes then it may adversely affect its operations and can lead to losses or even shutting down of the business
2. Insecurity for moving into a new environment.
There is always a feeling of reluctance in the workforce for moving into a new environment. They more or less rely on the legacy WMS to manage their Warehouse. They feel more comfortable, but the legacy WMS is inefficient and outdated. Although there is always a feeling of revolt in the members from moving towards a secure to an insecure and new environment as they have put more effort to learn the new skills to keep up with the intra-business competition.
3. Understanding that Technology is boon, not a bane
The leader/owner of the warehouse has to ensure that their employees and the workers understand that technology incorporated for warehouse management is not a bane instead it is a boon. The workers and the employees are required to be informed about the advantages of new technology over their old and outdated ways. The workers and employees should also realize that technology is present to make their life easier not to make it more complex.
4. Proper education and training to use the new Technology
The warehouse business is required to conduct proper orientation programs to ensure that the employee gets more familiar with the technology. The employees should be provided with proper training and required education to use the technology. The warehouse owners should also arrange professional experienced instructors to train their workers and should, also arrange proper manuals and instructor’s guides so that they can use the technology more efficiently and effectively. The employees and workers should also be provided with sufficient time to learn the use of technology.
5. Accepting the change and Utilizing the technology in the business
With proper training, education, and motivation the workers will slowly start to accommodate the use of technology in the business and will start to accept the changes. The warehouse business will also start utilizing the cloud-based WMS in their operations
The warehouse business can incorporate the systems in the followings ways -
- For proper inventory management
- For minimizing order picking errors
- For increasing the speed of order fulfillment.
6) Seeing Changes in the business-
The business will eventually see some positive changes in their businesses-
- Proper categorizing and sorting of the goods at the warehouse
- Reducing the errors made by warehouse workers
- Proper and efficient floor and inventory plans
- Automated warehousing services
- Real-time data visibility
- Ability to apply data through advanced analytics,
- Exact insight into how the warehouse is been operated,
- Linear Supply chain
- customer loyalty and satisfaction
One of the biggest things to remember about any technology is that often the best way to learn it and overcome the fear of using it regularly!
Keep trying and soon you too will be a technology guru and you will be teaching others about it. Everything requires a hustle so don’t be afraid of that.
Go out, learn technology, and make you and your business competitive, efficient, and most important customer-friendly and updated.
