The SMS Group, Author at The SMS Group

02 Oct

Wearable Tech: Why Ring Scanners Are a Good Investment Now

Where will your warehousing operation be in five years? Research suggests that the answer to that question depends on how well your team is able to accomplish three important goals:

Decrease your order turnaround time
Eliminate shipment errors
Increase your inventory accuracy

The last of these is perhaps the most important. Improving your inventory accuracy, even by only 1%, has tremendous business impact, influencing your pick-to-ship cycle time and reducing the money you spend on expediting orders.

These essential goals are challenged by the fact that warehousing operations are expected to grow in complexity over the next five years, with an average increase of 60% in SKUS expected by 2020.

When it comes to improving the pick and pack process, there are three big questions to consider:

How can we speed the process up?
How can we keep costs down?
How can we add more value and keep our customers happy?

When these questions are successfully answered, the results are tremendous. Fast, efficient pick/pack functions delight customers (which leads to more sales) and save money for the whole company.

17 Aug

Tier 2 Auto Suppliers: Here’s How Supply Chain Visibility Saves You Money

As Zebra’s recent blog explains, if you’re a tier 2 automotive supplier, you are expected to walk a tightrope. Your customers demand just-in-time delivery without sacrificing consistency, traceability, or packaging/labeling standards. Anything less than that, and you’re going to run into chargebacks and other penalties.

20 Jul

The 4 Tell Tale Signs Your Data Integration Systems are Failing You

Data integration systems are critical in today’s manufacturing environment. In order to keep efficiencies up and customers happy, manufacturers must keep their data solutions current—and integrated.

Why? Ineffective systems can be a silent killer when it comes to productivity and lead to problems such as:

Inaccurate information
Disruption and delays in the supply chain
Increase in overhead costs

See below for the critical warning signs that your data systems are losing strength.

23 May

Container Tracking: Understanding Your Options

There is a significant risk for theft or loss when transporting expensive assets with little to no visibility.

In fact, some companies spend over $100,000 per year on returnable containers, making poor visibility a costly mistake. And for something so big, it should not fall through the cracks.

To overcome this obstacle and stay on top of your high value containers container tracking is an effective way to increase visibility at every stage of your supply chain. Container tracking helps businesses monitor the movement and location of containers and increase accountability.

19 May

Finding the Right Data Collection Solution: Key Questions to Ask Yourself – and Your Provider

When it comes to automating manual processes in the warehouse, distribution center, or on the factory floor, the right technology and the right solution provider are two critical pieces that can make implementation a success. At the same time, your mid-size business rules may not be a direct fit with the enterprise software and solutions that are being offered today. Finding a technology provider who will learn your business and create a system to maximize your strengths is one of the most important decisions you can make.

10 May

Getting the Most Out of Multi-Modal Picking Solutions

The saying “two heads are better than one” seems fitting for this topic; particularly when you relate it to multi-modal operations. When just one technology is used to perform a task, it is likely that some part of the execution of that task will require manual operation. The problem with that is that manual processes tend to fall short in accuracy and verification. Bringing technology into the fold helps to mitigate errors that otherwise may not be discovered until, in some cases, the customer receives their order.

03 May

Reaching New Heights: The Benefits of Multi-Modal Data Collection

If you’re not familiar with multi-modal data collection technology in the warehouse, here’s a quick overview to get you up to speed. A multi-modal application involves the use of two or more technologies to perform a variety of tasks, allowing the user to execute these tasks virtually hands-free. This approach includes a wrist-worn mobile computer with a touchscreen, a headset for voice-directed operations, and a ring-style barcode scanner to collect data.

20 Apr

Why Track and Trace Is a Critical Component of Your Business

Today’s workforce is working faster than ever to keep customers happy and stay ahead of the competition. Many of those who come to us for help to streamline processes share one common challenge: Lack of inventory visibility. In fact, a report from Forbes and KPMG International[1] found that 40% of respondents cited lack of visibility across the extended supply chain as one of their biggest challenges.

13 Apr

Think Your Consumer-Grade Device Works for the Warehouse? Think Again.

With the flexibility of today’s Smartphones and tablets, more and more organizations are instituting BYOD programs in the workplace. Although this may lower the budget on equipment purchases, there are other considerations to be made with respect to use case, durability, total cost of ownership and management. If you’re considering the use of consumer-grade devices in an industrial environment, this blog will help you understand why an enterprise-class device would be a better fit.

Archives:

Wearable Tech: Why Ring Scanners Are a Good Investment Now

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Picking Parts More Efficiently: How Connectivity Helps

When it comes to improving the pick and pack process, there are three big questions to consider:

Tier 2 Auto Suppliers: Here’s How Supply Chain Visibility Saves You Money

The 4 Tell Tale Signs Your Data Integration Systems are Failing You

Container Tracking: Understanding Your Options

Finding the Right Data Collection Solution: Key Questions to Ask Yourself – and Your Provider

Getting the Most Out of Multi-Modal Picking Solutions

Reaching New Heights: The Benefits of Multi-Modal Data Collection

Why Track and Trace Is a Critical Component of Your Business

Think Your Consumer-Grade Device Works for the Warehouse? Think Again.

The SMS Group

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