How to Improve Your Warehouse Order Picking with Mobile Handheld Computers
There has been a lot of transformation in warehouse management in recent years. One prominent change in warehouse operations is using handheld devices for picking in warehouse management. Order picking is a major cost center and can be a source of human error. The ever-increasing demands for more productivity, efficiency, and accuracy in modern-day warehouse operations leave no room for mistakes. Mobile handheld computers are essential for effective order picking, distribution, and warehouse management. Why? Because they assist receiving, put-away to inventory, order picking, and shipping operations by providing an effortlessly powerful integration.
As the global economy continues to recover, many warehouses are processing more orders and juggling more SKUs, adding to the challenge. Embracing updated technology and mobility will reduce the stress of warehouse employees. Manual order picking and other warehouse operations usually take a tremendous toll on warehouse workers and usually reduce productivity. You can boast of the best workers in your warehouse operations. Still, without the right supporting technology, you simply can’t provide the level of accuracy, efficiency, or scalability required by today’s rapidly growing customer demand. Therefore, it has become imperative for you to improve your warehouse order picking, productivity, and scalability in this digital age.
Mobile Handheld Computers help you to:
Improve Productivity
Warehouse managers can improve employees’ productivity by eliminating hundreds or even thousands of steps that workers embark on every day as they walk back and forth between their tethered workstations to other locations on the floor. This does not make sense from a productivity standpoint.
With traditional computer stations, employees go back and forth to the shipping office label printer to get pick lists, packing lists, and shipping labels. Handheld mobile computer scanners help to eliminate this. Employees can stay connected to enterprise software like their WMS, inventory or ERP system, and other network software, no matter where they are within the facility with mobile handheld devices.
The adoption of handheld mobile computer scanners can also help minimize workplace fatigue. It improves efficiency by identifying and eliminating waste since wearable handheld computers allow workers to keep their devices with them while keeping both hands free when needed.
Increase order accuracy
When processes are more efficient, your workers can have more time to do their jobs thoroughly and double-check the quality of their work. Workers can pick whole orders together, instead of one item at a time, and verify their accuracy along the way
Mobile scanners and handheld devices can…
- Minimize walking steps and reduces distractions that lead to careless work and avoidable mistakes
- Reduce costs of picking and fulfillment errors
- Eliminate loss of sales
- Minimize returns
- Increase customer impact
- Minimize sales costs
Reduce cost per pick
With labor shortage and challenges recruiting and retaining warehouse workers, handheld mobile computers enable distribution operations to increase the number of picks per shift while improving accuracy and customer satisfaction. Employees can also get more done in less time, which translates to a direct decrease in labor costs while maintaining or increasing productivity. For instance, if a worker can pick an order in four minutes instead of five minutes, that’s a 20% increase in worker productivity per shift.
Warehouse directors or operations managers who want to increase their warehouse operations’ efficiency and productivity should replace manual spreadsheets with automated inventory and mobile handheld devices that provide real-time data and seamless connectivity to warehouse management systems (WMS). The move will boost inventory accuracy, reduce out-of-stocks, and enhance customer service. It will also phase out the usage of manual computer-on-wheels or handheld batch access models and encourage the move toward providing workers with mobile handheld technology with instant, direct access to the WMS.
Improving Order Picking Processes Means Gains for Your Entire Organization
Order picking is one area of warehouse operations where most mistakes and delays often happen. You can minimize these problems by automating the process with mobile technology. Transitioning from traditional picking methods to technology-driven mobile computers helps the workforce optimize internal processes like receiving, picking, and shipping. Adopting mobile technology will help you tighten control over and improve your warehouse operations. Automating warehouse operations, like order picking, enables you to process orders faster, reduce human errors, optimize operational costs, and achieve real-time data transmission. It also puts your employees at the forefront of your business.
The use of mobile technology and other handheld devices may have significant initial costs, but there are also many benefits like speed, efficiency, improved warehouse operations, and human error reduction. Acquiring mobile technology like handheld mobile computer scanners is a profitable investment to strengthen your warehouse operations and improve efficiency. Investment in automating inventory management and order picking – the heart of warehouse operations, is not just an expense but a strategic move. Efficient warehouse order picking is crucial to improve your warehouse operations and increase profits without overstressing your team. Help your workers process orders faster, more efficiently, and safely using handheld mobile computers.
If you’ve been searching for ways to improve productivity in your warehouse, and have considered mobilizing your workforce, consider a rugged handheld or wearable mobile computing device from Honeywell. For more information on our mobile handheld computer solutions, contact DPS today.
This blog is sponsored by Honeywell. For industry-leading performance, the Honeywell productivity line of mobile computers is the smart choice. Be sure to browse their entire product selection or contact Honeywell for more information.