Dos and Don’ts to Maximize Your Warehouse Connectivity

classic warehouse with pallet 3d rendering image

The Internet and more people accessing high-speed connections have revolutionized the way companies handle data and communicate. Thanks to high-speed networks, companies can now embark on their digital transformation journey. It’s a journey which prioritizes the level of connectivity. Just like with almost every industry ranging from healthcare to manufacturing, warehouse management is also making use of connectivity. This modern approach enables companies to work smarter and gain real-time, actionable insights from data. As the data can travel seamlessly over long distances, every stage of the supply chain including the warehouse management can benefit from connectivity. 

Don’t mistake 5G for just another passing trend

Now that 5G is rising on the horizon, every company will be given an opportunity to transform their business on condition that they invest in time and keep up with the conditions. Don’t mistake 5G for just an easy upgrade over 4G or 3G because 5G has more to offer than just speed. The new technology can provide a great amount of devices communication with each other and remove the latency up to an extent which has not even been dreamed of. With the 5G, over 1 million devices can operate within the same area. That’s 250 times more capacity than the 4G, which is incredible if you keep in mind that the automation systems and the number of robots in warehouses is increasing rapidly. The studies show that more than half of the smartphones in the USA will be covered by 5G by 2025. This number alone proves that 5G is an essential business tool to accelerate digital transformation in the supply chain and thus warehouse management. 

Increase visibility

IoT or machine-to-machine communications between connected devices are also increasing for a reason. While building connectivity, you should always bear in mind that your efforts will pay you off only if you increase visibility. With connectivity, you can optimize critical processes across your inventory and warehouse management systems. Remote maintenance and control are also possible with it. But in order to ensure that your business runs smoothly, you have to increase visibility at all costs. This means modern hardware and up-to-date software. They will enable you to deploy autonomous vehicles and provide your warehouse management team with maintenance reports, predictive analysis etc.

Work with real professionals

Your company has probably been dealing with warehouse management for a while and you want to move on to the next step. Yet, this does not mean that you are capable of upgrading or enhancing your existing warehouse. It’s never your duty to transform your facility into a tech-center. However, you are required to find and work with the best providers for your needs. Let them use their expertise in your warehouse and decide which antenna should be installed in which exact position and how many access points you need to carry on the operations. This is an area in which you should never cut the corner. Because the stability of your warehouse depends on the ecosystem built for this purpose. In short, this is a task to be taken care of by professionals. As a result, it’s very important that you find the best resource available. They will be the one to consult in case of emergencies. And there will always be emergencies such as cyber threats or yet another pandemic. As we are living in the age of uncertainty, it’s best to invest in your partners because in the time of a crisis, they will give you the support that you need.   

Don’t reinvent the wheel

There are several excellent warehouse management tools such as Zoho Inventory, EZ Office Inventory, Inventory Pro, Logfire and Upkeep etc. When working on connectivity, you’d better work with a proven solution rather than design your own tool. A great philosophy lies behind this fact, which doesn’t require you to reinvent the wheel. Your warehouse management system might need customization to suit your needs but it’s not always the most efficient way to develop your own tool. Firstly, this is very time consuming and costly. Besides, the proven concepts are accepted widely for one common reason: They answer customer’s demands! Connectivity is a global theme or a term and warehouse management systems have to work in harmony with it. If you’re considering working with a 3PL, you need to be sure your systems are aligned. In some cases, software solutions may be lacking this feature. Therefore, don’t look for developers to run the “best” software for you. Choose one of the existing ones. Keep also in mind that their professional teams can solve your problems much faster than custom solutions.  

Since the pandemic, the logistics industry has finally shown the trails of a recovery. However, this led to higher demands and expectations. With new protocol measures are taken every day to increase safety, the warehouses risk slowing down their operations. Therefore, connectivity is a vital tool to fill in the gaps for companies.

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