5 November 2022 Understand how the Visual Management offered by the WMS system is a powerful tool to increase your company’s productivity and profitability. Managing a distribution center is not an easy task. The warehouse is like a machine, composed of multiple parts working individually for the benefit of the whole. Together, in harmony, they form a broad and robust mechanism. However, if one part doesn’t work, doesn’t have the same rhythm as the others, the machine cannot operate at maximum efficiency. In a logistics operation, everyone must follow the same rhythm and direction to create an effective work environment and offer the best to the end consumer. But how can you be sure that everything is in the necessary harmony? After all, to manage processes well and make assertive decisions, it’s important to monitor how things are going in real-time. Nowadays, there are technologies that transform a company in all areas. And in this text, we will talk about one that can help you make decisions, increase warehouse visibility, and help you accurately predict needs. We are talking about Visual Management, a solution offered by the WMS system. Visual Management of the WMS System Visual Management is a management model that allows for instant monitoring of important information and indicators of the operation. The data is presented through graphs, checklists, or tables, allowing for quicker visualization and understanding not only by managers but also by the entire team. This is indeed one of the major differences: information on the operation’s progress is shared with all employees, through monitors available at strategic points or via access through smartphones and tablets. In general, colors are used to signal the progress of processes or the phase of each process. The goal is to have a complete view of what is happening, allowing the team to make necessary adjustments based on what is reported on the dashboards. This information is essential for customer satisfaction and represents a motivation to increase productivity and profitability. Why should I choose to implement Cash Management in my company? It’s all about traceability control, but it offers the advantage of greater efficiency and precision throughout the warehouse. In general, WMS Visual Management allows for greater efficiency in the receiving, storage, stock replenishment, and especially in order separation processes, having a more visual perspective, where decision-makers have continuous access to relevant, valid, and real-time information on which to base their decisions, and employees can view their performance and correct something if necessary. Moreover, the gains are: Ease of use on any device, be it a tablet, mobile phone, or computer screen; 24/7 control through insights on productivity, availability, accuracy, and flexibility of your warehouse; Reduction of errors in logistics processes: with instant monitoring of indicators, it is possible to anticipate the correction of deviations, such as possible delays, order interruptions in case of stockouts, among others. Increased productivity: when employees have access to their performance indicators, they tend to work harder to achieve better results. By viewing data in real-time, the customer experience is significantly improved. After all, one of the worst scenarios is having a consumer ready and willing to purchase and losing them because you don’t have adequate stock in the store or your e-commerce. This not only affects the immediate sales potential with this customer but can also negatively impact future sales. Another unpleasant situation is delivery delays, which could be due to bottlenecks in the operation. With WMS Visual Management, these events are avoided, as the dashboards signal when something is not going well. An article on Forbes, written by Steve Banker, highlights the importance of real-time information for customer satisfaction. From a storage perspective, this concerns both those working within the company and the end consumer. However, as the author notes, the ultimate value of real-time information does not come from the data itself but rather from the ability to act on it. “You can collect quantities and quantities of real-time data, but it will be useless if you cannot act immediately. On the other hand, you might be fully prepared to act based on the data, having decision management and other technology-based tools available, but they are useless without the right data input,” he emphasizes. It is important to have a well-implemented and integrated warehouse inventory control system that allows for the acquisition of accurate quantities and locations of products and provides immediate access to information on the availability of items both within the warehouse and in the field. Therefore, processes must be executed uniformly, effectively, and reliably, especially in collaboration. Data visualization plays a central role in this because only mapped and measured processes can be developed and optimized. Where should I place the monitors with the information? You are probably already thinking about this because you want to make the most of Cash Management. Many believe that break rooms and clocks are the most logical places for monitors. But when you have technology that generates and tracks results securely, all you need is power and Wi-Fi, so don’t limit yourself to places where computers or supervisors are located. The ideal is to make these data accessible to everyone, such as frequently accessed areas or work management and assignment rooms. Don’t make them difficult to see: employees will soon start to appreciate them, trust them, and refer to them regularly. What indicators should be used? For Visual Management to be beneficial for everyone, it is essential to train the team so that employees can understand the data available on monitors and mobile devices and, therefore, improve their performance and identify deviations in advance. There are several indicators that help evaluate the performance of a distribution center, including: – Perfect order rate – Order fulfillment rate – Picking line performance – Average line production – Error rate – Inventory accuracy For WMS Visual Management to be truly advantageous for your company. Remember if: Set the right indicators Align the team Make data as visible as possible Track information with employees every day Allow the team to manage deviations with a problem-solving method Have the right technology WMS Visual Management: Why Monitoring Operations in Real-Time is a Competitive Differentiator Deagor WMS per ecommerce può aiutarti!