The top 10 mistakes in implementing warehouse management systems
In the ever changing and demanding market-place in which we compete, we automate the movement of information both internally and externally to compete and ultimately to survive and prosper.
However, few of us have the knowledge and experience to successfully implement the technology associated with warehouse management systems.
To install the system work better, there are 10 common mistakes to avoid when implementing a WMS.
1. The establishment of a realistic implementation schedule. No matter how simple or complex WMS needs may be, is not a package off-the-shelf that does not require a degree of customization.
Solution: Conduct a comprehensive review of all potential suppliers to match industry experience and system capabilities to operational requirements. This will minimize customization. Once you are willing to invest capital to complete the preliminary design with a seller, you can minimize the time of personalization. If it is a realistic schedule is set, adjust and spread the bad news as soon as possible to the product team. This will remove the temptation to accelerate the development of system functionality at a higher cost and sacrifice.
2. Buying a low cost system and expect high quality results. When buying a WMS, the simple truth is that you get what you pay for. If you buy a Yugo, you'll be driving a Yugo, not a Rolls-Royce.
Solution: Carefully identify their operational requirements and prioritize the two financial and qualitative benefits needed to improve customer service and accuracy. Next, determine the system level you can afford before selecting a WMS for its operation.
3. Failure to follow the progress of providers. Trust is a terrible thing to take, but historically the software vendors have been able to sell more systems than can occur during any reasonable time. Make sure your system gets what it needs.
Solution: Assign a project manager who understands both computer systems and the objectives of the project to monitor the system developer and establish evidence milestone in the progress of the system. This is usually based delays and problems to the surface where it can be treated easily.
4. Failure to develop a contingency plan. Assuming that the system works as designed in the implementation and ignoring all the possible negative outcomes is a common and costly error.
Solution: Develop a contingency plan to account for not only the total failure of the system, but also for certain critical functional areas before starting the WMS. simple contingency plans include the creation of backup copies of electronic copies of all downloaded files, backup your system before launching and creating a recovery point stable.
5. Overselling the system to users. The natural tendency of the system design team is to promote the benefits of a system will provide users and then proclaim to the organization the results of a fully de-listening system provided.
Solution: Every day, users must be trained in the operating system to date. Spend as much time selling to users every day of their contribution and cooperation during the debugging phase and as to the benefits of improving their jobs. Let them take ownership of the system and will strive to make it a success.
6. Lack of training of the system. competency-based training for all users of the network is critical to the success of the system.
Solution: During the final test of the system implementation, users must be tested on their knowledge and operating WMS given the appropriate re-training to enhance their use of the system. This training is usually best provided by other internal users, external training vendor or parts personnel who are not programmers.
7. Poor data. The easiest way to condemn their WMS to a safe and glorious failure is to provide the software provider with incorrect or incomplete, or not update the typical product data at all.
8. Automation of a broken store. There is a misconception that the installation of a WMS to improve the flow of information, monitoring the entrance and remove all the inefficiencies in the operation. In fact, only in improving the flow of information there is a high probability that the whole operation less effective or not even begin to approach the promised improvements.
Solution: In the initial definition of the functional requirements WMS, instead of documenting what you do now, document what you should do. This sounds simple, but in order to achieve the potential power of change, you must first know what is available. To achieve this goal, there are two choices: The education of your organization through seminars, vendor-hosted site visits and lots of reading, or using the expertise of a consultant to stimulate the process.
9. Pointing. A WMS implementation is like a rocket launch - even when going to the right is critical initial adjustments should be made to achieve a stable orbit, and when things go wrong, there are plenty of pieces to clean . Which takes lots of patience, skill and time.
Solution: Stay calm. Working with software provider to identify the real problem and then to find the cause of the problem. Once the problem has been defined, the extent of damage to data, must be reviewed and corrected (if it has adequate contingency plan will not be a problem.) No blame, just taking responsibility for success.
10. The lack of audit results. One of the biggest failures associated with a WMS is to verify that the system is working effectively as return on investment in the original design. Even more beneficial is the return on investment associated with improvement in the original design can be identified only after a WMS has been in operation for several months.
Solution: Make an audit of the WMS between three and six months after the launch by an outside consultant that may or may not have been involved in the design and implementation of the system. Have the consultant to review its performance, reporting results and suggest changes in the system. This audit should take less than a week.
These are just some of the most common mistakes made during the implementation of the WMS. However, be aware that there are many other pitfalls, potholes and mosters out there to derail his implementaion WMS. Learn from the mistakes of others and avoid these 10.