The storage, shipping, and handling systems that are available to modern businesses today represent a vast improvement over those of just five or ten years ago. This rapid pace of change has allowed for increased rates and efficiency of distribution, paving the way for future growth. But this level of advancement also prompts the question, what about the future? How will today’s distribution systems and logistics progress over the next ten years? At DMW&H, our primary goal is to offer solutions to our clients that are adaptable to these future conditions, so let’s take a brief look at some of the trends impacting warehouse management.
KING DATA
As more and more of the world becomes automated and serviced by a digital economy, the data underpinning everything is becoming more and more valuable. The artificial intelligence systems and deep learning algorithms that have guided us towards unprecedented levels of efficiency and growth are trained and molded by data. The more data that these systems have, and the greater its quality, the more effectively they can be trained to manage logistics solutions. DMW&H is committed to not only closely following and integrating this industry-wide focus on data into our products and services, but also improving data collection and maintenance that is individualized for our customers. If the past is a prologue to the future, then data will continue to serve as the fuel for the growth of automated and digital systems.
TIME FRAMES
The wide range of improvements in warehouse management and logistics may be complex at a granular level, but they ultimately serve simple end goals. The objective is to more efficiently deliver goods and services within the time frames preferred by customers. With the rise of automation and the implementation of digital ordering platforms, these time frames have shrunk considerably, and are likely to do so in the future. Once reserved for specialized clients and products, same-day delivery has become the norm for a wide range of goods and services. This trend of faster and faster contact must also be paired with specificity, taking into account customer preference and convenience. Time frames are not only becoming shorter, but more attuned to specific customers. Our delivery services and back-end processing systems are all designed with this streamlined and targeted efficiency in mind.
AUTOMATE SMARTER
No trend continues to shape shipping, storage, distribution, and logistics like automation. Today, the tedious picking process can be streamlined, paired with massive amounts of data, and achieved with advanced automated guided vehicles and autonomous robots that work tirelessly. Robotics and other automated systems have the potential to decrease the No. 1 cost and liability to warehouses—labor. Too often this push towards machine labor is confused with complete replacement of humans, but that is a misconception. The advent of automation has taught us two important lessons—what robots can do, and just as importantly, what they cannot do. Tasks such as finding solutions to unexpected problems, customer service, as well as long-term planning and development are still best achieved by humans. Automation is not a panacea to all of the goals we want to achieve, it is a way to fill in specific gaps in the logistics chain. The tracking and control of these automated systems is also becoming more user-friendly and scalable through the use of wireless management systems. The future is not only about improving automated systems and machines, but also improving the way that we interact with them and vice versa.
Our experts at DMW&H help businesses increase revenue through personalized approaches to fit their unique needs. Contact us to discuss how your business can benefit from automation.