From the Website to Your Warehouse: Integrating Technology into Daily Operations

As today's businesses become more and more dependent on their online presence, it's only natural that warehouses begin to integrate more technology into their daily operations. As a result, advancing technology has now made it possible for warehouse managers around the world to increase productivity, improve customer satisfaction, and gain a much greater online presence. While there are various aspects of technology being used, here are some of the most common and most effective that have produced excellent results.

GPS Systems
If there is one thing customers expect when they order a product online, it's fast shipping and delivery. To make sure this happens, companies are investing tremendous amounts of money into their loading and shipping operations. As a result, very sophisticated GPS systems are now being implemented to ensure customer satisfaction and help answer any questions that may arise regarding shipments. In fact, many websites now have very detailed tracking systems for shipments, enabling customers to not only know what day their shipment will arrive, but actually track it street-by-street in real-time. Warehouses are also using these systems to not only have better communication with their customers, but to increase productivity and reduce shipping errors.

Receiving Procedures
In order for customers to receive their products in a timely manner, it's important for warehouses to have a system which allows them to have a constantly updated database of their inventory. Many companies today now use software systems and programs to streamline the whole inventory system. These software systems, which allow one worker to check in materials and record the inventory in one step, help speed up the process for both the warehouse and ultimately the customer. In addition, an RFID barcode scanning system can also help employees transmit data directly to the company's purchasing department to allow for increased efficiency when it comes to ordering.

Marketing Shipping Online
One of the most effective ways for websites to spread the word about their business’ shipping and product deals is by utilizing guest blogging and other online marketing strategies. Not only do blogs like these provide useful information for potential and existing customers, but it also demonstrates your business is committed to staying up-to-date on the latest technological innovations and industry news. Use your marketing to showcase how you use technology to stay ahead of the competition. For example, a white-label SEO firm might help you highlight your “just-in-time” delivery systems, which cut down on excess inventory and provides a way to focus more on the most popular products being sold. By having guest blogging SEO sections on these and other matters, customers can gain confidence in your business and know you are caught up on trends and commited to customer service.

Product Picking
For a product to get to the customer as quickly as possible, it first has to be picked off the shelf by a warehouse worker. While this may sound like a no-brainer, the fact is having a good system of order picking can make a tremendous difference. By using an SKU system that ensures employees rarely pull the wrong merchandise for shipment, it's possible to increase productivity and efficiency within almost any warehouse. Your company can combine pick lists to complete several orders simultaneously, while customers have greatly reduced return rates due to receiving the wrong merchandise.

As companies look to improve efficiency as well as increase customer satisfaction, these and other aspects of shipping and warehouse technology will need to be implemented. Whether it includes guest blogging as a way to increase customer interaction, implementing a more efficient order picking system, or allowing customers to track their orders in real-time, integrating these areas of technology into a company's daily operations will produce excellent results.