Returns are bleeding retailers dry. But the instinct to fix the logistics process is the wrong response. The real problem is the business model, and the companies that understand that are already pulling ahead.
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When warehouse AI moves from recommending to deciding, the hardest question is not technical. It is organizational. It is early Tuesday morning and the afternoon shift is still hours away. No supervisor has flagged anything. No alert has been sent. But somewhere inside your warehouse management system, an AI agent has already decided that the […]
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How the shift from AI that advises to AI that executes is redefining what it means to run a modern warehouse. Walk into a warehouse running a state-of-the-art AI platform today and you will likely see something impressive. Dashboards pulse with real-time data. Predictive models flag potential stockouts before they happen. Demand forecasts update automatically. […]
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In six years, the number of major changes the average employee experiences at work quintupled. History tells us this acceleration did not happen overnight and it shows no signs of stopping. Think back to 2016. Your organization may have gone through one or two significant changes that year perhaps a restructuring, a new IT system, […]
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Discussions on Leadership and Lean I have had several interesting discussions both on LinkedIn and via email from blog readers concerning my articles on leadership and lean. Below are some clarifications on how I think about these topics. Why You Should Implement Lean I have received comments where people believe that lean is unnecessary and […]
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Introduction and Personal Observations I have made some conclusions during these strange times—no scientific research, just my opinions, so you have to take it for what it is. Labor Shortages and Automation in Europe The logistics business has different challenges depending on where in Europe you work. In eastern and southern Europe, the biggest challenge […]
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Focus on Technology in Warehouse Logistics In many of my articles, the focus has been on technology such as automation and robotics or WMS. Actually, that is symptomatic of the whole warehouse business right now. Many logistics organizations are in transitions right now or will be soon. However, one thing is sure: humans will be […]
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In order to be competitive, companies make ordering rules more and more liberal. This applies not only to B2C but also to B2B. Of course, B2C is more affected by this through e-commerce and omnichannel, but we see the trend in all businesses. As you understand, it is impossible to run cost-effective logistics while allowing […]
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Warehouse automation is on everybody’s lips. You might believe automation is the answer to everything. There is, of course, a natural reason behind the automation hype. McKinsey Global Institute estimates that the transportation-and-warehousing industry has the third-highest automation potential of any sector. Don’t get me wrong, I am a big fan of technology, but behind […]
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Increasing Logistics Costs and Labor Shortages It may be getting old, but I’ll repeat it again: many companies working with e-commerce and e-grocery see their logistics costs increase in an unhealthy manner. Due to the increased pressure on logistics, we also see a labor shortage in many regions. Rapid Technological Development in Logistics Due to […]
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