Increased needs for competence in warehouse logistics
automation, Leadership, Warehouse management, Warehouse optimization, Warehouse technologyIncreased Complexity in Warehouse Logistics
Those of you who follow what is published about warehouse logistics and the rapid pace of development may have noticed a common thread through all the articles: increased complexity.
Tackling Volatile Warehouse Logistics Flow
The warehouse logistics flow is becoming more and more volatile, and to tackle this, we need increasingly complex solutions. This includes both hardware and software, but leadership and organization are equally important.
Importance of Leadership in Warehouse Logistics
I started writing articles about warehouse logistics in 2017, and the first subject was leadership, for a good reason. I often see that leadership and management in warehouse logistics is a neglected subject. This is very strange, considering how much knowledge there is today on the topic.
Dependence on Human Expertise
I have said it before, and I say it again! It does not matter how much you invest in technology; you are still dependent on humans in your warehouse logistics. To achieve the full potential of your investments and be agile, you need leadership that encourages engagement and educates staff to be multi-competent. To move resources to avoid sub-optimization, you need staff that is competent in as many processes and departments as possible. I have written many articles about warehouse leadership on this blog.
Accelerated Development Due to the Pandemic
The pace of development in warehouse logistics has never been faster than now. The pandemic, with increased flow in e-commerce and e-grocery, has forced logistics to advance by many years in only eight months or so. This means there is a strong need for competence in warehouse development as well. It is not enough to use management consulting firms; you need in-house competence because this is no passing trend—it is here to stay.
Importance of In-house Competence
Why do you need in-house competence regarding development? Because continuous improvement is the only way forward. The competition is tougher than ever, and this means that warehouse logistics is an increasingly important margin enhancer and competitive advantage. Moreover, to secure future development, you need your own competence who are experts in your flow. It is not only development regarding efficiency. If you push the warehouse, it also affects quality and the risk of disruptions. Everything is connected; you need to look at all aspects. Everything is about balance. You can reach a certain level with today’s solution, but if you pass that level, you increase the risk of disruptions.
Continuous Monitoring and Improvement
What you need is competence to follow and monitor the warehouse flow in continuous development. When you have reached the limit, you need to look at what can improve the flow without negatively affecting service, quality, and reliability.
Staying Updated with Industry Trends
With the fast pace of development, you need competence to monitor what is happening in the industry regarding trends in technology, both hardware and software. For continuous improvement, you need continuous learning. Remember that!
Roberth Karlsson
After years of overseeing millions of square feet of a wide array of warehousing operations, I have a question regarding location accuracy of store and pick in racked operations. I do have a possible solution to insure accuracy.
I would appreciate a quick conversation.
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