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As for what KPM’s managers were
seeking in a picking system, three
things topped the list. First, they
wanted a system that would allow
for multiple orders to be picked
simultaneously (orders in the cur-
rent buildings are picked one at
a time, which creates unnecessary
travel and hampers productivity).
They also wanted a technology that
could easily scale up to allow for
growth in the business.
Finally, KPM wanted a technology that would track employee
performance and provide management reports on that performance.
“Because [the paper-based system] was
a manual process, we really did not have
our arms around what was going on in
the operation in terms of how people
were spending their time and ways to
optimize their time,” says Hellyer.
VOICE IS THE CHOICE
To find the best solution for its needs,
KPM investigated radio-frequency (RF),
pick-to-light, and voice-directed offerings. But it quickly discovered that most
of those technologies require a large capital outlay, putting them beyond a small
distributor’s reach. The search was further complicated by the fact that while
KPM uses sophisticated software designed
in-house for managing its orders, inventory, and billing, it does not have a warehouse management system, which is what
most warehouses use to direct automated
picking operations.
After looking at the alternatives, KPM
chose the Lydia Plug and Play voice solu-
tion from topVox. The system is designed
for small to medium-sized businesses that
do not yet possess a lot of sophisticated
technology. It allows companies with as
few as five pickers to automate their
order selection processes, which was one
of the attractions for KPM, according to
Hellyer. “We are different from the stan-
dard voice user,” he says. “We have a very
small warehouse to be adopting voice
technology.”
The solution consists of the topVox
Lydia software platform working in con-
junction with a Voxter voice unit that’s
worn on the worker’s belt. The Voxter
unit is connected to a headset that allows
the worker to receive verbal directions
and respond back. Currently, only five
voice units are in use, but the system can
be scaled for up to 25 simultaneous users
simply by adding more Voxter devices
and the accompanying headsets.
As the name implies, the Lydia Plug and
Play voice solution features plug-and-play
integration, and it does not require a warehouse management system for operation.
For instance, in KPM’s case, the company’s proprietary software simply exports
orders as they are released for shipment
into the Plug and Play system. The voice
system, in turn, determines the optimal
