BY BEN AMES, SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY
There are many
things to consider
when choosing a
new warehouse
management system,
but the most
important may be
whether it will “play
well with others” in
a high-tech DC.
WAREHOUSE FULFILLMEN T TRENDS AND REQUIREMENTS CHANGE EVERY
few months in the age of e-commerce and omnichannel operations. In response to
soaring retail competition and consumer expectations, DCs’ responsibilities have
now expanded well beyond simple store replenishment to include complex fulfillment tasks that support demands for overnight shipping, click-and-collect service,
and everything in between.
However, warehouse software is often slow to react. Many DCs are still using
outdated “legacy” tech to meet modern demands, saying they are loath to upgrade
because of the cost of new platforms, corporate red tape, and an effort to wring full
return on investment (ROI) from existing systems.
One of the best examples of this conundrum is warehouse management software
(WMS), a key foundational element in any fulfillment operation and one that’s
essential to executing complex operations like waveless picking. Although many
companies are discovering their dated legacy WMS does not support those advanced
fulfillment techniques, they still find it hard to exchange an old but trusted solution
for a promising but unknown alternative.
When DC leaders finally pull the trigger and decide to upgrade, they must weigh a
host of selection criteria, ranging from cost to training to IT (information technolo-
gy) support. But across the industry, experts say that one consideration outweighs the
others: Can the new WMS integrate with the wide array of other software platforms
Looking for a new WMS?
Make sure it’s social
