The wholesale industry is currently witnessing a surge in demand, primarily driven by the rapid growth of online shopping. While this growth offers immense opportunities, it also presents significant challenges, including staff shortages and limited warehouse space. In this article, we delve into the potential of warehouse management software to empower wholesalers, allowing them to effectively navigate these obstacles, optimise space utilisation, and boost productivity.
Addressing Staff Shortages:
The wholesale industry is grappling with a considerable staff shortage, and this issue has been further compounded by a 20% decrease in workers in Britain Post-Brexit. Additionally, a staggering 90% of individuals have never even considered pursuing a career in the logistics sector.
While there is no immediate fix for the labour shortage, warehouse management software can offer substantial relief. By automating tasks and reducing the need for manual labour, this software can optimise staff utilisation and streamline operations, enabling wholesalers to accomplish more with fewer resources.
Increasing Efficiency through Automation:
Automation is fast becoming a dominant trend in the wholesale industry, revolutionising how businesses operate and reducing their reliance on human labour. Warehouse management software plays a crucial role in this process. By automating various tasks, such as inventory management and order fulfilment, this software significantly enhances efficiency and accuracy. It is evident from statistics that the industry is paying attention to automation, with investment volumes in the retail warehouse sector reaching £3.67bn in 2021, the highest since 2015.
Space Optimisation:
With increased demand and limited warehouse capacity, optimising space is critical for wholesalers. Warehouse management software provides advanced features for space optimisation, maximising storage efficiency, and managing capacity limits. This optimisation is especially crucial as direct-to-customer sales in the food industry are rising, necessitating the need for alternative storage and picking strategies for smaller consumer orders.
Enhanced Traceability and Safety:
In an industry that emphasises health and traceability, warehouse management software plays a pivotal role. Effective inventory management software can assist in recall situations by quickly identifying and removing affected products from the supply chain, thereby reducing potential risks and maintaining consumer safety. Moreover, efficient communication between wholesalers, suppliers, and consumers is essential for ensuring transparency and accurate inventory management.
Improved Communication and Collaboration:
Warehouse management software facilitates seamless communication and collaboration between stakeholders. Despite an increase in the number of businesses in the transport and storage sector, the employment rate has only increased by 20% over the past decade. By streamlining processes and enabling real-time data sharing, warehouse management software enhances transparency and efficiency, meeting customer expectations and driving productivity.
As the wholesale industry copes with staff shortages and space limitations, investing in warehouse management software emerges as an innovative and strategic solution. By leveraging automation, optimising space, ensuring traceability, and enabling effective communication, wholesalers can not only overcome these challenges, but also thrive in a competitive market.
Our Warehouse Management Solutions (WMS)
At BCP, we know how fundamental your warehouse operations are to your supply chain. However, for it to work efficiently, it requires a delicate balance of supply, demand and stock control solutions.
Accord WMS provides a comprehensive solution to help you manage everything from goods receiving and inventory management to picking and delivery, all while maximising speed and accuracy. With over 40 years of experience in providing specialist software for warehouse management and execution, we pride ourselves on being the expert you can trust.
Our cost-effective solution includes various features and functionality to support your business and enhance your operations. Contact one of our experts at: www.bcpsoftware.com/contact-us with any questions about our Accord WMS and how it can benefit your business.
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