Transforming Inventory Management:
6 Ways a WMS Solves Common Warehouse Challenges for Distributors
Industrial distributors and fabricators face constant pressure to maintain accurate inventory, fulfill orders quickly, and keep operations organized. This process can already be difficult, and inefficient layouts and a lack of visibility only lead to more complications and errors.
That’s where a mobile Warehouse Management System (WMS) makes all the difference.
Built to work seamlessly with ERP systems like TrulinX, a wireless warehouse solution gives organizations real-time control over inventory operations. Let’s break down how a WMS helps solve common inventory management pain points and supports long-term business growth.
Real-Time Visibility and Validation
Handwritten notes and disconnected systems make it difficult for your whole organization to know what’s in stock – or where it is. A mobile WMS eliminates guesswork that can lead to confusion around item availability and other issues.
A mobile WMS gives your organization access to inventory data in real time as items are picked, packed, received, or moved. Whether it's a sales rep checking item availability or a warehouse worker confirming an order pull, everyone is working from the same up-to-date data. This real-time visibility ensures:
- Better coordination between sales and warehouse teams
- Faster and more accurate decision-making
- Fewer mistakes like double-picking or shipping out-of-stock items
- Better data to allow organizations to scale their inventory effectively
Smarter, Continuous Inventory Counting
Many distributors rely on an annual physical inventory count to stay organized. This practice can seem helpful, but it can end up being expensive, disruptive, and not nearly as helpful as you might think.
The problem with an annual physical inventory count is that it takes a lot of effort and the benefits don’t last very long. Shutting down for a weekend, bringing in outside sales staff, and paying overtime just to count stock is a costly endeavor, especially when you can’t handle orders during this process and your count will only be accurate for a week or so after you’re done.
With a WMS, inventory counting becomes a daily routine rather than a once-a-year headache. Distributors can freeze their inventory every morning or at the end of the business day, rotating through different items throughout the month to get a more accurate account of their inventory all year round. This streamlined approach can save tens of thousands of dollars in labor and shrinkage, all without the lengthy, weekend-long disruption.
Cutting Down on Backtracking
In a disorganized warehouse, employees often waste time zigzagging across the floor to find items. Extra steps mean that you’ll take longer to get products out the door, especially when frequently picked SKUs are stored in the far ends of the warehouse or hard-to-reach locations.
A mobile WMS allows distributors to optimize their warehouse layout, whether they want to reorganize their overall layout or just make strategic tweaks to create efficiencies. High-turn items can be moved to easily accessible bin zones, with the WMS even identifying split zones and efficient sequencing routes to help workers pull orders in a logical path. In short, that means:
- Less walking
- Quicker order fulfillment
- More organization for employees pulling for the same orders
- Happier, more productive employees
Reducing Waste and Inventory Loss
Inventory waste is a real concern, especially for distributors dealing with components like mechanical seals that can lock up over time. According to Industrial Supply, excess, expired, or obsolete items make up 25% of a typical distributor’s inventory. Items can expire, degrade, or get misplaced entirely – and a mobile WMS can help organizations avoid those costly losses.
With better tracking and real-time validation, a WMS helps ensure that items are properly stored, monitored, and rotated. Products aren’t forgotten or left to expire in the back of the warehouse, while more up-to-date counts allow you to avoid overstocking that can result in future waste.
Better, More Efficient Order Fulfillment
Most customers can’t afford to wait – and even if they do, they don’t want to. If you don’t have what they need, they’ll go somewhere else to find it.
This scenario can be true if you simply need some time to figure out if you have an item in stock. The good news is that real-time visibility, improved counting, and other measures mentioned earlier in this article all contribute to quicker order fulfillment. That means more accurate picking and put away processes to avoid mistakes and no more errors due to handwritten pick tickets – just reliable service that keeps customers coming back.
Embrace Mobile Inventory Management Tools for More Efficient Distribution
Change can be hard, but the return on investment from a mobile WMS is clear: lower labor costs, faster fulfillment, fewer errors, and happier customers. With a mobile WMS, your organization can modernize its inventory management practices through improved efficiencies that make sense for your day-to-day business.
At Tribute, we understand the unique challenges of industrial distributors and fabricators. Our wireless warehouse solution, TrulinX Air, designed to work seamlessly with our TrulinX ERP software, brings clarity and control to even the most complex warehouse operations. Whether you're just getting started with automation or ready to take the next step in digital transformation, we’re here to help.