Next-gen printing solutions ramp up warehouse efficiency for SMBs
Retailers of all sizes, especially those in the small-to-midsized business (SMB) space, must be primed to compete in today’s evolving and demanding e-commerce marketplace.
This requires the technology flexibility to proactively meet new demands fueled by the rapid growth of e-commerce and the need to satisfy consumer expectations for speedy delivery of items purchased online.
The difficulty of grappling with evolving customer demands is compounded by a need to implement forward-thinking omnichannel retail strategies, as well as a significant labor shortage. One place retailers can gain ground on these challenges is in the warehouse.
Smart and simple warehouse strategies
Achieving this new normal requires both rethinking warehouse operations and capitalizing on new technology to boost productivity, speed delivery, and lower costs. Technologies that can improve warehouse operations include tools such as automation, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT), and warehouse management systems (WMS). For SMBs looking for more efficiency, one of the smartest places to start is also one of the simplest: barcode labels.
Because barcode labels play essential roles throughout virtually every aspect of supply chain operations, so choosing the right mobile and stationary label printers can help strengthen a competitive edge. Here’s how:
Improve supply chain visibility. Accurate labeling with barcodes or RFID tags is crucial to real-time tracking of pallets, packages and products on their journey from manufacturer to warehouse to customer, ensuring they get where they need to be when they need to be there.
Streamline warehouse operations. Customer expectations – such as same-day delivery, seamless returns, buy-online-pickup-in store and other facets key to a positive experience – continue to soar.
This forces businesses, warehouses and their logistics partners to ramp up productivity to new levels to ensure efficient routing, loading, unloading and shipping or re-shipping of merchandise. Mobile printers and strategically located stationary printers can save valuable time and ensure accurate labeling at every key supply chain juncture, including:
• Receiving – Applying barcode labels as soon as inbound items arrive ensures they can be accurately unloaded, checked-in, put away or handled by automated applications.
• Picking – Generating barcode labels for each item picked allows them to be scanned right the in the staging or packaging area, then quickly and easily sorted for shipment.
• Packing and shipping – Creating new labels to identify finished goods is a vital task for workers who are kitting, completing light assembly or packaging items. In addition, ship-to-order applications can incorporate customer-specific labeling, scanning to fulfill orders and creating accurate shipping labels.
• Cross-docking – Already mandatory in some food sectors, cross-docking is also gaining popularity for other time-sensitive merchandise. Mobile printing technology enables warehouse workers to literally jump inside trucks at the in-bound dock and start relabeling for store or customer delivery, increasing the efficiency of the ever-important last mile delivery.
Implementing a warehouse solution built for success
When selecting printing technology, keep the following considerations in mind:
Performance. Speed is the name of the game in warehouses now. Mobile and stationary printers are no exception. They need to print a variety of barcode and RFID packaging, shelf, shipping and other identifying labels quickly, clearly and easily.
Affordability. Today’s warehouse operators face many demands and tight budgets. Advanced next-gen printers are more affordable than ever, but they’re not all created equal, so it’s smart to compare prices along with functionality.
Integration. Look for quick deploy printers that integrate seamlessly with your existing software or include bundled software, and can connect easily with any mobile device. Seek ‘plug and play’ printing that are easy to implement without the aid of a professional IT team.
Ease-of-use. With today’s labor shortage in warehouse, it’s key to provide workers with printing solutions that are easy to learn and easy to use without a major investment in training, especially in light of the challenges of high turnover or the use of seasonal/temporary workers.
To ensure success in today’s fast-paced world of e-commerce, rethinking the retail warehouse is critical. Implementing advanced mobile labeling solutions can give SMBs the agility and flexibility required not only to compete, but to thrive.
Ravi Panjwani is VP of marketing, product management and business development for Brother Mobile Solutions.
This requires the technology flexibility to proactively meet new demands fueled by the rapid growth of e-commerce and the need to satisfy consumer expectations for speedy delivery of items purchased online.
The difficulty of grappling with evolving customer demands is compounded by a need to implement forward-thinking omnichannel retail strategies, as well as a significant labor shortage. One place retailers can gain ground on these challenges is in the warehouse.
Smart and simple warehouse strategies
Achieving this new normal requires both rethinking warehouse operations and capitalizing on new technology to boost productivity, speed delivery, and lower costs. Technologies that can improve warehouse operations include tools such as automation, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT), and warehouse management systems (WMS). For SMBs looking for more efficiency, one of the smartest places to start is also one of the simplest: barcode labels.
Because barcode labels play essential roles throughout virtually every aspect of supply chain operations, so choosing the right mobile and stationary label printers can help strengthen a competitive edge. Here’s how:
Improve supply chain visibility. Accurate labeling with barcodes or RFID tags is crucial to real-time tracking of pallets, packages and products on their journey from manufacturer to warehouse to customer, ensuring they get where they need to be when they need to be there.
Streamline warehouse operations. Customer expectations – such as same-day delivery, seamless returns, buy-online-pickup-in store and other facets key to a positive experience – continue to soar.
This forces businesses, warehouses and their logistics partners to ramp up productivity to new levels to ensure efficient routing, loading, unloading and shipping or re-shipping of merchandise. Mobile printers and strategically located stationary printers can save valuable time and ensure accurate labeling at every key supply chain juncture, including:
• Receiving – Applying barcode labels as soon as inbound items arrive ensures they can be accurately unloaded, checked-in, put away or handled by automated applications.
• Picking – Generating barcode labels for each item picked allows them to be scanned right the in the staging or packaging area, then quickly and easily sorted for shipment.
• Packing and shipping – Creating new labels to identify finished goods is a vital task for workers who are kitting, completing light assembly or packaging items. In addition, ship-to-order applications can incorporate customer-specific labeling, scanning to fulfill orders and creating accurate shipping labels.
• Cross-docking – Already mandatory in some food sectors, cross-docking is also gaining popularity for other time-sensitive merchandise. Mobile printing technology enables warehouse workers to literally jump inside trucks at the in-bound dock and start relabeling for store or customer delivery, increasing the efficiency of the ever-important last mile delivery.
Implementing a warehouse solution built for success
When selecting printing technology, keep the following considerations in mind:
Performance. Speed is the name of the game in warehouses now. Mobile and stationary printers are no exception. They need to print a variety of barcode and RFID packaging, shelf, shipping and other identifying labels quickly, clearly and easily.
Affordability. Today’s warehouse operators face many demands and tight budgets. Advanced next-gen printers are more affordable than ever, but they’re not all created equal, so it’s smart to compare prices along with functionality.
Integration. Look for quick deploy printers that integrate seamlessly with your existing software or include bundled software, and can connect easily with any mobile device. Seek ‘plug and play’ printing that are easy to implement without the aid of a professional IT team.
Ease-of-use. With today’s labor shortage in warehouse, it’s key to provide workers with printing solutions that are easy to learn and easy to use without a major investment in training, especially in light of the challenges of high turnover or the use of seasonal/temporary workers.
To ensure success in today’s fast-paced world of e-commerce, rethinking the retail warehouse is critical. Implementing advanced mobile labeling solutions can give SMBs the agility and flexibility required not only to compete, but to thrive.
Ravi Panjwani is VP of marketing, product management and business development for Brother Mobile Solutions.