Streamlining supply chain operations with mobile technology helps minimize material handling costs and reduce safety stock and inventory waste. Order tracking, warehouse worker management, item-level picking, packaging, quality control and inventory-leveling are easier with the quick access provided by mobile solutions running on Android or iOS operating systems.
FDA inspections, cleanroom and laboratory monitoring, live animal checks and other processes are simplified with e-signature and data capture features in mobile devices, Mobile Technology Is Improving Supply Chain.
Increased Efficiency
Mobile technology helps companies execute critical business processes with much more efficiency than traditional paper-based systems. This increased efficiency improves decision-making and bottom-line results.
A good first step in evaluating whether mobile technology will work for your company is to perform a thorough cost/benefit analysis. You want to ensure that the expected benefits will exceed any additional costs of hardware and software. You also need to determine the specific operational areas and workflows that could benefit from automation.
For example, pharmaceutical companies use mobile technology to automate security and maintenance rounds. After performing a visual inspection, an employee can record the operating status of equipment or facilities and instantly upload this data to back-end system databases.
This eliminates the need to rely on handwritten work tickets and allows management to review progress from anywhere in the facility or field. Warehouse workers and transportation hub staff also use mobile devices to improve productivity. Using barcode scanners, workers can easily select and verify inventory items, arrange wave-picking routes and print labels.
Increased Productivity : Mobile Technology Is Improving
Many logistics companies find that deploying mobile technology is not only a necessity, but also a competitive advantage. They are able to reduce operational costs by eliminating end-of-day data entry and communicating accurate information to management from the field.
For example, a route accounting company can now eliminate manual data entry by equipping its employees with handheld devices that use consumer-grade software and are familiar to the field staff. This makes it easier for them to learn and utilize the tools.
Another example is when a pharmaceutical company equips its workers with a wireless device to conduct safety checks and security rounds. This allows them to report work status on-the-spot and instantly file that information in a back-end system for management to view. These productivity gains can add up quickly for a logistics enterprise.
Increased Customer Satisfaction
Aside from improving sales interactions, mobile technology allows field teams to quickly communicate with their managers and receive streamlined responses. For example, a constant traveling buyer can capture images to boost marketing content and access inventory positions to maximize shelf space for new collections.
In addition, mobile field requisition functionality ensures the right tools are available in the warehouse and on the jobsite. This can reduce downtime and ensure jobs are done right.
While implementing an enterprise-level mobility solution is not without its challenges, the benefits far outweigh any initial obstacles that may arise. Unique Computer Systems understands this and provides customers with all the support needed to implement a successful mobility solution based on business processes and industry tested best practices. This helps businesses gain value from their investment and stay competitive in a rapidly changing world. To learn more about our mobility solutions, contact us today. We look forward to speaking with you!
Increased Safety
A mobile technology deployment can help to improve production and safety within a manufacturing environment. It eliminates paperwork and enables workers to capture more data at the point of performance. This helps to reduce equipment downtime and first-time fix rates, as well as to minimize the spread of germs.
Companies can also use mobile software to perform tasks that help to reduce the amount of manual handling involved with raw materials and products. This helps to lower shipping costs, improve inventory management, and increase overall productivity.
For example, one company using mobile technology reduced its warehouse inventory by allowing workers to quickly locate items. This helped the company to eliminate safety stock and reduce inventory waste by reducing shrinkage and spoilage. It also enabled the company to reduce its storage space requirements and improve shipping manifests, order fulfillment and tracking. This resulted in improved customer service, lower transaction and shipping costs, and greater efficiency. It also helped the company to maintain a competitive advantage.
