Warehouse Replenishment Do's and Don’ts

When it comes to managing your warehouse, there are some basic do's and don'ts that you should be aware of. Your replenishment department especially needs to know how to handle materials safely, and how to reduce inefficiencies at every possible turn.

Here are a few major areas for your replenishment team to consider:

When it comes to do's and don'ts, it's almost always easier to start with the things that you definitely should not be doing, so that's where we'll begin. First on the list of things not to do is cutting corners with your WMS. Your WMS is the backbone of all your warehouse operations, and the directions it gives you are only as good as the information you put in. If you choose to save money by not including key features, or by skipping steps to speed things up, you'll be left with a replenishment system that isn't accurate. This creates further problems down the line when your team members become disillusioned with its effectiveness and write it off altogether.

Another big don't is failing to monitor accuracy. Yes, you want your team to move quickly, but you don't want them moving so quickly that items are placed in the wrong locations to be picked, or that items are running out of stock. We talk extensively about the importance of accuracy when it comes to picking, but it is just as important for your replenishment team members to understand.

Do's

On our list of warehouse replenishment do's is making sure that your team members are safe. Even the best WMS cannot fully account for hazards in your warehouse. Since it is responsible for routing products and people, you really need to stress the importance of safety in your warehouse.

Another big do is taking the time to have your staff properly trained on the WMS and how it works. Too many companies pay for great software but don't take the time and money to fully train their staff. This is another scenario where the system accuracy suffers and it doesn't live up to its full potential. Using a software implementation specialist who knows how to train can be a huge help in this arena.

As always, your warehouse replenishment system is very reliant on how well you gather support for your WMS. Both management and floor staff need to understand the importance of the role that WMS plays and how it can help them do their jobs. If you are trying to move forward with partial buy-in, you are likely to be stuck with a system that doesn't make anybody happy. These do's and don'ts will help you determine whether or not your WMS implementation will really serve your warehouse replenishment efforts the way you need.