Understanding warehouse management

Warehouse management involves the process, control, and optimisation of warehouse operations. It starts at the entry of inventory into a warehouse or warehouses and continues until items are moved or sold.
The process often involves receiving – the intake, identifying, inspection, and storing of inventory – and shipping – picking, packing, and delivering inventory from the warehouse to the customer.
Problems associated with poorly managed warehouses:
- Disorganised teams and employees
- Inaccessible inventory and equipment
- Counterintuitive and unnecessary processes
- Rigid and restricted layouts that reduce productivity
All of these have a negative impact on your company’s bottom line.
The right warehouse management software (WMS) can enable you to streamline the process and get more done while working less.
Inventory management and warehouse management
Inventory management focuses solely on the items being held within a warehouse. It includes controlling and overseeing purchases placed with suppliers and sent to customers, storing stock, controlling how much of a specific product is for sale, and order fulfilment.
Warehouse management on the other hand focuses on the journey of individual items as they flow through the warehouse – from receipt to shipment.
Warehouse management principles
To run a warehouse successfully, you need a solid foundation of key warehouse management principles.
Analyse data
The biggest mistake a warehouse manager can make is assuming everything is running smoothly since no problems are reported. However, this doesn’t mean the warehouse is running at optimal capacity. To ensure improved processes, analyse the data collected and fine-tuning your approach to ensure all decisions will lead to higher productivity.
Take control
To manage your warehouse effectively, you need to take control over all the goings-on within the building.
An essential part of warehouse management is creating systematic workflows, processes, and protocols that your teams follow in their daily actions.
Be flexible
There’s a difference between having control and being rigid. You need to consider that while your processes may be ideal, there could be factors outside of your control and your team should feel enabled to change course at a moment’s notice when there are special circumstances.
Invest in technology
There is a variety of tools available to improve your warehouse management processes. However, it’s essential to find the specific tool that will integrate all operations and streamline your processes.
Winfreight’s warehouse management system (WMS) is used in industries varying from automotive, food and beverage, distribution, manufacture, to banking and many more. Adaptability, seamless integration, ease of use, and heightened operational efficiency mark our WMS software as the ideal approach to facilitating load management and brokerage, courier operations, and warehouse management.
If you would like to know more about how our warehouse management system can enhance your business or warehouse, get in touch with a representative from Winfreight today.