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Warehouse management is an intricate dance, with many dancers moving at the same time. Your Warehouse Management System (WMS) serves as the conductor, orchestrating every movement with precision.
But what happens when your business outgrows its current arrangement? How do you scale and customize your WMS without disrupting the delicate balance of daily operations?
At WIN Solutions, we’ve guided countless warehouses through this transformative journey. As Alex Gardiner, Head of Services at WIN Solutions, explains: “We are operational people in IT, not IT people in operations.” This distinction is crucial because successful WMS customization isn’t merely about implementing new software, it’s about evolving your entire operation strategically and systematically.
Beginning with the End in Mind: The As/Is and To/Be Approach
Successfully scaling and customising your WMS begins with a thorough understanding of your current operations. Before diving into customization, take a step back and conduct what we call an “As/Is” assessment. This comprehensive review should examine:
- Your current operational strengths and weaknesses
- Existing software and systems integration points
- Current pain points and bottlenecks
- Team capabilities and training needs
- Warehouse layout and process flow efficiency
This initial assessment isn’t merely about identifying problems; it’s about understanding your warehouse’s unique rhythm and potential. “We actually go and visit our clients’ site,” notes Alex. “We spend somewhere between one to three days looking at the current client operation and along with that, we develop a blueprint to say, ‘This is how you’re doing things today, but this is how you could be doing things better’ with specific emphasis on improving each area of their warehouse operation from receiving picking to shipping.”
The Blueprint for Success: Mapping Your To-Be State
With a clear picture of your current state, the next step is envisioning your future. This “To-Be” phase isn’t about conjuring unrealistic scenarios. It’s about creating a practical roadmap for improvement. Your blueprint should:
- Define clear, measurable objectives for improvement
- Identify specific areas for process optimization
- Map out system integration requirements
- Consider scalability needs for future growth
- Account for team training and change management
Remember, the most effective transformations often start modestly and build momentum. As Alex emphasizes: “Walk before you run, crawl before you walk. Don’t try to shoot for the Moon on day one because you’re going to miss it. Start slow, get your wins on the board, build confidence in the system with your business. Make sure that everybody in your business is buying into the product, then begin to scale and then begin to get more complex.”
The Crawl, Walk, Run Methodology
Successful WMS customization follows a natural progression we call the Crawl, Walk, Run methodology. Alex explains this approach: “An average go-live length is about four to five months, so we can go live quite quickly. What we do suggest is that it goes in increments. In line with our Crawl, Walk, Run methodology, we’ll start by crawling—here are the small benefits we’re going to deliver by go-live. You’ll be walking post go-live, we’ll target certain areas of your operation that we may not have gotten in the first go-live while we’re still delivering benefits to you, and then we’ll plan for the running phase where we deliver all of those planned benefits.”
Crawl Phase:
- Focus on core functionality implementation
- Establish basic processes and workflows
- Ensure team comfort with fundamental operations
- Achieve baseline inventory accuracy
Walk Phase:
- Introduce more advanced features
- Optimize picking and putaway processes
- Implement labour management tools
- Fine-tune system configurations
Run Phase:
- Deploy advanced automation features
- Implement sophisticated reporting
- Optimize advanced warehouse configurations
- Maximize system efficiency
Key Performance Indicators: Measuring Success
How do you know if your WMS customization is delivering results? Alex outlines three crucial metrics to monitor: “Number one, inventory accuracy. We shoot for 98-99% inventory accuracy record, which means somewhere between 98 to 100% of your inventory is accurate, in the correct spot, with the correct quantity. Number two is picking time—how quick are products being picked, how quick are each of the individual users picking orders? The third is customer returns—we want to minimize the amount of customer returns or credits. Have we picked the correct product? Has it been scanned to the right pallet? Has that pallet been loaded onto the correct truck?”
Based on these foundational metrics, focus on:
- Inventory Accuracy: Aim for 98-99% accuracy
- Picking Productivity: Monitor pick rates and completion times
- Shipment Accuracy: Track perfect order rates and returns
- Labour Efficiency: Measure productivity per worker
- System Uptime: Monitor reliability and performance
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
In our decades of experience, we’ve observed several common mistakes in WMS customization projects:
- Over-Customization: “The number one mistake I see,” warns Alex, “is generally going off the beaten path. Lots of customers initially want to change and modify things from the way they generally work as designed within the WMS. It is a very mature product with over 30 years of development. If something is in the system, generally it’s good for us to use that rather than try to re-invent the wheel, which can lead to delays and expensive development that we may generally discard after the customer gets more used to the product.”
- Rushing Implementation: Take the time to properly plan and execute each phase. Rushing to “go live” often results in costly mistakes and rework.
- Neglecting Training: Your team’s comfort and capability with the new system is crucial for success. Invest in comprehensive training and support.
- Ignoring Physical Layout: Sometimes, the best solution involves optimising your physical warehouse layout alongside your WMS implementation.
The Human Element: Your Greatest Asset
Whilst technology is crucial, your team remains the heart of your warehouse operations. Successful WMS customization requires:
- Early and consistent stakeholder engagement
- Comprehensive training programmes
- Clear communication channels
- Regular feedback loops
- Ongoing support and coaching
The key is to bring your team along on the journey from day one. As Alex emphasizes: “Staff need to become comfortable with the process. Everyone needs to understand how the WMS works end to end.” This means going beyond basic software training to ensure everyone understands not just the ‘how’ but the ‘why’ behind new processes.
Remember that your warehouse team’s daily experience is invaluable. They’ll spot practical issues and integration needs that others might miss. By leveraging their hands-on knowledge and addressing their concerns early, you create champions for change within your organization.
Looking to the Future: The Integration of Labour Management
WMS customization isn’t a one-time project—it’s an ongoing journey of continuous improvement. As Alex Gardiner explains: “WMS is necessarily a labour management tool. We do like to bring in labour management somewhere between two to four weeks after go-live, when everything is bedded down, everyone’s comfortable with the process, orders are going out on time, and everybody understands how the WMS works end to end.”
This strategic timing reflects our deep understanding of warehouse evolution. “Where WMS is good at managing inventory end to end and managing transactions end to end, labour management generally requires a slightly different approach,” Alex notes. “This is why we’ve developed DC Metrics—our plug and play with Infor WMS labour management tool. It plugs directly into Infor, a very lightweight tool.”
The results speak for themselves. As Alex explains: “If WMS gets us those first three factors—inventory accuracy, productivity on the board as users get used to the process, and making sure shipments are going to the correct customers on time—DC Metrics gets us the final 15-35% of productivity improvement with our users.”
This phased approach demonstrates how your warehouse management system should grow with your operation:
- First Phase: Master core WMS functionality for inventory control and basic operations
- Second Phase: Integrate labour management tools like DC Metrics to optimize workforce performance
- Third Phase: Fine-tune both systems to maximize efficiency and drive continuous improvement
“Now everybody understands how it works,” Alex adds, “we then hone in on who is picking what time, how is our lost time trending, are we making sure that we’re minimising the amount of lost time in the warehouse? How quickly are each of our users picking orders, and how well are they performing?”
This comprehensive approach ensures your system not only manages inventory effectively but also optimizes your workforce performance. As your business grows and evolves, your WMS should adapt with you, supported by complementary tools that enhance its capabilities and drive ever-greater operational excellence.
Your Partner in Warehouse Evolution
At WIN Solutions, we understand that every warehouse has its unique challenges and opportunities. Our role is to be your trusted partner in warehouse evolution. With precision, insight, and decades of practical experience, we’re here to help you write the next chapter in your warehouse’s success story.
Are you ready to begin your journey to WMS excellence? Remember, the path to optimization starts with a single step. Whether you’re facing rapid growth, changing market demands, or simply seeking to optimize your operations, the key is to start with a clear understanding of where you are and where you want to go.
Get in touch today to explore how we can elevate your warehouse operations, drive profitability, and set the stage for your continued success in the ever-evolving world of supply chain management.
