How do you scale operations up and down without risking inefficiencies that threaten the very core of your business? An important part of the answer lies in the deployment of smart technology. 

It is increasingly clear that how different technologies work in concert with one another is key to a lean, flexible fulfillment operation. In particular, warehouse management systems (WMS) and transport management systems (TMS) must be part of a harmonious whole.

Relationships with carriers are more important than ever. The pandemic brought in new tactics for many shippers who previously had only a handful of trust carrier services; suddenly, the heat was on, and they were forming new relationships with a far wider range of transportation providers. As shippers’ fulfillment volumes fluctuate up and down, they need to have a way to keep all those transportation providers engaged. Automating that process through deployment of a TMS is critical.

Warehouse space must be carefully managed. Too many companies make the mistake of using their warehouse capacity to park inventory they won’t need for a while. Say that you got a deal on snow shovels in July, or on ketchup in January when you know sales are going to spike around July 4. It is old-school thinking, and it is important to — at the very least — be aware of the actual cost of these decisions, across business operations. With a good warehouse solution, when differently sized items come in, they can be packed more efficiently in certain zones within the warehouse, because the WMS keeps detailed track of where everything is.

Ultimately, a well-blended suite of WMS and TMS will help enterprises to push down or ease up on the throttle exactly as needed, in order to deal with fluctuating fulfillment volumes.

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