In today’s omnichannel and dynamic fulfillment economy, connected consumers want to buy, fulfill, and return anywhere. Businesses need the ability to respond quickly and efficiently to meet this demand.
Fortunately, thanks to the innovative developments in technology, modern distribution solutions are being used worldwide. One such solution is a web-based warehouse management system (WMS) that helps solve main challenges and proves to be an effective step towards building a better business.
1. Accessibility and Convenience
Using a web-based warehouse management solution eliminates the need for complicated remote tools and VPNs. It results from improving accessibility and convenience for your workers, especially if you have a remote or hybrid team.
Because of this, the system can be used effectively by everyone without even physically reporting in the office.
Instant access to warehouse data and qualified to work from anywhere with an internet connection helps improve workers’ productivity, allowing them to respond to any situation, regardless of where they are.
2. Cost-Effective
Using a web-based WMS solution is a more cost-effective substitute to on-premise WMS software.
With on-premise, standalone systems, a business will invest in servers, computer devices, and IT equipment. Not to mention that they also need to hire IT experts to manage an on-premise system.
In general, you’ll have to shell out significant upfront costs to establish this type of WMS solution.
However, you need to pay your provider for software use and cloud hosting with a web-based system. It means you can save a lot of your budget for hardware and use that money for other business operations.
3. Inventory Made Easy
There’s a lot of movement in a warehouse. Whether a stock is coming in, being stored, or going out, goods are always traveling in several directions that can make a confusing process. Not only that, but it’s also costly and time-wasting to perform regular and manual inventories of your products.
Thanks to a web-based WMS solution, workers can now bypass the outdated and time-consuming process while maintaining a more upgraded, error-free counting frequency by scanning a barcode or simply pressing a key.
In addition, it also helps in reducing labor costs. The WMS solution tracks them automatically, reduces employee workload, and frees up valuable time as your goods and inventory move about aimlessly.
With a web-based WMS, your workers can track your inventory list at every distribution stage— from manufacturing to storage to sale— with less hassle.
4. No Need To Worry About Updates
Every software needs to be updated to accommodate your business’s growing needs and requirements.
When it’s time to upgrade an on-premise WMS solution, you’ll be looking for a total reinstallation and configuration. You’ll also have to hire a specialist to do this for you.
However, you won’t have to worry about maintenance or upgrade disruption since you’ll always be using the latest software version of a web-based WMS systems with a web-based solution.
Also, take note the pricing for web-based systems includes regular schedule updates. It means that everything will be installed, managed, and maintained by the providers, so you don’t have to worry about updating your software on your own.
In addition, updates work similarly to apps on mobile phones. It means that your employees will always have the latest codebase at work.
5. Improved Security
Cybersecurity is a critical aspect of a web-based system. After all, if your warehouse data aren’t kept on-site securely, how can you be so sure that they’re being protected?
And if you can access your data remotely, what’s stopping a cybercriminal from doing the same thing?
The good news is that a web-based WMS provider has a team of experts who carefully monitor security, which is more efficient than a conventional in-house expert.
Thus, choosing a reliable web-based WMS provider with effective cybersecurity practices in place can deter cybercriminals and hackers.
In addition, your company can use this feature as an added function on your WMS without paying separately for this service.
6. Quick Scalability
A web-based warehouse management solution can be easily scaled up and down. In simpler terms, it can quickly adapt to your company’s needs. It is especially significant for the businesses growing and their warehouse operations becoming busier and more complicated by the day.
Plus, scaling a web-based WMS software is much easier to implement than on-premise solutions which, can take weeks or even months to scale.
Take Away
In a booming era of digital commerce, the limits of traditional warehouse management processes are tested continuously. That said, businesses are now turning to web-based warehouse management systems thanks to the many benefits it offers ultimately, ensuring a better, more profitable business.