Have you ever heard of paperless? It is the concept of a paperless warehouse, a way to manage documents by abandoning paperwork and adopting technology. This saves space and optimizes processes in the organization.
The supply chain has been in the process of digitization for many years. More than ever before, the business world is striving for a paperless working environment.
Sellers lose money; carriers and logistics companies lose time handling documents, dealing with bureaucracy and archiving proof of physical delivery; and consumers suffer with inefficiency, prolonged delivery time, and the risks to the security of their data exposed in the merchandise.
Due to a mix of technological developments, the desire to mitigate waste, reduce inefficiencies, and be more productive, more companies are starting to migrate to a paperless system. There are several technologies available that help eliminate the need to use paper, such as TrackTraceRX’s RapidRX.
There are still many who are reluctant to migrate to paperless; however there are many long-term benefits from making the change.
What is a paperless warehouse?
A “paperless warehouse” means using all paperless digital records and automation in a warehouse.
It is more than simply going paperless. It is about completely automating the warehouse system with different technology that reduces inefficiencies, minimizes errors, streamlines operations, and reduces waste.
To make your processes digital, you need to implement some systems like a WMS that can be connected to other processes throughout the supply chain via IoT devices.
While the WMS makes internal processes better, for more transparency and visibility into the entire supply chain and its trading partners, you can also integrate a traceability system, such as TrackRX, with the WMS.
These are just some of the technologies available to migrate over to a paperless warehouse.
What are the benefits of a paperless warehouse?
Increased productivity
It takes a lot of time and resources to keep a paper-based warehouse running.
Maintaining printers, buying materials, and organizing large amounts of paperwork costs time and money that could be invested elsewhere. Choosing and using technologies that can handle all processes, keeping everything digital and easily accessible will help improve visibility and efficiency.
The productivity of industry professionals and monitoring key metrics become more transparent and concrete, as they are based on task execution rather than information seeking.
Increased accuracy and reduced risk
There is a high risk of errors and inefficiency when everything is done manually.
From incorrect records to lost paperwork, manual management is slow and inefficient. Automated digital warehouse management systems provide accurate, real-time data that can also be accessed by mobile devices. You know exactly where items, shipments, and trucks are at all times, which radically increases end-to-end (E2E) visibility throughout the supply chain.
Solutions like TrackRX not only facilitate access to information and process performance, but also provide traceability with the security of using blockchain.
Reducing costs and the environmental impact
For every ton of raw paper, twelve trees are cut down and 540 liters of water are used.
Migrating to paperless is not always a quick process. So, it is best to invest in engagement and good internal strategies. Because it is a gradual process, paperless can be accompanied by protocols for recycling or reducing resources, such as decreasing the number of printers or creating a schedule for their use.
Customer Experience
It is difficult for even the most experienced management teams to manually track product location, shipping status, and destination. If the stock on record and physical stock in the warehouse do not match, the result can be chaotic.
When customers buy a product that is not in stock, they will be waiting and this will lead to dissatisfaction. Increased visibility and productivity directly impact the overall customer experience.
In addition, a paperless warehouse demonstrates to your customers that your brand cares about your environmental impact and sustainability. According to recent statistics, on average, half of the American adult population is concerned about growing environmental issues. At least 15% of them are willing to pay more for eco-friendly products!
Paperless warehouse technology
As you have seen, a paperless warehouse offers a number of benefits to your internal processes, your partners, and the end consumer. Implementing the right software and technology is easier and more affordable today than ever before.
Take the initiative and help your warehouse eliminate paper. Drive the digitization of the supply chain. Contact us now to learn more about creating a paperless warehouse.
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