Listen Up Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
, By KAREN M. KROLL
JobZone
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Let's say you've invested in a speech recognition system. How do you get the most out of it?
First,
make sure you “know your operation inside-out,” says Larry Landhiser,
operations manager with ODW. The system can't tell workers what to do
if you don't have a clue yourself.
For
example, the picker should know whether to head toward the item that's
furthest from the starting point or the closest one. And if the order
requests two units and only two are in stock, the worker should know
whether to pick the number there — or nothing.
As
with any big shift in operations, you'll need employee buy-in. Awana's
Hale explained the benefits of speech recognition to his staff about a
year before implementing a system to give them time to prepare for the
change.
Managers
also need to demonstrate their support by using the system, adds Slevin
of Lucas Systems. And the more they understand it, the easier it is for
them to troubleshoot.
Before
deciding on a particular system, Petticrew tested how well the headsets
worked within his facilities. In one building, propane equipment runs
during most shifts. He checked that employees could hear the commands
over the noise.
You
should also test the capacity of your IT network, Petticrew says. He
added several access points at ODW to ensure that data was reliably
transmitted from the server to employees' mobile computers. For the
system to pay off, the transmission needed to happen quickly enough
that workers' productivity would increase.
Remember
to identify each picking location with large signs, Petticrew says.
Employees can quickly scan the signs to verify that they're in the
right place. He also changes the check digits at each location after
several weeks. Otherwise, workers start memorizing them, and will often
begin saying the words into the system before they even get to the
location. That increases the potential for error.
THE MARKET
How
many speech recognition systems are in use? It's hard to say. But
experts say they're growing in number — and that they're being applied
to more things.
Yes,
picking is the most labor-intensive activity. And that's where the
greatest savings will result, says Scott Yetter, CEO of voice
technology provider Voxware.
But speech systems can also help with functions like receiving and put-away.
Sam
Flanders, president of 2WMC.com Consulting Group, agrees that
standardized products eventually will gain ground. “Voice technology is
so good, there will be demand for it.”
Meanwhile,
the technology is improving. Text-to-speech voices now sound more
human, Ciarcia says. And the systems are being built to recognize new
languages.
Better
yet, the portable devices are getting smaller and more comfortable,
Kerr notes. And the batteries can go for longer periods of time between
charges. Most now last for at least eight hours, while some will stay
active for up to 12.
The
best news of all? Costs are coming down. Ciarcia estimates that they've
dropped by up to 20% over the past 18 months. That said, the systems
are far from cheap. They run at least $100,000 on the low end, Flanders
says.
That
includes $50,000 to $60,000 for software, about $20,000 for
implementation support, and several thousand dollars apiece for the
computing devices. To generate enough savings, most companies must have
at least 10 users for their systems, Slevin says.
But
speech recognition isn't always the answer. RFID or barcode scanning
may be quicker when the worker must repeat long strings of numbers or
letters to identify a product. The next wave of devices will combine
voice and scanning capabilities, Slevin predicts.
And
pick-to-light may be more effective in DCs that fulfill many SKUs,
Flanders says. That's because workers can quickly scan the shelf and
see which items to pick.
But
speech recognition is worth exploring. Indeed, Hale wants to use it to
cycle counting and inventory. “Anything you can do, you can do with
voice,” he says.
Karen M. Kroll is a freelance business writer based in Chanhassen, MN.
