Listen Up

	IMPLEMENTATION

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.

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Karen M. Kroll is a freelance business writer based in Chanhassen, MN.