Fetch Robotics has partnered with SAP, incorporating the SAP Extended Warehouse Management application with the Fetch and Freight robots, as use of warehouse robotics continues to grow.
Figuring out how to make omnichannel operations successful and profitable, dealing with Amazon’s continual disruptions, creating a consistently excellent customer experience across operational areas and growing cross-border commerce were among the hot topics at the fifth annual Operations Summit. The event was held in Cincinnati, OH, an ecommerce operations hotbed, and drew more than 800 direct-to-customer and omnichannel operations professionals and providers.
Ecommerce companies are seeing double-digit growth in a business that requires them to fulfill orders of low line numbers, often just a single item, compared to bulk orders for store fulfillment. To address these challenges, more companies are turning to a variety of order fulfillment automation solutions. But what level of automation is right? Find out what solutions are available, how they’re being implemented and what the future of automation looks like.
Hudson’s Bay Co. is introducing new robotic technology to its Ontario distribution center for internet fulfillment that CEO Gerald Storch says will put the merchant at the “absolute forefront of Internet distribution technology.”
Locus Robotics, a company spun out of third-party logistics provider Quiet Logistics, has begun production and implementation of a DC-based order fulfillment robot which it sees as a next logical step beyond Kiva. The company’s executives claim its robots can be deployed a few at a time without major facility retrofitting, and will eventually be used in stores as well as DCs.
For a growing number of merchant companies, automated systems have become a way to address the issues of increasing throughput and order accuracy while decreasing returns. In addition to accuracy, often the biggest driver of automation decisions, the ability to achieve higher throughput per headcount, increasing efficiency while keeping down labor costs, is also paramount.
An ERP system file conversion “don’t get no respect,” as Rodney Dangerfield would say. Everyone knows they need to write programs and convert files. However, it’s not uncommon to leave off detailed discussion of which files and tables to convert, what data fields and how much data (this year’s only or how many years’ history) until the implementation. So to help, here are 13 steps to help you navigate the often tedious but critical process.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “This ERP system’s design is intuitive!” as an excuse for not writing procedures. These systems are so intuitive that management can’t seem to use them. Maybe it’s intuitive for Windows-based systems to some degree in terms of navigation and functions. Or it’s intuitive for those under 30 that have far more PC and web browser skills than mature workers.
To help alleviate these issues, here’s a checklist of 9 action steps to take that will help ensure a smooth ERP system upgrade.
When embarking on a replatforming project, a critical element that cannot be overlooked is the incorporation of a dedicated Order Management System (OMS). This is a vital step that must be taken at the outset of the process to ensure that a retailer has a strong understanding of inventory, availability and fulfillment optimization to maximize revenue and deliver a superior customer experience.
The UberRUSH same-day delivery service’s new API lets retailers offer it as a checkout option, making it more competitive with others in the space.