Distribution 21
often demonstrate organizations solutions such as voice. Dutch and eyes-free, on the task at hand,
struggling to satisfy consumer distribution centre Kruidvat, owned confirming each item as they pick. In
demand. Voice is also capable of by AS Watson, is just one example. addition to the avoidance of mispicks,
alternative applications such as Their chain of “action warehouses” organizations can expect speedy
receiving, put away, inventory transfer, distributes campaign-specific payback on investment with most cases
line-loading and even replenishment products such as CDs and pen sets displaying ROI within a year.
and cycle counting. The real-time and, as these product offers frequently
interaction of voice allows picking change, the warehouse has to be
slots to be replenished as soon completely reconfigured every month. Safety First
as they become empty, and stock By using voice, Kruidvat has raised
checks can be built into picking tasks, levels of productivity and speed, as Moving away from the products
improving the accuracy of stock well as keeping up with the fulfilment themselves, the health of the
recording and, essentially, efficiency. of orders and stock. worker should not be overlooked. In
By keeping the lines of communication warehouses where there are areas of
open, voice also allows the flow of up- differing temperatures and multiple
to-date pick status information, which product types that require various
leads to more reliable deliveries. picking methods, there are obvious
distractions — including various types
of goods handling equipment. Thus,
It’s All in the Timing safety must be a priority. With local UK
authorities stating that, “an average
Stock control aside, one of the of more than 2300 reportable injuries
most pressing issues for any FMCG occur in warehousing environments
market … is time. FMCG commands per year,” there has never been
constant focus on the fast handling of more emphasis on secure working
goods and, therefore, cross-docking practices. Voice’s hands-free, eyes-
and first-in, first-out are important free approach can combat this issue
principles. Many organizations, such by improving concentration on the
as Mestdagh group, a major chain task in hand and increasing awareness
of supermarkets in Belgium, place of the workers’ surroundings.
emphasis on storage periods and
“best before” data. Mestdagh stocks
some 10,000 different products, of Raising the Stakes
which 2500 are perishables. And,
using voice, they have increased Looking at the various attributes
productivity in this challenging of voice within this sector, it’s clear
warehouse scenario. In this situation, that the technology is enhancing
voice typically increases productivity Cost is Key operations, from improving accuracy
up to 35%, reduces training time by and productivity to ensuring safety.
50% and allows greater collaboration Whereas inventory is high on the By employing voice technology, users
with suppliers. All of which are agenda, cost is a constant focus for are more easily able to maintain a
crucial time considerations in such a FMCG — as margins are slim. This holistic view of warehouse operations
demanding atmosphere. is an industry that celebrates saving and product lifecycles — including
one hundredth of a penny per unit; the assessment of stock levels, stock
therefore, each organization strives to rotation and worker’s pick rates.
Ever-Changing Demand be the low-cost leader. This price war Its versatility means that it can be
emphasizes the need to control losses, implemented into most warehouse
As FMCG organizations buy and keep mispicks to a minimum and ensure situations, and by understanding any
sell brands frequently, products are speedy delivery to the shop floor. With language, dialect or accent, it has global
constantly being introduced and a voice system in place, accuracy is potential. Voice is continuing to evolve
discontinued. Variable customer typically elevated to 99.99%, mainly to suit new demands and extending into
requirements, ever-changing by the simple avoidance of mis-keying, various applications in the FMCG world.
schedules and shorter production associated with hand-held computers One thing remains certain: when your
runs also impact on operations, or paper-based systems. Workers are work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt!
necessitating the use of distribution also able to concentrate, hands-free
Launch 2007 Supply Chain Digital
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36