How to Avoid Shipping SNAFUs with Smart Inventory Management

PROBLEM #1: You’re using spreadsheets instead of an inventory management software solution.

There are plenty of reasons people avoid changing their processes, especially smaller shops with less complicated inventories — software and IT systems take capital investment, and any new process involves a learning curve that can temporarily slow down productivity. That said, using spreadsheets instead of inventory management software adds human error. The wrong keystroke can mean the difference between fulfilling an order and losing a customer due to a broken promise.

Solution: Increase efficiency and decrease human error by using inventory management software that provides on-demand, real-time data on your inventory and warehouses.

PROBLEM #2: Your shipping policies don’t make sense with your inventory and warehouse workflows.

You’re promising free last-minute shipping during the holiday season — but are you certain that you can fulfill these orders based on accurate data about your inventory and warehouse workflow? A lack of communication and collaboration can lead to marketers writing checks that the warehouse can’t cash.

Solution: All personnel with stake in shipping policies and inventory management should have access to your inventory management software, which should be optimized for collaboration and include labor management analytics and employee productivity reports. This way, you can be cautious about shipping policies and have the data you need to predict future staffing and infrastructure needs.

PROBLEM #3: Your business systems and inventory management software are out-of-date.

Beyond making you (and your customers!) miss out on the latest technologies and capabilities, outdated software and systems lead to decreased productivity and server availability, and can make your business more vulnerable to cyber attack. Data loss can make casualties of your transactions, and increased response times can cause customer dissatisfaction. Bottom line: lost business.

Solution: If you haven’t updated your infrastructure and inventory management software in a while, contact your solution provider to see if you are due — a newer version of your solution may include features that increase response time and customer service. You can also consider software as a solution (SaaS, AKA cloud) licensing for automatic updates without the cost of maintaining or updating on-premises hardware.

Don’t let holiday shipping messes get between you and your loyal customers. For apparel and footwear businesses, ABS inventory management software optimizes inventory handling with portable RF (Radio Frequency) terminals that reflect immediate inventory changes, as well as shipping and tracking solutions. Contact ABS today to learn more.