Are you a business owner or aspiring entrepreneur? Are you debating if managing your current or future warehouse on the cloud would be the best option moving forward? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
WMS stands for Warehouse Management Software, and it’s designed to manage inventory in a warehouse.
There are cloud versions of WMS systems with some inherent advantages as compared to traditional warehousing software. With this in mind, let’s talk about the 5 reasons why switching to the cloud is the best choice for your business.
First and foremost, when you switch to a cloud WMS you'll be able to scale your business like never before. You’ll avoid many growing pains if the program managing your inventory is growing right along with you.
Cloud inventory management systems are for both small and large businesses. You can easily manage one fulfillment center or expand to manage multiple fulfillment centers (including warehouses), all with the same software.
You’ll save time and money while avoiding potential growing pains when transitioning between systems, as well as managing various locations and data centers efficiently.
No need to worry about how you are going to manage and then grow your warehouse. It's already been figured out for you. We’re built with 50 years of experience, let our industry professionals take care of the back end while you take care of completing KPIs and earning positive ROIs.
Cloud WMS solutions are often lower in price compared to traditional on-premise systems, which can be extremely expensive to create and maintain. It is especially costly for businesses with multiple locations or warehouses.
For systems on the cloud, a business typically pays a monthly subscription fee instead of binding yearly contracts. This means that if a business is unhappy with the software, they can easily cancel and switch to another system.
This incentivizes cloud software companies to provide the best possible experience for their customers.
Inventory on the cloud also saves you money by lowering I.T. costs. You don't have to pay for costly services or for individuals to create, update, and maintain your in-house custom program. The cloud provider will do that for you.
While issues are generally rare when working with the best cloud service providers, if you do encounter an issue, simply call them up and they will have a team of professionals working to fix it.
A more efficient warehouse means more money in your pocket. The top cloud based software solutions are set up with your product and inventory in mind. It keeps track of where each item is located in the warehouse and allows for added features like Batch Picking.
When multiple orders come in, the software directs a picker through the most optimal picking path. This keeps pickers from going back to the same section over and over again for products and instead tells them which product locations to pick from for multiple orders.
Workers no longer have to back track to the same area over and over because the best cloud systems will create the most efficient route through their warehouse. This increased efficiency leads to reduced picking times.
Wrong orders get shipped out a lot, and this has posed problems for many small to medium sized businesses. The most innovative cloud based WMS systems have technology in place that greatly reduces mis-shipments. Ultimately this saves you time and money that would otherwise be spent on fixing those avoidable errors.
Automate your employee workflow by choosing from pre-defined templates or creating your own. This will make your employees more efficient.
Workflow automation is one of the biggest benefits that cloud-based software can bring to a warehouse.
You'll be able to create automated workflows for routine tasks like receiving, shipping, picking orders, etc. This allows you to focus on other important elements of running your business instead of worrying about the back end.
As more companies make the switch to paperless order fulfillment, it is increasingly important to have a WMS software that you can trust to keep your data safe. With cloud-based inventory management systems, the data is stored on secured servers that have regular system backups. If any issues arise, there are precautions in place for recovering needed information.
This ensures the safety and security of your business and gives you the peace of mind that your data is reliably stored. Cloud WMS is encrypted and the data is secured by a firewall which means you don't have to worry about hackers getting into your inventory information when it's on the cloud.
The most trustworthy software companies will not share your company's data with anyone. Different cloud providers handle this in different ways. If you'd like to learn more, don't hesitate to reach out to us for a more in-depth answer on how they handle your security.
Your customers’ satisfaction is of utmost importance to you and your cloud provider. If your customers have a hard time placing orders with you, it is less likely they will buy from you in the future. Cloud inventory software can add new features that may help improve their experience when purchasing products from you.
Faster and more accurate pick times mean lower lead times, which means your customer will receive their items faster than ever before. With cloud software, you can actually compete with online markets such as Amazon.
On top of the efficiency gains, inventory management systems make it easier for warehouse managers or owners alike to track their inventory data through barcode scanning. It reduces errors and makes picking more efficient, allowing you to get your product off the shelf faster, while still maintaining 100% accuracy.
The cloud can even benefit you when it comes time for tax season.
The ease of access that the cloud offers means you will be able to get all your data and reports in front of an accountant faster than ever before, allowing them to make any necessary changes quickly and easily.
Switching to a new inventory management system can be a daunting task, but is one of the most rewarding in the long run because of the benefits it provides. Scalability, lower costs, workflow automation, data security, and increased customer satisfaction are benefits that cannot be ignored.
If you are looking for a cloud inventory management software with all of these benefits and more, reach out to us. Click here for a free no pressure demo on how our WMS, WarehouseOS®, a tablet-directed inventory software solution that’s leading today’s market.
If you have any questions, reach out to one of our software inventory specialists. We have supplied knowledge and materials to thousands of warehouses and received feedback from hundreds of customers.
Get a 15 minute demo to see how WarehouseOS™ can bring warehouse efficiency to your business.
