There are many ways to make a warehouse efficient, focus on efficient processes, that is the key, once the processes are established, then get the technology that supports those processes, not the other way around, it is always process, discipline and culture first, then get the tools that will inculcate those processes, discipline and culture. Don't go into buying technology for technology sake, not all technologies are a good fit for all scenarios.
Here are a few ways to make the warehouses efficient
1 - Depending on the nature of orders and picker performed - Voice picking may be an option, where there are plenty of unit picks are performed - but voice doesnt work in all scenarios, especially noisy backgrounds
2 - If you are doing a lot of shipping to retail stores, then Cross docking is another one
3 - Eliminating Physical counts and switching to Cycle counts, because typically Warehouses tend to shut down for a few days to a week while doing physical, if you can switch to periodic or weekly cycle counts, then there is no need to shut down the warehouse for a week, hence results in savings
4 - In general moving away from paper based processes to RF driven processes, levering wearable computers like Smart Gladiator
5 - Also look at Smart Gladiator tools with this Wearable computer, this provides a hands free operation, so operators are efficiently using both their hands, there is no need to multi tap while entering the numbers, also with the Tablets communication is easier so people are not walking around looking for supervisors, can call their supervisors from their wearables
6 - In general measuring everything is the key - what you don't measure you cannot manage, also if the operators that work in a DC, know that they are being measured, they tend to stay on top of their work and finish their work, whereas if they know they are not being measured, they tend to slack
7 - Deploy something called Gamification - again the Smart Gladiator wearables have these - this is realtime display of operator's performance - today most Warehouse Management Systems that are used show the operator's performance only the next day, where as the Smart Gladiator devices and software display operator's performance realtime, for example it could be Picks per hour or Units per hour received or Boxes per hour loaded etc, so operators are able to adjust their speed and able to meet their individual goals and also corporate goals
8 - Using ASNs - Advanced Shipment Notices is another way to make receiving easier, faster and accurate, also using Case Level ASNs even better because the cases come in pre-made and receiving is so much easier and faster
9 - Directed Putaway is another one - This means the WMS is configured to be very intelligent with volumetric cubes of each individual locations, so the system is smart enough to look for empty spaces and direct the user to the first available empty space
10 - Task Interleaving - This means interleaving tasks one on top of another by configuring the tasking groups and different task types the user is eligible, which means - the user might be doing a Dir Putaway task going into the reserve storage, whereas coming back, he is pulling a case from Reserve for a repel into the active area
11 - Also make sure visibility is very well established in your processes, because most of the time is spent on resolving exceptions, if everybody knows where is everything it is so much easier to look for and plenty of time saved
12- Slotting the entire warehouse is key as well, for example group your SKUs into Fast Moving, Slow moving & moderately moving, then keep the fast moving closer to shipping area, then slow moving farther away from the shipping area and the moderately moving ones somewhere in-between, so this way the users that are picking are pulling fast moving are not traveling longer, instead they are walking less
13 - Overall a highly configurable WMS will offer the best flexibility and help you do all this, so getting a highly configurable WMS will provide the best options
I can go on and on, please let me know if there is anything specific I can answer, I will be happy to help.