Are you wondering if inventory control software is really worth the expense? Perhaps you are evaluating implementing a new warehouse management system and need to justify the investment. In fact, you will see that there is tremendous value to your company when you consider the benefits of better inventory control.
Theft, mistakes, incorrect shipments…. all of these can take their toll on your business’ profitability. We discussed the cost of just one mistake in our blog, Decrease Warehouse Errors with Sage 100. In this article, we shared that a single fulfillment error can decrease profitability of that sale by 11-13%. A good inventory control system not only helps to reduce warehouse costs, but also can help to increase revenue.
Using accurate, real-time data from an inventory control system can help you reduce errors. More importantly, it can provide you with other information such as scheduling, packaging tracking and more to help you run this aspect of your business more efficiently.
Three Reasons You Need an Inventory Control System
There are many reasons why your company can benefit from an inventory control solution. These three offer some of the most common reasons why companies implement them.
#1: Better Inventory and Shipping Data
It’s hard to improve on systems when you can’t pinpoint the gaps. Inventory control systems can improve your access to inventory and shipping data so that you can spot problem areas and develop solutions. If there’s a bottleneck, you can find it. If there’s a delay, you can investigate it. With good warehouse management system in place, this information become much easier to obtain and you can act more quickly on it.
#2: Improved Customer Service
Customers don’t want to hear “I don’t know” when they ask where their shipments are. When you have a inventory control system in place, you can answer confidently when they ask where their shipments are in the process. You can track shipments and packages, provide more accurate arrival dates, and help your customers manage their inventory, too. It’s improved communications that leads to better customer service.
#3: Greater Competitive Advantage
Companies with better warehouse management offer customers something extra in their service package. That competitive advantage should not be underestimated. Sometimes it’s one of only a handful of things that set you apart from your competitors. Whatever you can offer to win business, you should. With inventory control software, you can remain highly competitive and offer your customer better shipping and delivery information. It may seem like a small thing compared to other factors, but it could be the deciding factor with an important customer.
Warehouse management software offers businesses an unparalleled package of solutions. These include inventory control, automated data collection, business intelligence, scheduling, package delivery information and more.
When each of these components feeds into your enterprise resource planning system, you can glean deeper insights into the performance of your entire warehouse and shipping operation. Boost productivity, shorten order times, and reduce costs. When your inventory system is tightly integrated with your ERP, you can implement business processes and make decisions that increase revenue.
ASI Can Provide Leading Inventory Control Software
If you are considering implementing inventory control or warehouse management software, we can help. We offer inventory and warehouse management solutions for Sage 100 and Acumatica Cloud ERP. Acumatica’s distribution software recently was recognized by COdiE as the “Best Supply Chain Management Solution.” If you would like a demo, contact us or give us a call at (803) 252-6154. Our distribution experts can help you reap the benefits of an inventory control system.