If your company uses a warehouse management system (WMS), you already understand how vital it is to creating smoother workflows. The dark side of a WMS is that most companies are slow to upgrade it, since the process can consume considerable resources. However, technology, and particularly the Internet of Things, is driving significant changes in the way companies approach operations. Current WMS trends in WMS are causing a revolution in enterprise operations. Enhance your decision-making with insights from 5 major trends in WMS.
1. Standardization + Simplification
Gartner’s recent review of WMSs offered a broad range of emerging trends. The report is particularly significant because it focused on companies with at 10% of their revenue generated outside of their home market—businesses are now expecting to operate as global, rather than merely local, entities. These types of businesses tend to be large, so they require systems that can support that complexity.
There are few WMS vendors that can cater to the multifaceted needs of large enterprises (think big, like SAP and Oracle); Gartner noted that many large companies are turning towards a single solution for all of their needs. WMSs are undergoing a revolution: since so many components will now be included with the initial WMS implementation, there will be a decreasing reliance on specialized implementations.
2. The Great Divide
The Gartner report emphasized an increasing split in the WMS market, with vendors creating complex systems for large enterprises or concentrating on mid-sized and small businesses. The trend is driven by the increasing numbers of small businesses that do not require complex functionalities from the software. Niche vendors will become a significant force.
3. Data, Data, Everywhere
Jim Laverty, managing partner of Upp Technologies, noted in an interview that the IoT will have a significant impact on everything in business, including the WMS. Laverty also noted that standards of business accountability for items—not only for initial suppliers, but for every part of the product’s journey—are being driven by government initiatives for accountability. Real-time tracking of products can only be accomplished through the IoT and the WMS will need to be able to effectively manage the information coming from thousands—or millions—of sensors.
4. Safety in Numbers
Data protection is foundational to business success, but securing anything digital is similar to herding cats. As businesses expand, there will be an increasing need to provide security for all the information derived from the IoT and other sources. Vendors will be continually updating their products to allow for improved data security.
5. Cloudy, with a Chance of…
A RightScale survey showed that out of 1,000 respondents, 88% were using a public cloud, with 82% using a hybrid cloud strategy. The rush to take advantage of the resources that can only be derived from cloud services and their processing power will continue. Gartner’s report highlighted the fact that many companies will be moving part of their operations to the cloud soon. The demand for improved analytics capabilities is also motivating this trend.
As 2016 continues to unfold, businesses will find increasing demands on time and resources arising from both marketplace challenges and technology issues. Resolute Technologies specializes in niche resources that can help supplement any project teams around WMS. Contact us for more information.