There is hardly an aspect of our lives that cloud computing has not managed to touch in some way. Almost all industries are embracing a cloud-based warehouse management system. It has practically done away with servers, and all that is needed is secure broadband connectivity. You can learn more about this new technology from sites like comactivity.com.au.
If you are still new to this, here are some reasons why you should consider a cloud-based warehouse management system for your workplace.
1. Reduced Costs
Although you have to make some investment when you first shift to a cloud-based warehouse management system, the existing costs will spread over time and give you great value in the future, reducing your costs long term. At present, you might have to rely on many physical versions like servers, database software, and some operating systems as well. The cloud-based system will integrate these functions and reduce costs over time.
2. Quicker Return on Investments
You will get faster ROI as compared to more traditional forms of management systems. Local installations require licensing, and they can cost a significant sum of money because you will have to use physical servers. When you opt for a cloud-based system, you will only have to pay for the number of months you are using the service.
When you consider other costs like infrastructure, database, software, and other services, there will come the point when your expenses will never really be enough to meet the returns. After three to five years of traditional management, it is time to think of switching to a cloud-based management system.
3. Scalability
At times, your business’s seasonal nature might directly impact the warehouse’s workforce capacity. The difference between the number of employees working for you in season and off-season could be as high as 200%.
With cloud-based systems, you will only pay for the workforce present in your warehouse and the computing power required to monitor and keep track of the workflow. It will reduce the risk of overinvesting in licenses that you might not need during the offseason. With a cloud-based system, you will also be able to reduce the number of workers overtime. It is also possible to choose a hybrid cloud system to have even more flexibility.
4. Single Point of Contact
With cloud-based systems, you only have to rely on a single point of contact. As opposed to on-premise installations, where you have to reach out to various contacts who might be in charge of a particular function in the warehouse, this prevents many bottlenecks from arising. It is easier to figure out which part of the database might have had an issue or which software needs upgrading.
5. No Need for Constant Upgrades
It is far more challenging to upgrade to on-premise installations than cloud-based systems. You might have to overhaul the servers, and your warehouse, too, might require frequent changes. By keeping everything in the cloud, you reduce dependency on physical assets. It also provides immense security to your data because you do not have to worry about information being destroyed in case of an accident in the warehouse.
The vendor provides you with cloud-based services responsible for making timely upgrades, and you do not need to worry about your IT resources’ efficiency thereafter. It gives the managers a better opportunity to serve their customers because it provides more scope for staying connected. It takes less processing power and cuts downtime, preventing your customers from leaving you and going to your rivals.
With a cloud-based warehouse management system, you can access data about your warehouse even while working remotely, much needed in today’s time. It grants you instant access to inventory data and helps you cut wastage and costs by avoiding unnecessary warehouse issues. This is undoubtedly how all warehouse management systems will start functioning shortly.