The QWIX specialist team of Warehouse Management Consultants answers some of the most frequently asked questions about Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and Supply Chain Management (SCM)
Q: What does WMS stand for in terms of Warehousing?
A: WMS is an abbreviation of the term “Warehouse Management System”
Q: What is a Warehouse Management System?
A: A Warehouse Management System (WMS) is a programme (usually made up of software and related processes) that helps to monitor and handle day-to-day warehouse tasks. It usually controls the entire warehouse process or journey from the time goods enter to the time they leave the warehouse or several warehouses and can reach as far as ending in the hand of the individual customer.
Q: What are the functions of a Warehouse Management System?
A: A Warehouse Management System has a wide variety of functions including:
- Receive & tracking inventory
- Picking, packing, and shipping
- Paperless documentation of all processes within the entire product or operational journey
- Reporting and analytics
Q: What types of Warehouse Management Systems and processes are there?
A: WMS Systems and Processes include:
- Standalone WMS
- Cloud-based WMS
- Supply chain system
- ERP systems
Q: Why would you need a warehouse management system?
A: To control inventory, track stock, improve customer services, enhance the company’s productivity, gain greater return on investment (ROI)
Q: What’s the difference between warehouse management and inventory management?
A: Warehouse management solutions give you an all-encompassing framework that covers all aspects of operations and business warehouse systems. Inventory management simply manages stock volumes.
Q: How do I know what type of WMS I would need?
A: This is where advice from the experts is invaluable. The QWIX team has vast experience in the field of WMS and would be able to advise you on exactly how the QWIX WMS would best suit your needs.
“At QWIX we are all about ‘Supply Chain Intelligence, Applied’ – which for us means sharing our Team’s vast knowledge and experience with our clients and applying this combined intelligence to their businesses, helping them to achieve optimal efficiency” – Sean van Harmelen, QWIX director and head of the QWIX Consulting Team
Q: What is Supply Chain Management (SCM)?
A: The “snappy” answer is – SCM is the management of the flow of goods, data, and finances in relation to a product or service. Management involves the entire process from procurement of raw materials right through to the delivery of the product at its final destination.
Q: Is a Supply Chain simply logistics?
A: Many people tend to think that a supply chain and logistics are one and the same thing. However, logistics is just one link or part of the supply chain. Today’s supply chains are digitally based and include a number of ‘links’ including material handling, software for those in product or service creation, order fulfillment and information tracking. There are also a number of different stakeholders involved in the process such as suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers, transport and logistics provider, retailers and the customer and can be a local or international process.
Q: What can a Supply Chain consultant help me with?
A: The QWIX Supply Chain Consulting team is all about “Supply Chain Intelligence, Applied” and can help you with any and all of the activities involved in your supply chain from Supply Chain Planning to Operations and even Infrastructure development. QWIX realises there is a need for a consulting service for clients who don’t necessarily have the capability or perhaps the capacity to build the best supply chain for their business. The QWIX team has vast knowledge of Supply Chain, based on years of experience and we are able to share this expertise and help You to take your Supply Chain into the future.
Q: Do I need advice in regard to my Supply Chain?
A: The short answer is YES – every supply chain can be improved on. The QWIX Supply Chain consulting team looks at each link in the Supply Chain and then the entire chain holistically – using years of experience and knowledge to fine tune the entire process
Q: Where do I start when considering implementing WMS software or using a Supply Chain Consultant for my business?
A: The best place to start is by contacting QWIX. The QWIX team can guide you and get you off to the best start. QWIX offers a comprehensive consulting service backed by their own dedicated WMS. So, if you are remotely considering a Warehouse Management solution or looking at either developing a supply chain or upgrading and improving on your current supply chain – QWIX is the answer.
Q: What does taking on the services of a Supply Chain consultant involve?
A: The QWIX SCCS team members work alongside clients in an advisory capacity. We don’t come in and dictate – we listen and consult. Our team works with your team, helping clients with anything from building a supply chain from scratch to totally transforming an existing supply chain – use our expertise to give you the competitive edge.
Q: Why is QWIX WMS Solution considered to be one of the best warehouse management systems available?
A: Our Warehouse Management system offers comprehensive Inventory & Asset Tracking, for seamless Logistics & Supply Chain Management. It is the best Turnkey Warehouse Management System developed to international standards and specifically for the South African market with additional components for Work-in-Progress Tracking (WIP) and Electronic Proof of Delivery (ePOD). Our solution gives you total control from raw materials, through manufacturing with (WIP) Work-in-Progress tracking and shop floor data collection and is capable of handling major distribution centers.
We hope we have satisfied your curiosity and clarified things for you with our answers to just the top questions regarding WMS and SCM – we know there are likely to be plenty more questions – so, if we’ve piqued your interest or if you have any further WMS or SCM questions please feel free to contact the QWIX Team – we’d love to chat and be of assistance.
Contact Sean and the QWIX Consulting Team today – sean@qwix.net
QWIX – Supply Chain Intelligence, Applied.
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