Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home, and other smart lifestyle devices are growing in popularity. As consumers become more and more comfortable with adding voice automation programs and services in their homes, these devices will likely continue to increase in presence. That comfort will then transfer to the industry after an increase in knowledge and a stronger social acceptance. There will be an increase in tier 3 and 4 companies incorporating the technology into their business because the cost will come down due to an increase in demand. Voice technology is becoming mainstream technology because of efficiency and increases in safety. Implementation and adaptation of this technology can seem intimidating at first, but it can greatly enhance a company’s inventory management capabilities in many different ways. There are just a few steps businesses should consider taking before moving forward with a full-scale implementation.
- First, learn about voice technology- Your employees should have a grasp on the benefits of this new technology. More than one person should understand the technology and the advantages that implementing it can bring to their daily activities.
- Strategy- It’s important to factor in the ROI for voice picking. Are you moving to voice technology for cost savings or to improve accuracy and safety? It’s important to target the reason for the switch before moving forward with any planning.
- When to deploy- What is the appropriate time to switch and how quickly can it occur? Is a standard and accelerated model appropriate for your company?
- Accuracy- The voice technology will require employees to double check picks. It will also require confirmation with product locations. As a result of these extra steps, you should see a drastic increase in accuracy overall after implementation. However, be sure your employees are trained and fully aware of how these extra steps will benefit them.
- Productivity- When using the standard labels with handheld scanners for inventory management, an employee’s attention can shift away from the task at hand. As a result, the order efficiency suffers, which could lead to mistakes in shipments and returns. Voice hands-free technology allows workers to multitask and stay attentive throughout their daily activities.
Once all of these topics are considered, supply chain managers can set a deployment schedule and have confidence that the company and employees can benefit overall from implementing voice technology.