How Wireless Workstations Can Transform Warehouse Fulfillment

Mobile, wireless workstations are getting a lot of attention by supply chain managers these days, particularly as wireless devices are growing in popularity for routine fulfillment tasks.

What benefits could your company gain by adding wireless, mobile-powered workstations in your operations? Whether you run a warehouse, a distribution center or a retail store, a mobile-powered workstation makes your employees and processes more effective and more efficient.

No Need to Walk Over to a Shared Printer

Valuable time is often wasted when warehouse employees have to move from one area to another to complete a task.

Another option is to create a mobile-powered workstation that lets your employees bring exactly the tools they need, to exactly where they need them.

For example, with a mobile-powered workstation equipped with a computer, printer, bar code scanner, an employee can:

• Immediately scan a product’s bar code,
• Inspect and document the product’s condition,
• Label and sort the item for return to the shelves, and
• Credit a customer’s account
• ...all from their mobile-powered workstation

This approach reduces overhead costs because fewer pieces of equipment are required to create workspaces – they move with the employee. It also eliminates restrictions about where the work occurs, and creates real time and measurable productivity and data access points for all your employees.

Streamline Your Retail Workspace

Mobile-powered workstations can also dramatically increase customer service in retail operations, enabling employees to spend more time selling to customers.

Retail and sales employees can position the workstation so that they can label and tag inventory from the floor and manage the line to the register by offering point of sale purchases.

Create a Mobile Central Command Center

By creating a mobile central command center, your employees have all the tools they need right at their fingertips to get their job done. They can also easily move their workstation where they will be most productive.

Your workers gain instant access in real time to data and information, fostering better decisions about productivity, distribution, and inventory.

Before You Choose a Workstation

When choosing a mobile powered workstation, take the following into consideration.

• Weight capability: Your mobile-powered workstation must be sturdy enough to hold a number of expensive and sometimes heavy devices.
• Maneuverability: Where will you be moving your mobile powered work station? Are the corners tight? How wide are the aisles? Choose a model that fits your space to gain the greatest efficiencies.
• Power: The mobile-powered workstation should be able to run several electronic devices at the same time such as a scanner, a laptop, printer and smartphone or tablet. Each device should operate for at least eight hours or the length of a standard shift.
• Recharge: The mobile powered workstation should fully recharge in five to eight hours.

So much of our personal technology is now mobile and wireless, isn’t it time to cut the cords and introduced a mobile powered workstation into your business?