Supply chain management is a $15 billion industry that keeps goods flowing from manufacturers to consumers – and back, when necessary. When that flow of goods hits a bottleneck, however, productivity and profitability suffer.
In reverse logistics, challenges usually center around handling returns quickly, efficiently, and at scale. Managing high-volume returns in the warehouse is a complex undertaking that must integrate multiple workflows, third-party systems, and manual processes. To keep returns flowing efficiently, service providers need a workflow solution that can manage the process end-to-end, solve key pain points, and ensure process adherence when manual processes are required.
But that’s a significant challenge for most reverse logistics managers.
4 Obstacles That Impact the Profitability of Your Returns Process
The returns process presents several obstacles that slow down processes, introduce complexity, and make it difficult to scale. WipIT turns this equation around, giving managers the flexibility to streamline high-volume returns, manage multiple processes within a highly automated facility, and integrate with diagnostics and 3rd-party applications to move devices between systems and processes.
Let’s take a closer look at how WipIT overcomes 4 common obstacles for reverse logistics operations.
1. Inefficient Manual Processes
Returns processes in many warehouses include manual processes that slow down cycle times, introduce opportunity for errors, and make training difficult. Process adherence is essential for reducing risk in returns operations, but it’s not easy to enforce on the warehouse floor.
The Solution: WipIT takes the guesswork out of streamlining and optimizing these manual processes by automating and enforcing process adherence. Where manual processes are required, WipIT walks operators through step-by-step instructions to ensure accuracy, accelerate cycle times, and improve efficiency.
2. Process Complexity
Managing complex returns processes across multiple customers and products can drive up costs and erode profit margins if those workflows aren’t optimized for efficiency. The costs of labor, inspections, repairs, and other logistics involved with moving goods upstream add up quickly, especially when you don’t have a centralized way to manage workflows and visualize data.
The Solution: WipIT intuitively simplifies these complex business rules across products, customers and programs, seamlessly integrating with 3rd party applications where required. Guided processes, end to end visibility across multiple systems, and better cost management enable service providers to manage high-volume returns at speed and scale while ensuring accuracy and managing costs.
3. Lack of Visibility
A study conducted by Zippia in 2022 found that only 6% of companies have full supply chain visibility. Particularly in reverse logistics, that lack of visibility can result in lower profit margins, lengthy processes, and frustrated customers. Lack of visibility often stems from non-integrated systems and siloed data, which makes it difficult to create accurate, comprehensive reports.
The Solution: WipIT integrates with your WMS, ERP, and analytics tools so that you can view all your data in one place. This makes it possible to track the full return journey, identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies, and access data in real-time for more effective decision-making.
4. Inefficient Workflow Modification
In most warehouses, modifying a workflow requires complicated coding that must be handled by a developer. This translates into weeks of waiting and wasted time and makes it difficult to adapt to changing customer needs quickly.
The Solution: WipIT’s dynamic workflow engine and administrative user interface adapts the system to your process so you can create and modify workflows in real time without impacting operations.
WipIT: Your Solution for Efficient, Scalable Reverse Logistics
The impact that inefficient workflows have on reverse logistics management can’t be overstated. Lack of process optimization and workflow alignment will impact customer satisfaction, cost of operation, and profit margins. On the flip side, however, closing gaps in your returns workflows can reduce costs, accelerate processes, and improve inventory management.
WipIT™ brings the power of workflow automation and data visibility to your warehouse. With a dynamic workflow engine that easily configures dynamic workflows, automates processes and captures crucial business data, you can process high-volume returns efficiently across multiple products, processes and customers. With end-to-end visibility and reporting, WipIT helps you monitor key metrics and move inventory and data across systems, improving transparency and creating competitive advantage with your reverse logistics operations.
Ready to see how WipIT can transform your reverse logistics operations? Contact us today to get started!