Why the Construction Industry needs Warehouse Management Solutions

Growing businesses face a number of challenges, and one of the biggest challenges is how to best serve a growing customer base efficiently. Often, the systems and methods that work for small businesses aren’t scalable because of the increased volume of work and the increased number of people. When one person is in charge of order fulfillment, for example, maintaining a unique and idiosyncratic system is possible. When you add more people and orders, new problems start to arise. That’s why implementing warehouse management solutions is critical for growth in the construction industry.

Other industries, like retail, have been using warehouse inventory management systems for years, and they have made the buyer and selling processes easier and better for everyone. Now, you can go to a retailer’s website and see whether they have an item in stock at the store nearest you, and if they do, you can place the order online to pick it up from the store that day. That kind of efficiency is valuable to retail customers, so why wouldn’t it be valuable to consumers of construction materials?

It is. We’ve been using a warehouse management system since early 2013, and it has helped us immensely. Once orders are entered, they are sent to the warehouse staff in real time with all the relevant information to fulfill the order. This allows us to fulfill orders quickly and more accurately than we could just using paper since we can see what we have in stock when the order is being placed, and get it to fulfillment almost instantaneously. Additionally, this system allows us to send through urgent orders quickly and prioritize them so that our clients get the product they need, when they need it. We know just what we have on hand, so our inventory is more credible and accurate. No one needs to run out to check in the warehouse to see if we have what you want—we’ve got it in the system.

All of this means that you, our clients, experience less hassle and shorter wait times. It means less last-minute calls saying that the things you ordered are on backorder, less waiting at the site for materials to come in, and less cost for rush orders with other suppliers when your main supplier can’t get what you need on time. This ensures your builds run smoother, you’re more efficient, and your clients are happy – and that, after all, is the goal.

Efficiency is key to success in the construction industry, especially for high-value single family and multi-family building construction. Using warehouse management systems in real time helps us be more efficient which, in turn, helps you be more efficient too. Let us show you how our system and products can benefit you, contact Zeeland Lumber today to discuss your material needs.