Mantis exhibited again at the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium XPO 2023
Mantis exhibited again at the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium XPO 2023
Mantis, a Magic Quadrant Specialist WMS Suite vendor successfully participated with two different sponsorships at the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium / XPO on May 8-10, 2023, at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort, in Orlando, Florida.
May 28, 2023
Mantis renewed its participation at the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium / XPO at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort, in Orlando, Florida. This most prestigious Gartner fair explored big ideas and delivered actionable insights to help supply chain leaders who have the power to leverage their credibility, confidence, and commitment to profitably deliver in times of unprecedented stress and volatility.
This year Mantis had a strong presence in this premium event, with two booths, one in the exhibition area and one -the bigger one- in the privileged Engagement Zone where there exhibited only two exhibitors including Mantis.
This year we had the chance to communicate face-to-face with a plethora of visitors and present the Mantis award-winning Warehouse Management System, Logistics Vision Suite which is the ultimate Warehouse Management Solution for companies with complex operations, seeking to propel their growth plans forward. With its comprehensive and adaptable features, our WMS is the top choice for businesses looking to streamline their operations and maximize efficiency.
Furthermore, we had the opportunity to present in a theatre session the power of our Warehouse Intelligence. In this session we described how the global leader in food & beverage exemplified that Warehouse Intelligencecan unleash hidden efficiencies across their operations. From seemingly trivial aspects to the most advanced applications, the impact of Warehouse Intelligence was far-reaching, encompassing improved labor efficiency, streamlined processes, optimized routes, and increased productivity.
Logistics Vision Suite (LVS), Mantis’ adaptable and flexible WMS addresses the demanding requirements of large enterprises in more than 30 countries worldwide. Furthermore, the company’s dedication to innovation is why Mantis is included in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems as a Specialist WMS Suite Vendor.
The Gartner Supply Chain Symposium / XPO 2023 showcased the top trends and technologies you need to empower your supply chain, to help you leverage disruption and complexity and to realize your supply chain vision.
MacMillan Supply Chain Group opts for Mantis LVS to optimize its 3PL operations
MacMillan Supply Chain Group opts for Mantis LVS to optimize its 3PL operations
Mantis announces the implementation of Logistics Vision Suite at all MacMillan facilities in the GTA, Canada.
May 24, 2023
MacMillan Supply Chain Group specializes in providing last mile, order fulfillment, warehousing and logistics services to its clients.
“We help our clients first and foremost by understanding and appreciating that no logistical solution can be handled with a one size fits all approach. That means we take the time to understand specific needs, challenges, products and their market nuances.”
Dilshan Nava, VP of Sales and Operations, MacMillan.
MacMillan has strategically positioned itself well within the supply chain and logistics industry by focusing on the most critical items their clients require, to ensure they can focus on growing their business without worrying about logistics.
As they are actively investing in technology and automation, MacMillan knew it was time to evaluate and choose a new WMS partner that would better support their own growth.
“We invested in this strategic partnership with Mantis, for the implementation of Mantis LVS as our warehouse management system of choice because the scalability and adaptability of LVS proved an ideal fit for our e-Commerce and 3PL activities, positioning us for strong growth.”
Raaj Kanthasamy, Head of IT and Infrastructure, MacMillan.
MacMillan will utilize many LVS modules beyond the core WMS such as Billing, Link Manager, Visual Warehouse Manager, Visual Scenario Builder, Parcel Management and e-Client Workspace.
The Mantis Americas Subject Matter Experts performed the project management and implementation with MacMillan, ensuring the system was live on time and in budget.
About MacMillan Supply Chain Group
MacMillan Supply Chain Group is focused on creating a better, more sustainable network that rebuilds trust and reliability for themselves and the industry. Based in the GTA, Ontario, Canada, MacMillan has multiple facilities within short distance of major highways, railyards and Canada’s busiest airport. Their end to end operations include order fulfillment, last mile, destuffing, cross docking and general warehousing needs. With a robust reverse logistics and returns management program, MacMillan can handle the full cycle and most importantly – improve customer satisfaction. MacMillan is the perfect partner for several industries, identified as ideal based on their experience, facilities and corporate strategic direction. To learn more visit www.macmillanscg.com.
Jörg Jung Appointed as New CEO of ecovium
Jörg Jung Appointed as New CEO of ecovium
Focused on customer-oriented growth and SaaS business to drive company success.
May 10, 2023
ecovium Holding GmbH, a leading provider of digital supply chain management (SCM) solutions, has appointed Jörg Jung as the new CEO, effective May 1, 2023. He succeeds Jasmino Burkic, who is leaving the company to pursue new opportunities.
Jörg Jung joins ecovium from Cyncly, a software company formed by the merger of Compusoft and 2020 Technologies. In his extensive career in enterprise software and cloud technologies, the 50-year-old new CEO of ecovium has held various leadership positions at prominent companies such as SAP, Deutsche Telekom, Unit4 Business Software GmbH, and INFOR Global Solutions.
He began at SAP, serving for ten years in different roles, culminating as the executive board’s chief of staff. Later, he joined Deutsche Telekom as Senior Vice President of Global Cloud Go-to-Market, opening new markets and developing business models with partners. He then became Managing Director Central Europe at Unit4 Business Software GmbH and Executive Vice President and General Manager at INFOR Global Solutions, where he helped customers migrate to the cloud and acquired new clients.
At Cyncly, as CEO, he drove the integration of the companies and established the group’s industry-specific end-to-end solutions in the international market.
Oliver Bendig, Chairman of the ecovium Advisory Board, emphasizes the importance of the new CEO for the group:
“Jörg Jung is the ideal choice to confidently guide ecovium into a successful future. With his extensive international experience and impressive track record in the enterprise software industry, he will expand our growth strategy and bring fresh momentum to the group. Jörg‘s consistent focus on customers and values-based actions align perfectly with the commitment of ecovium to innovative supply chain solutions that positively impact both the economic success and environmental footprint of their clients.”
Oliver Bendig also thanks outgoing CEO Jasmino Burkic for his dedication over the past five years:
“His outstanding leadership at ecovium has created an excellent foundation for the group’s further growth and future success.”
As the new CEO of ecovium, Jörg Jung aims to position the company more internationally and support fast-paced businesses through simplified access to tailored supply chain management solutions. He says:
“Throughout my career, I’ve relied on innovative and creative solutions for growth. At ecovium, I’ll focus on developing accessible, cloud-based SaaS products to help international customers implement digital transformation projects. Trustful cooperation with customers and partners, along with modern technology integration, will be crucial for success. I look forward to applying my expertise to ecovium and working with the group’s dedicated and experienced team for a successful future.”
Mantis co-exhibited with ecovium at LogiMAT 2023
Mantis co-exhibited with ecovium at LogiMAT 2023
Mantis, an international leading vendor for Warehouse Management System / Logistics software and solutions, showcased the innovative, award-winning WMS Logistics Vision Suite (LVS) during LogiMAT 2023 in Stuttgart – Germany (25-27 April).
April 28, 2023
Mantis co-exhibited with ecovium logistics IT specialist, a leading provider of Supply Chain Execution (SCE) software and hardware solutions, at LogiMAT 2023, one of the major international trade shows for automation, digital transformation, and state-of-the-art technologies to optimize and automate intralogistics processes.
ecovium participated in the trade show, with two impressive booths, that attracted the interest for end-to-end Logistics solutions from a single source (customs, warehousing, shipping, transport and hardware).
During the three-day trade show, the on-site Mantis team of experts, representing different Mantissubsidiaries, had the opportunity to welcome the numerous visitors who stayed tuned with the international Logistics market current technology trends, in the ecovium’ booths and demonstrated the cutting-edge WMS technology and the exceptional capabilities of Mantis flagship, WMS LVS. Mantis representatives presented the easily adapted WMS LVS for companies with sophisticated warehousing & distribution operations and automations, from major industries and vertical markets, offering unique adaptability, great scalability and outstanding upgradeability.
LogiMAT visitors were also introduced to Mantis Warehouse Control Tower (WCT), a new decision-support and execution tool, designed to supervise and optimize the entire warehouse processes such as receipts, storage, order execution, shipping, etc. providing real-time visibility and control. Current and prospective clients, as well as valuable partners of Mantis, had inspirational discussions with the company’s executive team about all innovative modules of WMS LVS such as Logistics Customer Service web application, Parcel Management, Slotting optimization, Warehouse Intelligence, Costing & Billing for 3PLs, Traceability, etc.
Logistics C-level executives had also the opportunity to get precious insights on how WMS LVS native integration and orchestration of smart and affordable automations (Vision Picking, Voice Picking, Pick-to-Light, Put-Wall / Sort-to-Light, smart Pick Cards, etc.) and Automated Materials Handling Systems / AMHS such as Goods-to-Person automated technologies (Shuttles, Carousels, Mini-Loads, Mobile Selves & AGV – like robotics, etc.), sorters, packing line systems, etc, fast and easily boost their warehouse productivity with competitive pricing.
Mantis showcased its award-winning WMS at ProMat 2023
Mantis showcased its award-winning WMS at ProMat 2023
Mantis renewed its participation at ProMat in Chicago, Illinois, where supply chain professionals discovered how WMS Logistics Vision Suite (LVS) moves their business forward.
March 27, 2023
ProMat 2023 was held in McCormick Place, March 20-23, gathering under one roof more than 1,000 of the world’s leading supply chain solutions providers and attracting thousands of C-level supply chain professionals from North America and the international market.
Mantis, a leading international WMS / logistics software and solutions vendor, exhibited in the heart of the Information Technology Solutions section in this year’s trade show, sharing all the latest trends in Warehouse Management System (WMS) technology and showcasing its flagship, Mantis WMS Logistics Vision Suite(LVS).
Mantis team of experts presented how WMS LVS increases profitability, reduces costs and boosts logistics productivity, through optimization and automation of all warehouse operations, for companies activated in vital industries and sales channels such as 3rd Party Logistics, wholesaling & distribution, e-Commerce, and a wide range of vertical markets.
With the impressive fast ROI and low TCO, visitors at the Mantis booth had the opportunity to learn also about LVS’s unique advantages of outstanding flexibility and true adaptability, which permit this innovative logistics platform to grow with the companies’ compelling requirements and enable them to achieve high levels of logistics performance.
Mantis successfully delivered an expert-led seminar entitled “Warehouse Optimization: same space, better results” on March 22, in the Emerging Technologies Theater. The seminar was a full house offering the audience an effective solution to maximize warehouse space utilization and labor productivity.
Bigotti implements Mantis WMS LVS to pioneer Fashion Logistics
Bigotti implements Mantis WMS LVS to pioneer Fashion Logistics
Mantis announces the Logistics Vision Suite deployment at the logistics premises of Bigotti in Romania, leading to the optimization and automation of warehouse operations.
March 2, 2023
Bigotti, one of Romania’s largest fashion retailers with 41 stores in Romania and Bulgaria, and a rapidly growing international e-Commerce sales channel, inaugurated a strategic partnership with Mantis for the implementation of the Mantis WMS LVS, for the optimization and automation of its central warehouse in Bucharest to offer ultimate customer service to its physical and online customers.
Bigotti, a brand of Graftex, operates in the very demanding sector of apparel, men’s fashion and footwear where the customer is the king: whether they visit one of Bigotti’s stores in various premium locations in Romanian biggest cities, or prefer to shop on-line, Bigotti’s customers are satisfied with no less than the right product, at the right time, at the right place. Customers expect an irresistible variety of SKUs in different colors and sizes, as well as packing options of high quality and smart design. Their interest needs to be constantly revived by new collections, whereas they wait for the best price offerings during sales, mid-season sales and promotional campaigns, and they pay attention to the returns policy.
Then, how did all this complexity and prolonged peak seasonality affect the company’s logistics? To successfully address the high demands of the market, Bigotti had to quickly optimize the order fulfillment process and monitor real-time stock availability with the support of an adaptable, scalable and easily upgradeable Warehouse Management System. As Bigotti’s previous WMS system reached its limits, the company released a WMS market survey and finally, opted for Mantis WMS LVS, a leading international / logistics software, that proved to be a perfect fit to the management team’s expectations. Mantis WMS LVS’ advanced and flexible functionality offers rapid and cost-effective ongoing support while its unlimited stock attributes deliver all the adaptability required to the compelling needs of the fashion industry.
LVS, the Mantis Warehouse Management System was effectively deployed by Mantis Romania team of experts in Bigotti’s central warehouse in a record time of 3.5 months, in parallel with the customer’s daily operations even on the “heavy duty” period of Black Friday.
Once Mantis WMS LVS was fully implemented, Bigotti started to experience a productivity increase, high order accuracy, high levels of quality control, and punctual, real-time stock availability. Vital processes such as packing and checking were also outstandingly improved. The company has already released an agreement with Mantis for a second phase in 2023, including the installation of an automated sorting line as well as the deployment of Mantis Parcel Management module both for carriers and integrators, to streamline the shipping process of e-orders.
“Implementing Mantis WMS LVS for our warehouse operations was the best choice to optimize our logistics performance at a snap. Μantis is a true partner, with a very knowledgeable team, daily supporting us to deliver outstanding customer service, with LVS’ advanced functionality and great flexibility. We have already agreed to expand our partnership with Mantis by adopting warehouse automations, to efficiently address e-Commerce challenge.”
George Olteanu, Sales Director, Bigotti
About Bigotti
Bigotti is one of Romania’s largest fashion retailers, exclusively dedicated to men, with 24 stores in over 14 cities around the country, in prime locations in the most prestigious malls, shopping galleries, and the Henry Coandă Airport, the biggest international airport in Romania. Bigotti, operating since 2000, dresses up more than 40,000 men annually offering more than 1,000 models with over 100,000 units sold.
Mantis sponsored the 16th Logistics Summit in Cyprus
Mantis sponsored the 16th Logistics Summit in Cyprus
Mantis successfully renewed its presence at the 16th Logistics Summit in Cyprus, January 19, 2023, Hilton Nicosia. Mantis showcased the unique advantages of WMS LVS along with its proprietary technology for smart and affordable warehouse automations. With a presentation focused on Warehouse Data Analytics it was explained to the audience how information may be easily accessible and comprehensible.
January 19, 2023
For one more year, Mantis sponsored the annual Logistics Summit of Cyprus, a major supply chain event, promoting warehouse excellence and state-of-the-art technologies.
Mantis presented how Warehouse Data Analytics are transformed into valuable insights for the optimization of decision-making in the supply chain, offering a significant performance increase.
Furthermore, Mantis was present at the Logistics Summit, organized by IMH, with an impressive booth, where Mantis Cyprus team of experts showcased the WMS LVS unique capabilities of true adaptability, outstanding flexibility and great upgradeability.
The attendees also had the opportunity to discover how smart and affordable warehouse automations of top performance, such as VVR – probably the first real-life Vision Picking solution in the world – empower warehouse productivity.
DYN Diagnostics forges its partnership with Mantis
DYN Diagnostics forges its partnership with Mantis
DYN Diagnostics, a key player in medical products, equipment, and technologies in Israel, strengthens its long-lasting partnership with Mantis with LVS performing the automation orchestration in its’ new logistics center.
December 22, 2022
DYN Diagnostics, a customer of Mantis Israel for over 10 years, decided to further invest in Mantis Logistics Vision Suite (LVS), the leading international state-of-the-art WMS / logistics suite, to optimize and automate its warehouse operations in their new distribution center. The solution, orchestrated by Mantis WMS LVS, also included the management of the recently installed new AMHS equipment (Automated Materials Handling Systems) combined with smart and affordable automations.
DYN Diagnostics leads the way in Israel’s medical products, equipment, and technologies sector. In the last years, the company has experienced exceptional growth enhanced by its expansion in e-Commerce, which created new, increased client demands for fast and errorless order delivery.
To better address the emerging market needs, DYN Diagnostics decided to move to a new logistics center in the Sagi industrial zone in the county of Migdal Haemek, and implement a robust WMS, rapidly and reliably automating the order fulfillment process, in combination with AMHS and smart and affordable automations. To preserve its domination in the highly demanding medical market, DYN Diagnostics has committed to top logistics performance in the fields of traceability, inventory visibility and real-time monitoring, as well as data flow transparency.
The initial decision was based on a thorough market search by the company’s management team that resulted in signing a strategic partnership with Mantis, the leading international WMS / logistics software and solutions vendor. Mantis WMS LVS proved to be the most appropriate logistics solution for the enterprise which relied on the platform’s unique advantages of true adaptability, outstanding flexibility, and unique upgradeability. Now with the investment in the new distribution center, the original decision was validated and the cooperation of DYN with Mantis was expanded to cover also the incorporation of automation into DYN’s operations.
Taking full advantage of LVS’s unbeatable capabilities, the Mantis Israel team of experts effectively implemented Mantis WMS LVS at DYN Diagnostics, leading to a significant optimization and automation of all inbound and outbound warehouse operations. By using the LVS proprietary technology smart and affordable warehouse automations and Automated Storage & Retrieval System integrated, hence, the new logistics center of DYN Diagnostics operates Kardex VLMs both for ambient and controlled temperature (refrigerated) products, combined with Pick-to-Cart technology.
The transition to the new logistics center was gradual while working in two warehouses simultaneously until the final transition of all the company's activities. The transition enabled the company to reassess and improve work processes to reduce costs and maximize existing resources.
The new distribution center is now benefiting from the great advantages that Mantis WMS LVS has been offering throughout the years to DYN Diagnostics such as a high increase in productivity, fast order fulfillment and ultimate order accuracy, enabling the company to fulfill its ambitious expansion plans in the field of delivering Logistics Services.
About DYN
DYN was established in 1990 with the vision of improving the quality of life of the population in Israel by implementing tests, advanced processes, systems, products and technologies for improving medical diagnosis and treatment in the country. The infrastructure, experience and knowledge accumulated over the years enable the company to offer a range of services and solutions. DYN Diagnostics’ activity is supported by over 100 skilled, experienced employees with a broad education in the fields of life sciences, engineering, information systems, distribution and logistics.
WMS ROI: Is a New WMS Worth the Investment?
When deciding to implement a new warehouse management system (WMS), there will come a point where the ROI of the new solution is questioned. While there are many systems on the market, WMS solutions are a significant expense. The right one can save you thousands per month in other expenses.
Many companies view a WMS as a cost. However, it should be viewed as an investment—an investment that:
- Protects your inventory
- Manages labor costs, and
- Streamlines warehouse operations
The total cost of ownership (TCO) must be weighed when evaluating new systems, technology, or any other major business purchase. TCO is a well-established practice from accounting that looks beyond just the actual cost of the hardware and software and helps explore other non-monetary costs as well. By measuring TCO, businesses can get a holistic view of all the costs associated with a new investment.
WMS Costs to Evaluate
Tangible Costs
Tangible costs are straightforward and can be easily measured. Tangible costs refer to any costs for physical goods or things you can see, feel, or touch. Nearly anything that can be viewed on a report or that generates data is a tangible cost. Here are some of the main tangible costs impacted by a WMS.
Labor
Labor costs are the costs for your employees and how many man-hours will go into the system. However, most WMS don’t monitor people. But the time your packers and pickers spend preparing and sending out orders is another major cost to measure. A good WMS software monitors both people and inventory.
Inventory
How much inventory you have on hand and need to keep track of is another tangible cost. WMS costs can be greater if your total number of SKUs tracked is high and no other rules apply to minimize your stock.
Productivity
Measure current operational costs and then compare them to what they would be after implementing a WMS. This helps give an estimate of how much time and money a WMS can save you by helping you optimize your operations, increase productivity, and shorten tasks.
Existing Technology
Look at your existing technology stack. Is your company using any other logistics software or warehouse management software? What about ERPs?
You need to make sure that the WMS you choose will be able to integrate with your existing solutions. If not, you may need to consider investing in additional software so everything can communicate with each other, which adds to the cost of implementation.
Equipment and Automation
Will you need additional Material Handling Equipment (MHE), like conveyor belts, light picking systems, or robotics? To stay competitive and realize even greater savings in the long run, you may want to consider investing in additional MHE tools that help your team work more quickly.
Intangible Costs
Unlike tangible costs, intangible costs are a bit more difficult to measure. That’s because intangible costs aren’t necessarily tied to a piece of equipment or software. They are important costs to keep in mind for any WMS implementations though. Here are the main intangible costs to consider.
Support Requirements
Once your new WMS is implemented, are there ongoing support requirements? Is it a cloud-based solution or something that needs to be physically installed on other company devices? Is the system easy to learn, or will it require training and ongoing customer support? These are all important questions to have ready when evaluating a new WMS.
Employee Satisfaction
A major intangible cost that should be strongly considered is how will the new WMS impact employee satisfaction. Businesses should avoid software that makes workers’ jobs harder or causes daily frustration. Adding additional friction to your warehouse operations causes inefficiencies, increases turnover, and lowers morale.
WMS ROI Analysis
With a better understanding of the costs associated with implementing a new WMS, you can begin to work on an ROI analysis to help sell the system internally. The best WMS providers show a return in about a year or less because a WMS eventually saves a company much more money than it costs.
Here’s how you can begin your WMS ROI analysis to see if the system in question is right for you.
Step 1: Evaluate Current Operations
Do a detailed analysis of your existing operations. If you don’t have the expertise to do this internally, it can be beneficial to work with a consultant or ask the vendors you are exploring to help guide you.
Specifically, you want to find bottlenecks in your warehouse operations. You should also track how inventory moves through the warehouse to discover the most optimal paths. Document what happens at each stage of your fulfillment process and see what areas need the most attention or improvement.
While it may be tempting, do not rush through this first step. Plan to spend quite a bit of time here so you can be as thorough as possible.
Step 2: Needs Assessment
After finding out the strengths and weaknesses of your current warehouse operations, you can determine which needs are most important. Not all WMS solutions are the same. You’ll want to find one that can help you improve the areas you need help with while not creating any additional burdens. At the same time, you should prioritize looking for a system that can scale with your company as it grows.
Determine what technological requirements are needed to support a new WMS. Will it work with your existing systems, or will additional upgrades need to be made?
Even though “warehouse” is in the name, a WMS touches many other areas of your business. Each department involved should make a wishlist of the features they would like to see in the new WMS. You may not be able to get all of them, but it will be a helpful exercise that can improve the adoption rate of the new software internally.
Step 3: Crunch the Numbers
Review the tangible and intangible costs of implementing a new WMS. There are many ROI calculators online from various vendors. However, they all use a slightly different method to determine the WMS breakeven points. It is best to work with each vendor individually on the ROI of their system.
To make sure you are comparing apples to apples, ask the vendors if you can see the calculations they are using to determine if there are any key differences in how the ROI is calculated.
Is a WMS Worth the Investment?
To determine if a WMS is worth the investment, it needs to show a positive return. If the monthly costs for the WMS bring enough savings, then yes, it is worth the investment.
Still, this will not always be the case. Not every WMS will be suitable for every business. Finding and partnering with a trustworthy WMS provider that has a proven track record of success is a great way to ensure you get the results you need.
Logistics Vision Suite (LVS) WMS
Regardless of where you are in your search for a new WMS, check out our Logistics Vision Suite. It is used by more than 700 companies across the globe because it is advanced, adapts to your needs, integrates well with existing technologies, and delivers results.
Contact our team today to learn more about what LVS can do for you.
9 Things to Consider When Choosing a WMS for Your 3PL Warehouses
The e-commerce industry boomed as a result of the pandemic. Online shopping became even more popular than it already was, creating a major demand for more goods to be available for purchase online. Some businesses already possessed a strong online presence with consistent sales happening through their website. However, many businesses were not prepared to go online at the start of 2020.
As more companies began investing in e-commerce, the services offered by third-party logistics (3PL) companies also saw an increase in demand. Many companies do not want the burden that comes with handling the challenging demands of logistics and warehouse operations. Factors like shipping costs, express delivery options, and accurate order fulfillment also fueled the demand for 3PL partnerships over the last several years.
Since 3PLs are responsible for a key part of a business, they need to have a strong warehouse management system (WMS). Without the right WMS in place, 3PL companies can miss deliveries, send the wrong orders, or misplace inventory.
What is a WMS?
In simple terms, a warehouse management system (WMS) is a type of software with different modules or functionalities. The software is designed to keep track of inventory from the time it enters a warehouse until the goods are ordered and shipped out to the end customers. The purpose of a WMS is to find the most efficient and cost-effective way to stock and move goods through a warehouse. Most WMS software can handle a variety of tasks, including receiving, inventory management, tracking, replenishing, counting, picking and packing, and shipping.
What is the main benefit of a WMS for 3PL?
Today, many companies prefer to outsource their supply chain management and logistics to a 3PL. Logistics Service Providers are responsible for managing an effective supply chain and logistics operation for multiple clients at a time. Order fulfillment is a challenging and time-consuming function within the supply chain, so warehouses need a strong “brain” to help manage and keep track of all 3PL inventory coming in and out of the warehouse. That’s where a WMS comes in. It helps provide 3PL inventory management, information, insight, and tracking for the various stages of the supply chain. Warehouse management systems also help 3PLs ensure stock levels are maintained with adequate safety stock in case there are delays in replenishment.
What Criteria Matter the Most When Looking for WMS Partners?
In 3PL warehousing, a strong WMS is critical in order to effectively compete and keep customers happy. Not all warehouse management systems are the same. As with any software, there are differences and strengths that each solution can provide. The best solutions can offer the most important features and functionality for your business while also offering effective inventory management. Here are the six most important criteria for a WMS provider.
1. Speed of Implementation
Whether you’re getting a WMS for the first time or replacing an existing one, the time it takes to get up and running is critical. Many WMS solutions claim to have short implementations—but be wary. A “short” implementation could be 16 months for one vendor, or 6 months for another depending on their averages. Ideally, you should look for solutions that get your new WMS fully implemented in about 12-24 weeks. Obviously, the faster your system is online, the sooner you can get back to focusing on your clients.
Speaking of your clients, your WMS should also enable you to get new clients onboarded fast. This is a major area to consider. Faster client onboarding minimizes downtime, enabling your company to start filling orders as quickly as possible. You want to reduce as much friction as possible when starting with a new client. Not all WMS solutions are able to do this efficiently, so make sure you search for vendors that work with other 3PLs already.
2. Business Intelligence
Another important area to consider when replacing a WMS is the ability to gain deep insights from the new system. Customizable and detailed warehouse intelligence reports are very important since they will help provide plenty of visibility to the most important information for your business. Before implementing a new WMS, be sure to ask detailed questions about the system’s reporting and business intelligence capabilities.
3. Billing and Cost management
A major factor of any WMS for 3PL is the ability to control costs. Investments in a system with dozens of automations are obviously a major investment, but those investments need to do more than just save money on overhead. With a system like LVS, 3PLs can measure nearly every aspect of their operations. This enables users find and track costs associated with every area of their business.
4. Client Facing Portals
3PL companies are very busy. You don’t always have time to interact with every client at a moment’s notice. Instead, you should use a WMS that gives your clients access to the dashboards and information they need to stay informed, all without taking up your precious time to keep them in the loop. Mantis offers a proprietary customer portal called Client eWorkspace for 3PLs to use with their customers.
5. Adaptability and Scalability
There’s a high chance your business is very different today than it was a year ago. Businesses change and grow over time, which introduces new challenges and needs. Your WMS should be adaptable enough to meet you where you are today, but also be scalable so that it will last as long as you need. Some WMS systems are limited in their offerings. Make sure you look for a WMS that can support your business as it grows for years into the future.
6. Expert 3PL Customer Support
No matter how good a WMS is, there will be times when something goes wrong, or your team won’t understand how to properly operate a specific function or feature. It’s at these times when good customer service can make a world of difference for your business. Seek out WMS companies that offer ongoing maintenance, technical support, and training.
7. Advanced Slotting Capabilities
Knowing how to move inventory is only part of the challenge for 3PLs. They also need to be able to sort, store, and organize it effectively. Advanced slotting helps find the most optimal methods to maximize space utilization, labor productivity, transportation efficiencies, and compare DC operations with global industry benchmarks to see where you can improve. Some companies have used CAD tools to figure this out manually. However, there are advanced slotting solutions that can help find greater reductions in handling and travel distance while optimizing storage space.
8. Increased Productivity Through Automation
Today’s technology enables the work done in a warehouse to be augmented to make human workers more efficient and less prone to mistakes. As the name suggests, automation helps reduce costs and improve tedious manual tasks so that the warehouse can run more efficiently.
Light Warehouse automations come in a variety of technologies, including Voice Picking, Pick-to-Light, Put-Walls/Sort-to-Light, Smart Pick Carts, Smart Glasses, RFID. There are also many Automated Material Handling Solutions such as Goods-to-Person Shuttles, Carousels, Mini-Loads, Mobile Shelves & AGV – like robotics, AMRs, Conveyors, Sorters, Packing line systems, RFID-Gates and more.
There are many areas of warehouse operations that can be automated. The more a WMS can help you streamline your processes, the greater the benefits and cost savings. Many automations come with a high price tag. Mantis offers very reasonable pricing on Light warehouse automation solutions that can be implemented quickly and are flexible enough to grow with your team. Mantis also offers its own advanced solution (WCS) to integrate with Automated Material Handling Systems (AMHS).
9. Total Cost of Ownership
With any business purchase, you need to consider the total cost of ownership. This is especially true for your WMS. A system with limited functionality or poor performance can have major costs associated with it, even if the upfront cost was low. Do your homework and question the sales reps and other WMS provider personnel to ensure they won’t end up costing you more in the long run. The best WMS solutions function as a part of your business with minimal disruptions that help you see a strong ROI quickly.
Mantis Logistics Vision Suite
Of course, there are dozens of other areas to consider when selecting a new WMS for your 3PL warehouse. The Logistics Vision Suite (LVS) by Mantis checks all these boxes and more. If you’re in the market for a new WMS, explore LVS and see why more than 700 companies trust Mantis to manage their warehouses.