When you are sending out thousands of packages to customers worldwide every day, your business operations have to be as smooth and efficient as possible.
One Worldwide Distributor understands that automation is a key part of achieving this goal. With rapid growth, they are using Robotic Process Automaton (RPA) globally, across all regions to maximise existing resources to deliver an excellent experience to its customers, suppliers, and employees.
To meet customers’ needs, they operate 12 distribution centres worldwide and employ a number of front-line client-facing teams, who handle calls, emails and transactions, supporting the customer journey.
With up to 30,000 different inventory code changes per request, the fast and accurate updating of data is essential. This not only ensures that the right products are dispatched but also enables effective inventory management.
The operation of the company depends on the correct level of stock being re-ordered and an optimum amount of stock in the supply chain. Automating this single process has increased the accuracy of data and cut the lead-time for inventory management by 50%.
“The inventory management team now has better visibility – and faster access – to product data and they can then issue a set of actions to ensure we get the right products to customers quickly and effectively.”
An RPA software robot uses shipping numbers and customer account numbers to continually check that orders are being shipped in a timely manner. When it spots a discrepancy, the robot automatically escalates those that need priority – such as those with an expiry date that require immediate shipping and fragile items that shouldn’t remain on the warehouse floor for long periods of time.
This automation has reduced the shipping cycle of certain product ranges in the UK by 20%, meaning customers get their products faster and the payments process is accelerated.
Overall releasing +thousands of hours back to the business so their people can focus on more complex, value-adding activities, increased throughput rates, shortened wait times for process outputs and minimised error rates in operations, that delivers significant business benefits.
“With the power of modern RPA software, these are quite simple processes to automate to see definite business benefits. The initial goal was to deliver quick wins that would show what
RPA can do. The inventory management automation has certainly accomplished that”
RPA Inventory Project Benefits
Leading times for inventory management cut in half
Product shipping cycle times reduced by 20%
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