Pick-to-voice warehousing, otherwise known as voice-directed warehousing (VDW) or voice picking, is one of the latest and greatest ways technology is giving the modern warehouse a floor-to-ceiling overhaul. Picking and packing—the process of gathering components of an order and then placing them into addressed parcels to be shipped to the end user—is one of the most time-critical components of the entire supply chain. Anything a company can do to speed it up can translate to big money saved, not to mention additional benefits like heightened safety and accuracy.
What Is Pick-to-Voice Warehousing?
With pick-to-voice warehousing, workers wear devices, usually headsets and wrist devices, that give them commands regarding where to pick goods and in what quantity. Workers hear the directions through a wearable headset that connects to an order management system, providing automated updates during every step of each order. At the same time, voice picking systems listen to and respond to your workers, which means they can complete commands hands-free.
The worker typically uses verbal commands to confirm certain actions back to the system and ensure that the right item and quantity has been picked. With the wearable devices or handheld scanners, workers can scan goods to indicate that a certain portion of the job has been completed. Using speech recognition, the software can listen for and understand your workers’ commands in order to relay information back to the warehouse management system.
How Pick-to-Voice Can Revolutionize Warehousing
Given that millions of people use voice commands every day in their daily lives, from asking Alexa to turn down the music to starting the dishwasher when their hands are full, this technology probably doesn’t seem revolutionary to the average person. But voice picking addresses a set of challenges unique to the modern warehouse. It eliminates workers having to reference hard-to-read papers or wield heavy equipment that slows them down.
Whether you’re looking for ways to shave off time when packing your snack subscription box or you run your own warehouse and are considering which new technologies to implement, voice-directed warehousing is certainly one of the most valuable options for your consideration. Here are some of the specific ways this can help companies improve their entire supply chain:
- Low Error Rate—One of the most measurable benefits of implementing a voice-picking system in a warehouse environment is that it can drastically improve accuracy. Mis-packed orders and damaged and lost inventory can account for big expenses in the warehouse, so anything an operation can do to curb them can seriously improve results. According to one study on Conveyco’s website, pick-to-voice systems can reduce picking error rates by up to 67 percent when compared with manual methods.
- Faster and More Efficient—Operations that implement voice-picking report significant improvements in terms of efficiency and time spent packing each individual order. This means that your company can pick and pack more orders in less time, which means less money spent on labor. The primary time- and money-saver associated with this type of picking is less travel time. When workers don’t have to travel very far to pick or pack an order, they’re able to get more goods packed faster.
- Improves Productivity—Implementing voice can increase productivity drastically (with some companies reporting a productivity spike of as much as 100 percent, according to Lucas Systems). There are a few important reasons for why this is the case, including the fact that voice-picking systems can lessen the number of distractions for the worker, especially those caused by referencing paper lists or handling screens, and the fact that they are able to complete their jobs hands-free while focusing on the job in front of them. Generally, these systems provide a series of commands, so when one job is complete, operators are immediately given another command to keep them on track.
- Quick Training—Another one of the most challenging issues for large-scale warehousing and distribution centers is that they rely on seasonal and temporary workers throughout the year. Training these workers can take up a lot of time and money that could be spent on other tasks, so anything you can do to minimize time spent getting them prepped for the season equals a big win. Most often, workers can start using a voice-picking system in a day or less, helping to improve accuracy and efficiency almost immediately.
- Improved Safety—The hands-free, eyes up methodology is great for improving productivity and preventing on-the-job accidents. As previously mentioned, voice-picking systems generally cause workers to be more focused throughout the day, allowing them to stay on track and not get distracted by other tasks or the environment around them. This can help prevent workplace injuries, especially slips, falls, and spills, and damaged inventory.
- Improved Scalability—There are many new kinds of warehouse technologies that can help your business rapidly scale, but voice-picking is one of the simplest and most straightforward. Companies that rely heavily on the picking and packing aspects of the supply chain, such as drop-shipping businesses, eCommerce boutiques, or monthly subscription boxes, will need to work extra hard at making picking and packing costs as minimal as possible. Anything you can do to lower costs and improve efficiency will help you grow your business quickly with fewer growing pains.
Should You Use Pick-to-Voice?
Despite all of these excellent benefits, not every single business is an ideal candidate for pick-to-voice technology. However, if your company relies heavily on a human workforce (say, eight or more pickers per shift), functions in a 50,000-plus square foot warehouse space, or has a higher number of SKUs, your business is ideal for a voice-picking system. Making the switch could save you a ton of time, money, and inventory, so it’s definitely worth spending the time to look into.
