Competition and market forces are driving warehouses and fulfillment centers to continually seek higher productivity. That can put a strain on supply chain workers, who are both the essential ingredient and the weak link of the operation. It makes sense for business leaders to seek every opportunity to improve the operation, particularly when overall productivity and effectiveness can be increased while simultaneously making the job easier for the warehouse workers.
Against this backdrop, a mobile powered cart make perfect sense in the distribution center or production operation. Here are several key reasons that mobile power should qualify as a top-of-mind investment:
5 Key Benefits of Powered Mobile Carts
1. Improved labeling accuracy
Powered carts can be equipped as mobile printing stations. This enables your team to bring printers right to the point of use, avoiding mistakes and omissions caused by having to pick up batch printouts of labels at a central thermal printer, which might then be erroneously applied. Labeling errors can be costly – the wrong item is eventually picked and shipped, leading to expensive returns and lower customer satisfaction. Mobile printing workstations eliminate labeling errors right at the source.
2. Increased inventory control
When a mobile powered cart is equipped with inventory management tools, such as barcode scanners or RFID readers, it becomes easier for employees to perform necessary inventory operations, which in turn makes it more likely that the work will be done as required without mistakes or shortcuts.
3. Reduced travel waste
Costly footsteps cost real money! Basic LEAN principles dictate that waste should be eliminated wherever possible to improve overall efficiency. Travel waste is a significant loss to the organization, and travel takes time (costing money with an hourly employee), has an opportunity cost (what else could the employee have accomplished in that time?). Even small amounts of travel time add up when repeated frequently!
4. Improved worker ergonomics
The travel waste described above has an additional detrimental effect on the employee’s productivity for the rest of the day… as an employee physically tires from continual travel, his or her pace of work slows. Further, a mobile computer cart enables the employee to keep all necessary worktools nearby, reducing potential strains and injuries from lifting or bending unnecessarily.
5. Enhanced flexibility
This is an easy to miss yet powerful benefit of mobile powered carts… Your company can quickly reconfigure the deployment of technology assets, as dictated by the business requirements at that time. This unlocks the possibility for pop-up checkouts and point of sale, label printing at the point of use, inventory activities at the precise site in which they are occurring, and much more. Business needs change fast, so you should not be locked into static work environments… a flexible mobile workstation unlocks that possibility.
Ready for Powered Mobile Carts?
A mobile powered workstation has numerous benefits which immediately impact your operation. Powered mobile carts allow workers to move large quantities of materials quickly and easily, reducing the time and effort required for receiving, putaway, picking, and shipping. The use of mobile powered workstations also can help reduce labor costs by increasing the speed and efficiency of warehouse operations, allowing more work to be done with fewer workers.
Contact CSSI To Discuss Implementing Powered Mobile Carts In Your Operation
CSSI has deployed mobile carts from leading provider Newcastle Systems for a broad variety of applications. We can guide you towards a mobile cart with a high quality battery and power system, and support the integration of key accessories such as a barcode scanner, label printer, and rugged tablet or laptop. Contact CSSI today to discuss your business challenges and we can help you determine if powered carts are the right fit for you.