Future Developments

Future Trends

With the rise in technology, supply chain operations have gone through a lot of advancements. As warehousing and inventory management is an important component of all supply chains, we have noticed changes in the ways of carrying out warehousing operations. There is no doubt that better warehouse technology can be of greater help in the proficient management of warehouses.

It is predicted that over 85% of all businesses will be digital within the next five years. As such, warehouse operators and logistics firms need to react quickly by implementing the latest technical innovations. Not only will this ensure that these companies will be thoroughly futureproofed, but supply chains will be operating at peak efficiency – great for customers and businesses alike.

Some 66% of warehouses plan to expand their technology investments by 2018. With this in mind, here are 10 of the most exciting technological innovations in the warehousing sector that logistics and warehouse operators should keep an eye on.

Experts recommend usage of warehouse technology which will enhance throughput, reduce product damage, improve inventory control, enhance the visibility of stock location and optimize cost on resources. Effective warehouse technologies also serve as green measures and help in reduction of carbon footprints.

EDI communication continues to grow

Big data will be finding its way into warehousing in many ways in the near future. EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) looks to continue this trend. In short, EDI technology allows for sharing of documents, with a shared format, between two computer systems. This has already been taken on board by the warehousing industry, but looks set to expand in scope.

Popular uses for EDI in this sector include:

• Purchase orders
• Warehouse shipping orders
• Warehouse stock transfer receipts
• Warehouse shipping advice
• Warehouse inventory advice

The benefits of EDI are many when integrated into a successful warehouse management system (WMS) – most notably, the seamless and highly visible flow of information between two different computer systems. No two business partners’ systems are the same. The standard format, and compatibility, of EDI documents allows for greater efficiency, visibility and collaboration between all parties for smoother operations.

Drones

Drones are pieces of tech that have seemingly been pulled from the pages of science fiction and made reality. Handy for a wide variety of applications, drones are set to make appearances in warehouses globally as firms seek to further increase levels of automation.

So why drones? They can aid with tasks that could require a large number of man-hours. One such use is for barcode scanning, according to drone specialists DroneScan. Warehouses are often stacked to the roof with inventory. This makes certain barcodes tricky to reach and could require the use of a forklift, cage and staff to scan them.

DroneScan is confident their 800g drones, carrying scanners, can count as much stock in two days than an 80-strong team, complete with lift trucks and handheld scanners, could in three days. Navigating inside warehouses safely is the final challenge to complete before drones are further adopted – but with major companies such as Amazon and Walmart looking to expand their warehousing operations with drone tech, the future is bright for these airborne aids.

RFID

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is already a major force in warehousing, but it will become more sophisticated in the coming years. For the uninitiated, RFID technology uses radio waves to feed information between tags attached to stock and readers that pick up the signal.

The benefits of RFID include greater stock visibility and transparency, which offers ease of inventory as well as a reduction in theft. The Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics, in Dortmund, Germany, seeks to combine drone tech with RFID to further automate the inventory process. By attaching a reader to a drone, inventory can be catalogued at a much faster pace. Floor space can also be saved as the RFID tech, plus the manoeuvrability of the drone, allows stock to be stacked as a high as possible.

On-Demand Warehousing

With warehouse vacancy rates dwindling, down to 10% of space needed in Russia and even lower in the UK and US, on-demand is the next step in collaborative logistics. FLEXE, which calls itself the “marketplace for warehouse space”, is a new system that seeks to offer the maximum warehouse space available for all customers.

The idea is simple. Register on the FLEXE website and you will be able to see available warehouse space posted by operators with room to spare. Likewise, operators can advertise their spare space to those who need it fast. Some spectators have called this the “Airbnb of warehousing” after the popular peer-to-peer accommodation service.

The idea is to offer businesses the ability to be more adaptive in their warehousing. Seasonal stock can be held separate from main warehouses, in order to save space, or returns can be handled and processed faster. All this is according to FLEXE whose revenue model is based off transaction fees. While only a presence in North America, FLEXE could easily change how the logistics industry provides adaptive warehousing in the future.

Cloud Computing

Cloud storage has revolutionised many industries and logistics is no different. By implementing self-updating and hosted computer systems, cloud storage offers many benefits to warehousing include cutting down on maintenance, infrastructure and labour costs that come from the installation and upgrading of warehouse management systems.

Many warehouses that are operating on “legacy systems”, i.e. those that are out-of-date or obsolete, will be making the switch to cloud technology for the reasons above. Another benefit is that cloud storage systems are often self-updating. This means that, instead of replacing talented tech-savvy members of the team once they leave, a system can be implemented that is cost effective and easy to use by all members of staff.

Of course, there are some considerations that should be kept in mind before making the switch to cloud computing. Who will own your data? Where will the data be physically stored  – i.e., where are the servers located? Will it be truly cost effective? Logistics and warehousing companies are advised to think carefully before committing to cloud technology.

Omnichannel Operations

E-commerce and omnichannel solutions go hand in hand. As the future is most definitely digital, warehousing will have to adapt to meet the needs of this globally redefining commerce sector. The Radius Group, a Russia based warehousing and manufacturing real estate company, has implemented an omnichannel solution in their latest project.

A new 100,000 square metre facility is being constructed by the Radius Group, alongside French DIY retail giants Leroy Merlin, to meet Russia’s increased e-commerce demands. This facility will be the largest and, potentially, the most efficient distribution centre in the history of the Russian Federation.

The rise of omnichannel distribution goes hand in hand with the advances in RFID and EDI tech, whereas drones could also be hovering on the horizon too for greater efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Robots

Automation is key in the logistics and supply chain sectors. Often, the greater the automation in processes, the more efficient they become. Robots are playing a big part in improving levels of automation in warehousing.

Several worldwide robot manufacturers, including Kiva (bought out in 2012 by Amazon for $775 million to become Amazon Robotics), Swisslog and Grenzebach offer robotic solutions that make inventory, stock take and picking faster.

Take Amazon’s machines for example. Each has its own area to cover, learning where to take its inventory from, which is then picked and taken to a member of the warehouse staff for further distribution or directly onto trucks. Each small orange robot has what resembles a pallet on its back, so each can travel around the warehouse with ease.

By switching the man-to-goods process to goods-to-man, machines like these are just an example of how robotics can be used to revolutionise logistics.

Warehouse Construction

The construction of warehouses will be changed in the coming years. Single-envelope technology is poised to replace traditional methods and materials. By utilising composite panels in the construction, energy efficiency, air-tightness and durability are increased. These are key benefits, especially for cold storage facilities.

The largest example of this design is in Wisbech, UK. ISD Solutions, the UK’s leading specialists in cold storage design and construction, built their facility to improve the UK’s number of frozen food warehouses. Construction time and costs were reduced by 20% while building the 36,000 square metre space.

ISD Solutions are confident that their design practices will change the face of cold storage warehouse construction in the UK. And, with lower costs and build time, plus improved energy efficiency and a lower carbon footprint, composite panel technology will have global applications.

E-Commerce and Non-Store Retailing

In recent years we’ve seen increased pressure on retailers to provide immediate response and high-quality solutions to their customers’ demands. The online channel is helping to inspire and excite consumers with half of consumers using three or more channels and social media becoming more and more influential on consumer behaviour. Consumers are now less concerned by the acquisition of goods and are more concerned with the nature of those products and their real value forcing retailers to focus on quality and customer experience, part of which is the instantaneous availability of their chosen purchases. The shift in purchasing behaviours has changed the very nature of the warehousing and distribution industry with e-commerce providers now almost forming their own sector and third party logistics providers needing to offer return logistics capabilities as well as tracking abilities direct to the consumer on top of conventional solutions. The very definition of what many 3PL providers’ customers demand has now changed so significantly that this alone has had a substantial effect on the industry and now requires its own specialist solutions.

Communication and Tracking Accuracy

Development in consignment tracking technology now gives businesses access to greater volumes of information at much deeper levels than they used to – be that distribution information or stock data. With state-of-art tracking systems, not only are organisations able to use this data for their own benefit but it’s becoming increasingly popular to allow their own customers to access to certain information. With increased international trade, many supply chains are growing and now feature more than just one or two organisations. With tracking information available to all those involved, communication channels open up and data can flow seamlessly between parties. This means less time is wasted chasing information because it’s all there, logged in the tracking system, allowing planning to be carried out further in advance and more accurately.

Real-Time Data

An almost instant feed of information from a third party logistics provider to their customer, and then direct to the retailer or final consumer, has become a central part to many operations and is now a key part of many contracts. With real-time data, data-sharing becomes easier as the user looking for specific information already has access to it. Customer service levels have improved as it’s easier to effectively respond to customer queries. With this level of access, it allows for complete transparency between third party logistics provider and customer, forcing quality levels up and ultimately increasing customer satisfaction.

Route Planning and In-Cab Technology

Most logistics companies have adopted various forms of vehicle monitoring, from cameras to tracking devices, due to the endless benefits that they can provide. From a safety point of view, having the ability to know how your drivers are driving rather than just where they’re driving means logistics companies are able to not only identify areas that may cause an issue, but turn these into a positive training initiative. In addition, having the ability to know where your drivers are and that they’re safe allows logistics companies to show a greater interest in their employees, meaning staff satisfaction should be greater and staff turnover should be lower. From an efficiency stance, with data and real-time information more readily available, not only can consignments be consolidated but routes can be optimised due to an increased ability to plan in advance and to make changes at the click of a button.

Integrated Data

Imagine a system where your software talks to your suppliers’ software. A system where all your information is provided in one place and can be cross-referenced again your own data. Imagine that you could easily compare performance and optimise your stock levels, as well as predict your demand and accurately forecast your business growth with scalable figures. Well that’s available. Right now. Warehouse management systems are now fully integrable with transport planning, CRM systems and external databases. So you really do have the information you need at your fingertips, all at the click of a button.

Automated Material Handling(AMH) System

AMH is a trending warehouse technology which improves work efficiency & reduces human intervention to a good level. A list of AMH based machines like conveyors, stackers, cranes, forklifts, bins and barcode scanners can reduce the turn-around time and hence, increases customer service level for a long-term business arcade.

Paperless Pick & Pack System:

Covering the green aspect of warehouse technology, this system decreases the dependence on papers. While picking and packing orders, this android application can be used to pick products, process the order and make it ready for dispatch. Thus, it reduces the need to enlist and mark items on paper.

The Technologies of Modern Receiving

While new software, hardware and other technologies are being developed for warehouse management every day, these are a few of the best technologies in the warehouses of today.

Cloud-based Technologies: Many warehouses were slow to adopt cloud technologies due to perceived security concerns and the lack of others in the industry using the technology. But now many software companies are developing applications specifically for warehouse receiving and inventory that can be accessed via the cloud. They can be accessed on smartphones, tablets and computers, making this a highly versatile solution.

Voice Technology: One of the greatest new concepts that improves efficiency and makes work easier for the staff is voice technology. Warehouse workers are now able to use their voices to quickly pick, pack, replenish and ship merchandise.

Mobile Devices: For many years, the only handheld devices in warehouses were the old-fashioned barcode scanners. While many warehouses still use these devices, many are now adopting a better method using smartphones and tablets. Now workers can scan items, place them and track them all from one device.

RFID: Radio frequency identification technology (RFID), also known as Automatic Identification (AutoID) is a new automated data collection system that shows a lot of promise in warehouses. Although it consists of several different components, this new technology could be most beneficial in receiving. It allows for items to be automatically scanned in larger volumes– and at higher speeds– than any other method available. This can also help reduce costs, streamline processes and increase accuracy in all areas of the warehouse. It has just recently emerged as a possible solution for warehouses but does show great promise and could be the way of the future.

Mobile Workstations: One of the most innovative and practical solutions in modern warehouse receiving is the mobile workstation. These portable computers allow for employees to take the system with them all over the warehouse and take every step of the process in one trip. This helps to significantly boost dock to stock time as well as reduce labor costs. The ability to take the workstation anywhere the employee is working also greatly reduces the chances of mislabeled products, inaccurate inventories and other possible mistakes.

Sustainability in Warehousing and Inventory Management

Sustainability has increased in prominence due to increased environmental impact of warehousing and inventory management.

Sustainable Warehouse

Sustainable warehouse is about integrating, balancing and managing the economic, environmental and social inputs and outputs of the warehouse operations. Sustainability is a core value to many businesses but they find it hard to implement in their current business setting especially when they use third party logistics management system like warehousing and distribution in their supply chain business network.

With the implementation of a more aerodynamic trailer, DHL realized fuel and CO2 savings of up to 12%. Companies who brought down their carbon footprints saw a direct increase in profitability as a result. The report shows carbon gas reduction between 13-22% uplifted revenue by 5-20%. Brand value also increased an average of 15-30%.

Manish Bapna, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of the World Resources Institute, says there are three driving factors pushing companies toward sustainability, but profitability isn’t actually one of them. In a Forbes article, Bapna lists reputation, risk and opportunity as the drivers.

Reputation is due to the growing scrutiny companies are under from customers, investors and the media. People want to see sustainability efforts and are willing to spend their hard-earned dollars with companies that prove they care. Risk is a result of environmental factors that could impact supply chains – things like the increase in natural disasters and other recent extreme weather events, which can cause millions of dollars in lost productivity if operations are suddenly shut down. Opportunity comes in the form of uncovering hidden efficiency and cost savings. Just look at the revenue boost those 25 multinationals experienced when cutting their carbon footprints.

LEED Certification

LEED certification, which is focused on buildings, is the sustainability initiative most applicable to warehouse services. The sustainability categories, with a brief listing of a few of things contained in that category, include:

• Location And Transportation – Is the warehouse near public transportation? Is it located in such a way that it does not damage endangered species?
• Sustainable Sites – During construction, was vegetation is maintained in its natural state? Are there rain water mitigation programs in place? Has the building minimized heat island effects (for example, by not having too much pavement)?
• Water Efficiency – Has irrigation for landscaping purposes been minimized? Is water being used efficiently inside the building?
• Energy and Atmosphere – Is the warehouse using energy efficient equipment? Minimizing energy demand? Using sustainable energy?
• Materials And Resources – Were renewable materials use to build a facility? In an existing building, is the warehouse purchasing cardboard with recycled content for packaging?  Is it purchasing materials for ongoing operations, like light bulbs, that are energy efficient?
• Indoor Environmental Quality – Is this a comfortable environment for employees to work in?

LEED certification can apply to buildings that are being newly constructed or existing buildings.  There are different criteria for the two different situations, Corey believes both paths to certification are equally stringent.  However, my search of the site showed large 3PLs were much more likely to have version 3 certification for new construction, and these sites tended to be in warm climates where presumably energy efficiency has a higher ROI.

To achieve the lowest level of certification a company must score 40 points.  Corey pointed out that this involves tradeoffs.  For example, a warehouse in a hot and humid climate could be using fans to attempt to cool the warehouse on some of the hottest days of the year.  This would improve their Energy and Atmosphere score.  But it would adversely impact their Indoor Environmental Quality score.

If a shipper’s procurement team did value LEED certification, but what they most cared about was energy efficiency, they could examine how many of the 40 points were based on the Energy and Atmosphere category.

But, based on the fact that no major 3PL is undergoing this certification, one possible explanation would be that few procurement professionals are aware that the newest LEED certification schema has created a category for warehouses that makes this process easier.

Sustainable Inventory Management

Over the past decades, inventory management has become a well-studied area from an economic point of view. While inventory systems are optimised to reduce costs, the social and environmental impacts of inventory systems are ignored. However, in the last few years, growing pressure from customers as well as governments leads inventory systems to address sustainability issues. In fact, being more sustainable is a crucial issue in inventory systems. Optimising an inventory system by considering the triple bottom line (TBL) (i.e. financial, environmental, and social) is a challenge from both academic and applied point of views.

Managing inventories, and thereby material flows, is of key importance for achieving efficient and sustainable supply chains. Green inventory management is characterized by complementing the traditional economic (cost) focus with environmental (emissions) considerations. It involves categorizing the costs and emissions of operating an inventory system into those associated with: ordering and transporting items, holding items in stock, and not satisfying customer demand on time.

From a short term perspective, the upfront expense of sustainable products appears to be more than traditional materials. Although this initial investment seems daunting, the lifecycle cost of sustainable building outweighs the initial cost from a long-term perspective. These buildings are more efficient and on average save 30 percent annually on energy and water usage. Home owners or facility managers can use these savings to quickly replace the funds needed for the upfront costs. The longevity of these products, especially for a commercial or public space, provides an economic advantage because they are less expensive to maintain and repair.

While the market for these products becomes more competitive, the price will begin to level out with traditional products. As consumers begin to identify more with green products, developers are recognizing the commercial value of sustainable buildings and answering this demand by investing in sustainable products. In return, green buildings have higher resale worth and drive consumer interest because they are built with a sustainable thought process in mind.

The supply, options and cost of sustainable products are only a few of the benefits that green building offers developers and consumers. While consumers grow more willing to adopt this new construction movement, suppliers are expected to put more emphasis on embracing the changes in inventory management to satisfy the demand from customers.

Closed Loop Inventory Systems – In an open-loop system, there is no feedback. Inputs are calculated based on desired outcome only. An example of open loop management in high-tech operations is setting inventory levels, production schedules, and supply chain plans based on just sales forecasts and orders. A closed-loop system, on the other hand, is one that is controlled based on both desired outcomes and feedback from the system. Applying this principle to the former example, would mean that inventory levels, production schedules, and supply chain plans are determined not just by sales forecast and orders, but also feedback from ongoing operations.

Having a closed loop system provides the following advantages over an open loop system:

• Disturbance adjustment (such as actual yields and cycle-time)
• Guaranteed performance even with model uncertainties (No supply-chain planning model matches the real supply-chain perfectly)
• Reduced sensitivity to communication errors (developing the plan is one thing, but errors can develop when communicating it, especially to trading partners)
• Improved reference tracking to plan

The study of returned item inventory management in a closed-loop supply chain system has become an important issue in recent years. So far, investigations about inventory decision making in a closed-loop supply chain system have been confined to traditional forward and reverse oriented material flow supply chain.

Automation in Warehousing and Inventory Management

Automation is a powerful tool and comes in many shapes and forms. In the warehouse, automation is generally used to make gains upon existing processes by improving efficiency, speed, reliability, accuracy and (eventually) cost savings. Gone are the days of thinking that paper-based processes are enough.

Automation is at everyone’s disposal, yet investing in it doesn’t mean it will solve every goods-handling issue or be the right fit. Humans are still better at a lot of things. To understand where automation can be best applied, let’s look at some of the areas where it is (and isn’t) useful.

The successful deployment of automation in the warehouse or distribution center environment relies on close integration with a warehouse management system (WMS) to help direct, simplify and track all of the transactions going on in the facilities. Even without the addition of automation, a WMS enables trained warehouse staff to achieve fast and highly accurate shipments by choreographing the most efficient pick paths and prompting specific actions each step of the way during picking and/or prior to shipment.

Automation originally referred to the use of largely automatic equipment within a manufacturing process or production line. For automation to be effective, it needs data. This can come in the form of barcodes as well as other methods for tagging inventory, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags.

Whether the WMS solution relies on barcodes or RFID for inventory management, the constant pressures to stay ahead of e-commerce demand have driven a number of larger companies like Amazon to double down on automation with very sophisticated robotic implementations that can handle an assortment of activities that supplement human pickers in the warehouse.

Physical Automation

In today’s warehouse environment, automation can more accurately be called “physical automation,” which includes all of the methods used to bring inventory right to the order picker, so that his or her movements in the warehouse can be minimized. For that reason, many of these solutions are called goods-to-person, or GTP systems. Some of the most popular ones include carousels, vertical lifts, automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), mini-loads, and automated material-carrying vehicles. There is also a separate category of automation that includes conveyors that move and direct pick material to the next appropriate operation.

Physical automation can provide a good return on investment provided there is a sufficient volume of activity to justify the high up-front costs and the ongoing need for maintenance. When considering physical automation in a warehouse, it shouldn’t be forgotten that human labor is more flexible when it comes to adapting to changing business conditions. For example, the picking rate from a carousel pod is limited to what a single operator can accomplish, and that may be insufficient to support the rush of orders late in a day. If the same inventory was in fixed shelving or on a flow rack, it could be accessed by multiple workers during busy periods, negating any speed or efficiency advantages of a single carousel.

On the positive side, there are examples of automation greatly benefiting warehouse operations. One company that comes to mind is a big farm and home store located in Illinois. The company was already using a WMS solution, so when we learned of its plans to implement a conveyor system, we worked directly with the automation provider to ensure a successful integration. Our collaboration allowed the WMS to work seamlessly with various automated features controlled by the warehouse control system, including the conveyor, label formatting and content, automatic label application, fixed overhead scanning, and a process that diverted cases to one of 12 staging areas for outbound shipping.

Process to Automate

There are a number of processes a company should adopt before installing an automation system. The first step is to assign a specific person or team that will be responsible for handling the implementation and selecting the functionality that will be needed. This team should then be involved in all aspects of the planning and process creation. Companies that delay during this step may find themselves struggling to make a quick hiring decision and having the team trained and ready.

When choosing the right solution, the team should also factor in other costs besides the price of the solution, such as long-term maintenance and repair costs and the cost of potentially adjusting the floor layout and other areas of the warehouse to accommodate the new solution. If the company plans to eventually expand its warehouse footprint, it should choose a system that will accommodate these expansion needs.

Another important step is to put together a viable support plan that will provide adequate training and technical support to all staff. This will help the implementation process run smoothly. Part of this step is to also understand what is involved in migrating data to the new solution and how much time and support it will take. This should be discussed and planned out with the automation vendor.

Automation also has other potential benefits such as better utilization of space, but ultimately, like other business decisions, the choice of whether to invest in automation boils down to a reasonable expectation of adequate ROI.

When listening to a sales pitch from an automation company, business owners would be wise to take it with a large grain of salt. Visit other deployments. Have a healthy skepticism. As with any expensive purchase, get advice from people who have gone through it, and learn from their successes and mistakes.

Big Data in Warehousing and Inventory Management

In recent years there has been a revolution that is changing warehouse management forever. That revolution is big data. Big data is the collection and analysis of a volume of digital information so vast that it couldn’t be stored on computer hardware until recently. It has transformed business analytics and been a game changer in many different industries. Here are some of the ways big data is changing warehouse management in the modern era.

Big Data Improves Operational Efficiency

Operational efficiency can be described as the ability of a business to deliver its product or service to consumers in a way that minimizes cost while maximizing the quality of that product or service as well as other related support services. Operational efficiency is certainly something that can be improved by the integration of big data analysis. Data regarding operations in a warehouse, or any facility for that matter, can be immediately updated in real time.

This can have some real benefits. A warehouse manager can be given a minute to minute or even second to second overview of operations in the warehouse on a computer or mobile device. That manager will be able to spot bottlenecks in workflow as they develop and be able to take immediate steps to resolve them.

With advanced software, removing such bottlenecks can even be automated, enhancing efficiency even more. According to IBM, trillions of sensors have been integrated into big data systems for the purpose of tracking business processes. These sensors immediately record the information and make it available for on the spot analysis.

Maximize Revenue and Profit

Warehouse efficiency is often directly tied to the profit a company produces. When a company produces overstock that is stored in the warehouse, costs go up and profit is decreased. The same happens when not enough stock is stored to meet demand. Revenue from would-be customers will be lost to competitors. According to RetailWire, retailers lost a whopping $1.1 trillion in revenue due to products being out to stock or overstocked.

However, if a sweet spot can be found where only enough stock is stored as needed to meet demand perfectly, both revenue and profit can be maximized. Big data can make this a reality. With more information to reference, more accurate forecasts for demand for products can be created and integrated directly into inventory management procedures. The software used will also be able to detect shortages days or even weeks before they occur. This can insure that shortages in stock and the creation of overstock are far less likely to occur. Both profit and revenue will be maximized.

Software Integrated Dimensioning

Items that enter or leave the warehouse need to be scanned and weighed to collect the appropriate data so they can be stored in the warehouse or shipped out to distributors or customers properly. Part of this process is known as dimensioning. This captures the dimensions of a package.

These days, dimensioning systems make good use of cloud computing and software that leverages big data. A package that is scanned by such a system can have all the information regarding its product ID, weight and dimensions recorded and instantly stored in a database. This information can later be accessed and used as needed to increase the efficiency and accuracy of warehouse management on an item to item basis.

According to Gartner, 75 percent of businesses have invested or are planning to invest in big data to improve their business processes. One business process that can certainly be greatly improved by the integration of big data analytics is warehouse management. Investigate different ways big data can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your inventory management systems.

Increased Customer Service Satisfaction

Having access to real time customer demand pattern data helps service managers match inventory and inventory levels to customer orders accurately, helping to increase customer satisfaction. Data can be analyzed to predict seasonal trends, spikes or depressions in customer demand to ensure the right levels of inventory are on hand at all times.

Reduced Costs By Migrating to the Cloud

A Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) approach to IT management means that the cloud-based nature of big data reduces hardware and maintenance costs. It can also be seamlessly integrated to existing systems with a minimum of expense.