Would more efficient processes lead to better profits?

Businesses are supposed to be efficient, but without the proper systems in place with the proper training, most companies fall short in their effort to become more streamlined.

Do you recognize any of these symptoms in your operations?

We all know that competition is continually affecting our margins and customer service demands are on the rise.  Companies that handle inventory need enterprise software that maximizes efficiencies throughout the entire organization while continually enhancing customer relationships.

Typical warehouse issues from not having an automated warehouse:

• When inventory is received it is manually verified against purchase orders and records are updated manually.
• Computer records are not updated resulting in misplaced or lost inventory when it is moved to clean up space. 
• Incorrect items are picked and shipped, because they are not scanned and verified.
• Increased labor costs due to having multiple people to pack and verify shipments.
• Erosion of company profits due to incorrect shipments, return processing, additional freight charges, and reorder of returned stock.
• Slow payment of invoices due to incorrect shipments.
• Loss of supplier discounts.
• Buying based on educated guesses.  One time orders or promotions not remembered correctly.
• Inaccurate counts and inventory levels resulting in excess inventory.
• Incomplete picture of open customer, purchase, and manufacturing orders.

ERP Solutions:

• Scan and verify inventory against purchase orders when it is received resulting in real-time inventory updates.
• Track inventory movements within your warehouse to prevent lost or misplaced inventory.
• Inventory verified when picked preventing the shipment of wrong items or quantities.
• Lower labor costs due to consolidation of packing and shipping from scanned operations.
• Cycle counting warehouse locations to identify and find misplaced inventory.
• Smarter buying choices due to an accurate forecasting system that takes product life cycles, previous sales trends, one-time purchases, and open orders.
• A purchasing system that balances supplier lead times and vendor discounts to minimize on-hand inventory, yet ensuring that safety stock levels are maintained.

You decide: 

Would having an integrated system reduce the effect of increased operating costs, lost sales, excess or misplaced inventory, and additional expenses that lower your profit margin?