There are a lot of discussions–and worry–within the warehouse and distribution center industry about automation and technology. The replacement of workers by artificial intelligence is something that’s on everyone’s mind and it seems to just be a matter of time before robots are doing the job that humans are doing in your warehouse. It’s true that in some warehouses, that’s already happening. Super high-tech warehouses run by internet giants are largely automated and the trend is likely to continue.
But that doesn’t mean we’re facing a future of warehouses devoid of human workers. There are going to be plenty of job opportunities within the warehousing and distribution center fields for humans. After all, there are processes within the warehouse that certainly require a human touch and critical thinking skills. For now, at least, those are things that can’t be replicated by a robot.
Make Way for Tech in Your Warehouse Equipment
Technology is going to be making its way into your warehouse, though, more and more. Simple automation like conveyor systems and automated inventory controls are just the beginning. What’s more likely to happen in the coming years than technology replacing your human team members is technology that enhances their abilities. That’s where wearable tech comes into play.
Wearable tech is (as you can probably guess) technology that you can wear on your person. It’s devices like watches that pair with your smartphone, pedometers that measure your steps and your heart rate, and glasses or VR helmets that enhance reality around you. There are a number of ways that those sort of tech can be used in the warehouse environment, and some warehouses are already experimenting with wearable tech devices within the warehouse and seeing tremendous results from it.
The applications for this technology are pretty exciting. Imagine being able to communicate changes to a customer’s order in real time with the team picking the order. They might have a watch that updates them on the order or alerts them to an exchange while they are on the floor. It could help speed up the picking process, too, by alerting them to items that need to be picked when they are in a certain area of the warehouse. Or, imagine equipping your team with glasses that enhance their reality, giving them real-time updates on inventory as they work or alerting them to new deliveries on the dock.
How Will You Be Integrating Tech in Your Warehouse?
The applications of this kind of technology are almost limitless and it’s likely we’ll start seeing more and more of this wearable technology in the warehouse environment in the coming years. It will be exciting to see how the technology integrates with your team to help them work faster, smarter, more efficiently, and with fewer errors than ever before. There is no denying that advancing technology could end up cutting the need for labor within your warehouse, but the labor that’s there is going to be streamlined and more efficient than ever.
Are you looking for ways to cut costs and streamline your warehouse equipment, integrating it with the latest warehouse technology? We can help you find the right solutions for your warehouse, no matter what your needs and your budget. Our team has the latest warehouse equipment that can help your warehouse work smarter. We’ll help you get it all setup and even help you develop best practices for using it all. Are you ready to get started? Give us a call or contact us through our website today for more information and to speak to a member of our warehouse consulting teams.
