1. Focus on automation as a way to augment and secure – not replace – human workers
Consider how automation solutions can allow more opportunities to leverage human skillsets. The value of
implementing automation technology is how you can upskill workers and maximize their abilities to solve creative
and challenging issues. For example, delegating repetitive, injury-prone tasks to robots designed to depalletize can
alleviate workers from that role.
2. Anticipate a decade ahead
How do you know what automation technologies are right for your business distribution? One executive of an
autonomous mobile robot (AMR) provider said in Futurum Research’s study that anticipating your peak throughput
(about three to four times your normal throughput) requirements a decade from now is critical as you adopt
automation solutions.
3. Adopt a data-centric approach
Industrial-grade software can help on your journey to implement automation technologies and measure success.
With predictive data, you can get ahead of maintenance or downtime, exposing hidden inefficiencies in your
systems and creating a system of record so all teams work with the same data.
4. Integrate management systems
As you prepare to implement automation technologies into your infrastructure, ensure warehouse operations data
and records are part of your enterprise’s larger strategy. Integrating data and records across warehouse, supply
chain, distribution and other business systems will give you a unified look at your entire enterprise – from the first
supplier to the last customer.
5. Challenge assumptions
Focus less on automating existing tasks or processes. Instead, think of the tasks that you envision being automated
today, what opportunities that will bring, and what processes or tasks you may want to automate in the future.
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