Guidelines for Choosing the Right Warehouse Control System (WCS) Supplier

Feb. 1, 2011 - PRLog -- Imagine that your warehouse system is down for two hours. No orders are packed or shipped and your employees are idle. If this is a recurring problem, costs will quickly go through the roof. That’s why choosing the right vendor is important – it can mean the difference between the success and failure of your company.

Jerry List, Vice President of QC Software, a leading provider of warehouse control systems (WCS), states, “By efficiently managing and directing the automated equipment, a WCS optimizes floor operations and lowers warehousing costs. When a problem occurs, you need a dedicated group of professionals who will resolve the issue and get you back in business as quickly as possible.”

When looking for a WCS supplier, the first step is to make sure the software addresses your business needs and is the best functional fit. Since service and support are critical, be sure to take a close look at the vendor including industry experience, personnel, and reputation before making a decision. “Keep in mind that you are buying the vendor’s expertise, service and support, not just the software,” notes List.

According to List, the following guidelines will help you evaluate a WCS supplier:

Technical expertise – Make sure the vendor has a deep understanding of warehouse operations and business issues as well as industry experience.

Flexibility of the system  – Since a warehouse is dynamic, your software system should be able to easily handle changes in operations and physical layout.  When the WCS requires significant modifications to accommodate a new sorter or increased production demands, downtime often increases. Consider how often the vendor adds new and innovative features to the system. Implementing enhancements is a cost-effective way to improve system performance and production.

Interview senior management and implementation specialists – Talk to the CEO and senior management to find out if they understand the challenges currently facing warehouse managers. Talk to the people who will actually be implementing the software and find out how they have handled issues relating to your operation in the past. Review their training and support programs.  The vendor may have many good people, but will you have access to them? Feeling comfortable with the vendor should be a key decision factor.

Vendor’s track record – For a successful implementation you need an experienced supplier with a solid track record. Obtain and check references from companies of similar industry and size. Make sure you talk to your counterpart at the reference company to better understand the challenges that can happen when dealing with the vendor and during the implementation. How would they rate the vendor’s support services? Reference checking is the final stage of the evaluation and will confirm whether or not you are making the right choice.

QC Software’s WCS, the QC EnterpriseTM, is a leading Tier 1 WCS that provides advanced management capabilities for inventory control, resource scheduling and order management.  Backed by over 14 years of research, development and rigorous testing, the QC Enterprise is modular in nature, easily configurable, platform independent and scalable to suit a wide range of user requirements.  As the customer’s business grows and evolves, QC Software’s agile WCS is easily adaptable to their changing business environment.

For more information, contact  Jerry List:
Phone: 877.984.1101
Website: www.qcsoftware.com
Email:  info@qcsoftware.com

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QC Software is recognized as an industry leader in providing innovative software solutions for order fulfillment and distribution centers. Our solutions enable customers to streamline their warehouse operations with the lowest total cost of ownership in the industry. Our software maximizes your system’s productivity and dependability, making us the ideal solution for your warehousing needs.