Benefits of Work Execution Software
Improve Efficiency, Accuracy, Visibility… And Agility
Lucas customers average 36 percent productivity gains when using our Work Execution Software Solutions for picking, and they typically reduce picking and other material handling errors 50% or more across all warehouse tasks (picking, receiving, replenishment, etc.) using Lucas Move featuring Jennifer. But the benefits of our solutions range far beyond productivity and accuracy in hands-on tasks, including a number of indirect and downstream benefits.
Many of the downstream advantages of our work execution software flow from the Engage work optimization software and management dashboard, which gives supervisors real-time visibility and control over operations. The Engage software provides dynamic optimization to transform processes and improve long-term operational flexibility to adapt processes to changing customer and market demands. Best of all, the Lucas solution complements and extends legacy ERP, warehouse management systems or other enterprise software.
Boost Productivity Through Process Optimization
DC associates using Lucas Move in picking and other tasks often see double-digit gains in productivity, depending on current systems and processes.
In addition to optimizing hands-on steps using voice direction, speech recognition, barcode scanning and other hands-free, mobile technologies, some DCs are able to achieve truly dramatic productivity gains – sometimes greater than 100% – by reengineering processes through Lucas Engage software:
1) Eliminate travel time by optimizing assignments or batches, and interleaving tasks
2) Consolidate and streamline exception handling
3) Reduce non-productive time outside of the main activity (assignment and equipment set-up; post-pick staging, etc.)
Read how Marcone Supply reengineered receiving to drive productivity →
Balance Workflow and Manage Work
DCs using the Engage Management Dashboard typically gain additional points of productivity. Engage helps supervisors and mangers do their jobs better, by giving them real-time work status, exception notifications, and productivity alerts. With actionable information at their fingertips (on a laptop, tablet or smartphone) front-line supervisors can:
1) Better manage work in process to ensure that work is available when users are ready
2) Re-allocate labor between work areas to balance workloads and ensure all workers are productive throughout their shifts
3) Track associate productivity in real-time and communicate current performance to users throughout a work shift
Optimize Accuracy With Adaptive Hands-Free Work
Similar to the productivity improvements, accuracy gains may range widely, but even DCs with 99.9 percent accuracy before working with Lucas are able to reduce picking and other errors 80 percent or more.
With Lucas Move, Jennifer, the intelligent voice “user interface” of the system, directs associates by voice and gives additional information (pack factor, unit of measure), and special warnings (“two-part item”) either by voice or on-screen to eliminate confusion and ensure associates have the information they need to do their tasks correctly. Likewise, associates confirm their activities (location, item, and quantity) by speaking or scanning, and different users may be required to offer additional validation (SKU number, for example). All of these dialogue and workflow settings may be adjusted by managers via the Engage Dashboard, ensuring all associates work as accurately and productively as possible.
Press Release: Upper Lakes DC Goes Multiple Weeks Without A Production Error. →
Accelerate Training and Learning
Lucas places special emphasis on making multi-step processes as simple and easy as possible for users. In most cases a new user can be trained and begin using new Lucas Move application in less than a day, and most become proficient and achieve standard productivity and accuracy rates in less than a week. This is especially helpful for distribution centers that rely on large numbers of seasonal or temporary workers. Reduced training time saves labor costs and also eliminates training and mentoring time for team leads, supervisors and other staff who are responsible for training the new employees.
Hear how Do It Best has tamed the temporary worker challenge. →
Work Execution Software at Direct Relief
