Industry analysts have observed that the IT group has become increasingly involved in the selection of high tech systems that operate within the warehouse. There are meaningful reasons behind this trend. Over the past 15 years, enterprises have implemented an expanding array of technology-driven solutions that manage everything from equipment to labor to inventory.
While operational ROI goals may be achieved, the IT department inherits responsibility for supporting these systems, and often struggles to integrate them into the enterprise technology architecture. This increases the cost to support and manage the infrastructure.
Forward-thinking companies involve both IT and Operations in the technology selection process. Although this arrangement has the potential for organizational friction, many are finding that greater cost savings and heightened solution effectiveness can be the result.
At Voxware, we’ve seen this trend unfold in the market for voice-based order fulfillment solutions. Today’s buyers want voice systems that are “operations tested and IT approved” – and it is possible to get both. (For one example of how evaluation of voice solutions has changed, see the Voice Picking Technology Grows Up blog entry.)
Operations experts know what functionality that is needed to support their business processes, and can visualize how improvements to those processes will improve key performance indicators – translating into bottom-line cost savings and better quality.
IT professionals bring an important perspective to the table. They know how to evaluate a proposed solution for its impact on the cost of support, future flexibility, and long-term expense control.
This column introduces the “Big 3” IT-related concepts affecting voice deployments that can save huge amounts of money for the enterprise, and then future Expert Insight columns will explain them in greater detail.
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