Matt Fleming 
As many retailers pull back on warehouse space in the post-pandemic lull, providing fast, cost-efficient solutions is key to winning business in today’s tight market. Fortunately, with Logixboard’s recent warehousing enhancements, logistics service providers can instantly level up their inventory management. Our latest release includes a suite of features to enable enhanced visibility into product inventory, real-time order statuses, a streamlined order creation process, and more.
Whether you’re already set up with this premium feature or considering an upgrade, let’s talk about how you can use Logixboard warehousing to solve your customers’ biggest problems.
1. Lack of inventory visibility
Traditionally, the visibility retailers have into their warehouse inventory is heavily reliant on their logistics partners. They’ll monitor their current stock primarily through receipts and reports to track what’s going in and out.
Unfortunately, this method can leave some room for error. For one, many of these documents are typically created manually. Additionally, static reports can go out of date almost instantly after they’re received.
For shippers, these manual processes and the reliance on their logistics service providers can result in significant gaps at key moments. For example, as they’re waiting for receipt processing in the days after a big warehouse delivery, inventory managers may not have all the information they need to make another decision.
Not only is this frustrating for shippers, but it can also reduce efficiency throughout the process. As stakeholders become accustomed to frequent lags in data, they may add cautionary steps, such as calling or emailing their logistics providers to make sure their systems are up to date.
How you can solve this problem with Logixboard
Logixboard’s premium Warehousing product includes an Inventory History page, where you and your customers can access a complete view of your previous warehouse activity. This includes a history of warehouse receipts and orders, all inbound and outbound product units, and the number of units currently in stock. Because it acts as a definitive record for the entire organization, your shippers no longer need to rely on internal processes for up-to-date information.
2. Order fulfillment delays
For retailers trying to keep their shelves stocked, timing order fulfillment can be a difficult task. Considering space limitations while avoiding stockouts leaves a tight window for reorders.
This process can be further complicated when multiple stakeholders are involved in restocking inventory. If a manager can’t trust their colleagues’ bookkeeping or data management, they may either delay their order or make unnecessary calls to their logistics provider to double-check.
This can cause big repercussions for the business. If orders are delayed to the point of frequent stockouts, the brand may suffer as a result. In the short term, an inventory mishap can cause retailers to lose revenue they would have gained from the sales of the products. And over time, it can lead to disappointment and frustration for end consumers, tarnishing the business’s reputation.
How you can solve this problem with Logixboard
The Warehousing product’s Order Visibility feature provides a single source of truth for your customers. It allows stakeholders to see all previous orders and their status, with updates directly from your system. Because they can all access the same information and updates, they’ll be more confident in the information they’re using to drive decisions.
On top of the ease of viewing updates and statuses, the warehousing product also delivers a better experience when it’s time to place an order. Where a lot of retailers are used to drafting an email or logging into a new system to request inventory from their warehouse, they can instead submit an order directly from their visibility platform. The Warehouse Order Creation process just requires them to submit a quick form, which they can then track until it reaches the final destination.
3. Changing consumer demand
Keeping up with consumer demand trends is a key differentiator in the retail industry. Even with enhanced analytics, it’s nearly impossible to predict what consumers are going to buy from month to month. That’s why it’s important to move fast to respond to changes in the market.
Unfortunately, in recent years, there have been a lot of supply chain shocks that left retailers out to dry. After battling challenges from geopolitical conflicts, port congestion, and widespread shortages, many companies shifted from just-in-time to just-in-case models to compensate for delays.
However, this system isn’t ideal for running an efficient operation. Not only do you run the risk of stocking up on inventory that you won’t sell, but it also ties up your capital and fills up limited storage space. That’s why the post-pandemic market is seeing many retailers move back to lean inventory models. However, this requires a process that allows them to quickly adjust their inventory levels and distribution strategies.
How you can solve this problem with Logixboard
With Logixboard’s Detailed Warehouse Product View, you and your customers can access all available information about a product in inventory. By pulling directly from the warehouse-related modules in your TMS, it surfaces the most up-to-date inventory information. As a result, your shippers can get a real-time view of their consumers’ preferences and pivot accordingly.
The in-app order creation process also allows retailers a streamlined channel to request new inventory. Therefore, they can respond to trends more quickly by executing a shorter, more agile order process.
Looking to upgrade your warehousing offering?
With the right tech, you can help resolve your shippers’ top warehousing challenges even at the height of busy season. By providing enhanced visibility and simplified order creation channels, you can support them in implementing more efficient internal processes to save time and money. Interested in offering your customers a streamlined inventory management experience? Reach out to our team to learn more about the premium warehousing feature and see it in action!
