Portable data terminals put fizz into Coke's order processing
By Staff -- Modern Materials Handling, 9/15/1999
What would a distributor call a data capture system that reduces order entry errors to nearly zero, increases productivity, and cuts labor requirements more than 50% for order processing? And what if the same system made late, missed, and mistaken shipments a thing of the past?At Coke of Cape Cod, they call it an integrated order processing, warehousing, and distribution system. And portable data terminals are at the heart of it.
The old system of processing orders was, to say the least, cumbersome. The day's orders didn't get entered until after field reps returned to the warehouse and handed in what they had collected that day. Only after order entry could the next day's scheduled shipments be picked and staged for delivery. Not only was the timing bad, but there were troubles coordinating production and demand.
Today, the entire process starts minutes after the field rep takes an order. Using a portable data capture terminal, the field rep inputs the order then sends it by cellular phone connection directly to the warehouse. There, orders are processed immediately without manual data entry.
In the warehouse, the same data capture terminals as used by field reps scan picks to verify the stock keeping unit (SKU) and quantity, ensuring order accuracy. That information is immediately shared with production if replenishment of the SKU is required, eliminating stock outs. Picked and staged orders are verified a second time to check for completeness and accuracy. The system checks products and quantities against the order sent in by the field rep. After staging, orders are ready for loading onto trucks.
Hand Held Products
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