International Retailer Optimizes Efficiency Through Asset Lockers

A key component to operational efficiency within warehouses and distribution centers that often is overlooked lies in asset management. Scanners, radios, tablets, laptops, and other shared devices are critical tools to ensuring optimal productivity. When they’re not managed effectively, they can cause disruptions and incur replacement costs that ultimately impact the end customer experience. However, when companies manage them safely through asset management lockers, they can help drive peak operations around the clock.

At the main distribution center for an international health and beauty retailer, there are three Traka asset management lockers that store valuable shared assets which are used constantly to fulfill orders. One locker stores voice-picking devices and Bluetooth headsets. It features a cradle for each asset and a charging mechanism to ensure that when a device isn’t in use, it’s charging securely. The second locker houses all handheld scanners, which is also equipped with a charging feature. The final locker has individual equipment kits for truck drivers and forklift operators, which includes a scanner, radio, and printer.

Credit Traka

Among the benefits to storing shared assets in lockers that the retailer has experienced is remote monitoring. Managers can remotely assign access to specific assets and can see in the system who checked out which asset and when. By assigning a curfew to each asset, managers are notified when an asset hasn’t been returned by a certain time. This helps promote accountability among employees and gives managers insight into operations from a remote location, which can be especially useful when managing multiple locations. Also, by having employees check out the assets themselves with their key cards, the retailer removed the need to have an employee manually assign and distribute assets, which helped them allocate resources elsewhere.

An additional benefit to the system is fault logging. When a shared asset malfunctions, the employee returns the device to the locker and inputs the fault into the system. That subsequently removes the asset from circulation until the fault has been corrected. This feature reduces the chance of an employee mistakenly checking out an asset, only to discover it malfunctions while on the job. Fault logging also helps extend the life of shared assets by ensuring even and equal use of all assets, rather than employees repeatedly checking out a favorite asset.

The retailer was strategic in where they placed the three lockers within their distribution center. By decentralizing them in two separate locations, they cut down on lengthy wait times for employees who would have to stand in line at the beginning or end of a shift to check out or return their necessary assets. That impacted productivity as it allowed them to start their tasks sooner and expedited the return process when they were done with their shift.

Solutions like asset management lockers are critical for those in the retail space, especially as the landscape of retail operations continues to shift with increased consumer demands. Some distribution centers operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to meet market demands and support both online and in-person sales. Having a sufficient inventory of shared assets is therefore vital for employees to maintain productivity and avoid disruptions that could impact the company’s profits.

Credit: Traka

The shift manager for the health and beauty retailer summarized their efforts succinctly when he said,

“We need to make it as simple and as quick as possible for authorized colleagues to not only gain access to the devices they need but also ensure they are operational and in good working order. With the introduction of Traka, we have eliminated manual control, plus we have a complete audit on all devices that we can access from anywhere. We have already noted increased accountability, traceability, and fault logging, all coming together to reduce lost time and enhance operational efficiency.”

Retailers across the world use key cabinets and asset management lockers from Traka, which is a global leader in providing electronic key and asset management solutions and part of the ASSA ABLOY Group. To learn more about how Traka is impacting companies’ supply chain and logistics operations, please visit this site.