Logistics Automation: 7 Actionable Strategies for Warehouse Managers

When you think of logistics automation, what comes to mind?

Routing software? Delivery tracking? Transportation management systems?

Of course, these tools are critical when it comes to automation. But they’re only a small piece of the larger puzzle.

For many organizations, the most overlooked opportunity for logistics automation starts inside the warehouse. Every delay or error in receiving, storage, or picking has a ripple effect across your supply chain.

This guide, designed by the warehouse automation experts at Kardex Remstar, is a roadmap for warehouse managers looking to automate key parts of their operation. You’ll find actionable logistics automation strategies utilized by real companies to help improve speed, reduce errors, and increase throughput. Best of all? You don’t have to implement everything in this guide all at once to have a measurable impact. Ready? Let’s get started.

7 Logistics Automation Strategies for Warehouse Managers

Strategy #1: Standardize your Inbound Process

Before you can speed up outbound logistics, you need to clean up what’s coming in. Easier said than done, right? Inbound receiving is a great place to get started with logistics automation. Automation can help you tackle delays at the dock, messy receiving practices, and misrouted inventory.

Here are some expert tips to get standardized:

1. Digitize receiving check-ins
Still relying on paper-based logs or verbal handoffs? It’s time for an upgrade. Consider using mobile scanners or tablets to log shipments on arrival. Digitalization can capture receipt times, vendor performance, and inbound volumes. Use barcode or RFID labels to tag goods at receiving, not later down the line. This allows for real-time visibility into what is on hand and where it’s heading.

This is all valuable data for your long-term logistics planning. And it’s relatively easy to implement.

2. Automate inspection and put-away workflows
Consider standardizing the inspection process using checklists tied to your WMS or ERP. Once items are verified, let your system direct them to their correct storage location. Spend less time wondering “where does this go?” and more time getting things going to the right place.

3. Sync dock scheduling with your WMS
If multiple carriers arrive at once, you risk congestion and errors. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Consider using dock scheduling tools or integrating appointment slots with your WMS to start pacing your incoming shipments.

Strategy #2: Improve Inventory Accuracy

If you can’t trust your inventory data, your whole operation is at risk. Orders are delayed. Shipments are incomplete. Team members spend valuable hours searching for products. That’s why access to real-time inventory tracking has to be the new standard for warehouses. It’s more than just knowing what’s in stock (although, we know that would make your job a dream!) This foundation allows you to build a growth model that’s based on accuracy and accessibility.

Here are some tips:

1. Use smart storage systems to track movement
Your digital technology can only be as good as your physical technology. Once you’ve got your scanning and barcoding implemented, it’s easy to integrate with automated storage and retrieval systems like Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs) and Vertical Buffer Modules (VBMs). VLMs and VBMs automatically log every pick and put-away action, syncing with your inventory system to maintain real-time accuracy, without relying on manual updates from your team.

2. Integrate WMS with upstream systems
Sync your WMS with ERP and procurement systems to automate replenishment alerts and reduce the risk of stockouts or overstocking based on outdated data.

Strategy #3: Automate your Picking Process

Picking is one of the most labor-intensive and error-prone warehouse activities. Why? Because traditional methods rely heavily on outdated storage systems and human interference. But it’s also one of the processes that’s easiest to automate with the right technology.

1. Implement batch or zone picking
Instead of picking one order at a time, use batch picking to collect items for multiple orders in a single pass. Zone picking assigns workers to specific areas, minimizing movement and streamlining flow.

2. Introduce automated picking technology
Automated systems like Vertical Buffer Modules (VBMs) and Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs) bring items directly to your picker, eliminating the need for them to spend time searching and walking. Automated storage is a game-changer for operations dealing with high order volume or limited labor. Pick-to-light technologies can guide pickers step-by-step through their tasks, reducing errors and training time. They’re especially useful in high-SKU or fast-paced environments. Best of all? You can sync your WMS and/or inventory management software with order intake systems to prioritize urgent orders, optimize pick paths, and reduce staging delays.

Which brings us to our next strategy…

Strategy #4: Optimize Order Staging & Shipping Preparation

Now that you’re picking orders quickly and accurately, you can’t have them pile up in staging or stuck waiting for labels and carrier info. Your logistics can slow to a crawl. Having a streamlined staging and shipping prep is how great warehouse processes shine.

Here are some tips from our team:

1. Design your staging area for success
Too often, staging areas get crammed into leftover space. Instead, build your layout around movement. Try implementing clear pathways, defined staging zones, and space to scale during peak periods. Our team also recommends organizing your staging areas by outbound method: UPS, LTL, or customer-specific lanes. This helps your team prep orders in the right sequence and avoid last-minute shuffling.

2. Automate label generation and documentation
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again. Syncing your physical setup with your digital setup is the best way to optimize. Use your WMS or shipping software to print shipping labels, packing slips, and customs documents as soon as an order is picked. This can eliminate downtime at the packing bench and reduce labeling errors.

3. Monitor your dock flow in real time
Set up digital dashboards that track which orders are ready to ship, which are staged, and which are waiting for pickup. This keeps your entire team aligned and helps to avoid late loads or missed pickups. If your volume supports it, you can also consider utilizing conveyors or autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to transfer finished orders from packing to staging or dock doors, freeing up your staff pickers, and reducing double-handling.

Strategy #5: Leverage Data to Predict Disruptions

While disruptions don’t usually start at the dock door, by the time they’re there, you know there’s a problem. Unexpected stockout? Delayed inbound shipment? Breakdown in your flow? The dock door is where problems become a breakdown of your workflow.

But your warehouse data holds the key to solving these up-stream issues. And with the right strategy, you can use that data to identify the issue before it becomes a dock door breakdown.

Here are some ways to take control of your data:

1. Monitor bottlenecks with real-time dashboards
Use your WMS or warehouse control software to track picking, packing, and staging throughput in real time. Look for slowdowns by shift, zone, or SKU to identify process issues before they snowball. You can even set up automated notifications for low inventory, missed receiving windows, or stalled outbound orders. Getting ahead of these issues gives your team time to adjust (instead of rushing to fix problems on the fly).

2. Track SKU movement and trends
Log the movement data from your ASRS systems, mobile scanners, and picking systems to understand what products are turning fastest and where they tend to stall. This information can help you optimize your storage locations and labor assignments.

While you’re there, you can also use SKU data to plan your labor for seasonal spikes.

3. Feed warehouse data into your broader logistics strategy
Sync your warehouse performance data with upstream systems like ERP and downstream systems like your TMS. This helps align fulfillment with transportation and keeps the entire logistics chain working as one.

Strategy #6: Train and Upskill Your Team

Even the best automation strategy can’t succeed without a capable, flexible (human) team behind it. But today’s labor market is TOUGH. Experirenced workers are hard to come by. And turnover is a real problem.

Automation could be the key you need to unlock your team’s potential. By working alongside automation, your warehouse staff perform better, burn out less, and have more opportunities to grow.

1. Cross-train across functions
Build pathways so that your team members can flex between receiving, picking, packing, and staging. Cross-training helps you adapt to volume shifts and reduces downtime when staffing is tight. And it gives your staff an opportunity to experience other parts of the warehouse workflow to see where their skills work best.

2. Train employees to work with automation
Don’t treat automation like it’s advanced tech only available for a select few. New hires should be introduced to your warehouse systems on day one, just like forklifts or RF scanners. Introduce simple, structured training for systems like VLMs, VBMs, pick-to-light, and scanning tools. Most warehouse automation is intuitive. But a little upfront training ensures fast adoption and fewer errors.

3. Highlight how automation can reduce physical strain
Automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS), conveyors, and ergonomic workstations make jobs safer and more accessible. Especially for your aging workers or new hires that may be unfamiliar with the warehouse workflow.

4. Encourage operator feedback
Operators often spot the small inefficiencies automation can’t see. Make it easy for them to share ideas, suggest process tweaks, or flag recurring issues in your workflow. And then take that feedback seriously. You can’t be everywhere on the floor at once. Let your team help find and address speedbumps before they become issues.

Strategy #7: Start with Scalable Automation Technologies

Automation is the tool that ties everything together. But if you’re responsible for automating your warehouse, it doesn’t have to happen all at once. In fact, thinking too far ahead could lead to action paralysis and overwhelm.

But the right automated solutions can act as building blocks. So, you don’t need to figure it all out in a day.

Here’s what we recommend:

1. Start with modular, space-saving technologies
Automation doesn’t have to take over your warehouse. Systems like VLMs and VBMs offer high-density storage that fits into existing footprints and scales with your operation. They are perfect for growing businesses and facilities with limited space. Even warehouse teams with 24 people or less saw ROI with Kardex automated storage and retrieval in less than a year.

2. Use smart software
Inventory management software is a great place to start, especially if your ERP or WMS systems are unruly (or still in beta). IMS can give you the data you need to build your automation foundation. And it can integrate with your ERP and WMS when you’re ready.

3. Choose a trusted partner
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the idea of automating your warehouse processes as part of a larger logistics automation initiative, you’re not alone. Working with a trusted partner can help. The team here at Kardex Remstar can help you assess your needs, identify quick wins, and map out a phased plan that delivers measurable value without disrupting daily operations. We’ll send a member of our team out to your warehouse for free – no strings attached – to see where automation technology can streamline your workflow.

At Kardex Remstar, we’ve helped thousands of operations worldwide design and implement scalable warehouse automation systems that drive measurable logistics performance. From assessment to installation to ongoing support, we’re here to help you automate smarter and lead with confidence.

Logistics automation starts in the warehouse. Ready to make your move? Contact Kardex Remstar today.