We are happy to present an interview with the Vice President of the advanced warehouse management software SphereWMS, Roark Janis.
Roark, you have been in the industry for more than 30 years. How have logistics and supply chain management changed over the years?
There have been many shifts in trends, but in my view the most profound is the transformation to e-commerce and the associated impacts on the supply chain, especially on fulfillment operations. Not only has the order profile changed from pallets and cases to individual items (eaches), but the underlying technologies that support e-commerce — both shopping cart platforms and parcel carrier integration — have presented new challenges and opportunities for warehouse management system (WMS) providers like SphereWMS.
What did it take to build the system? What technologies were the most challenging to implement?
The basic concept of inventory management in a system is pretty straightforward. The challenges come from the myriad of variations in the business rules each warehouse operation uses to make its processes as efficient as possible for its specific business. This requires us to deploy modern technologies in a flexible way that allows us to configure an application to work in exactly the way that is best for the operation. It took many years, along with our collective experience as software developers and warehouse operators, to arrive at the solution that SphereWMS is today.
All in all, SphereWMS is designed to make the lives of retailers and wholesalers easier. What are the most common headaches that your software relieves its customers of?
SphereWMS is a warehouse management system that provides real-time visibility and control over inventory location and availability throughout the supply chain. Its API and other integration capabilities, including Retail EDI, allow it to become a seamless part of the supply chain.
SphereWMS is an all-encompassing solution for inventory and shipping process automation. What makes it so easy to use and implement?
SphereWMS is built with the user in mind. Each menu and option is intuitive to the way warehouse workers operate and doesn’t require a manual or significant training. The process is so natural that a one-time walk-through is typically enough for a user to start processing transactions immediately. We have streamlined the setup process with upload templates. Pre-built connections to shopping carts, parcel carriers, and accounting systems allow SphereWMS to integrate quickly with all related systems and get up and running in days rather than weeks or months.
Are there any new trends you believe will emerge and become integral to the logistics industry going forward?
I see two trends emerging:
- Shopping carts are becoming more sophisticated and offer more options and power for users.
- The small parcel carrier industry has long been dominated by UPS and FedEx. I see several disrupting forces converging as USPS pushes into this space with very competitive rates and last-mile capability (especially residential), alongside Amazon’s entry as a carrier and its continual push to find faster last-mile delivery options.
We want to thank Roark Janis for taking the time to share these valuable insights with our readers.
For more perspectives from industry leaders on API technology and integrations, check out our interviews with Oleg Lesov, Charles Palleschi, and Owen Rubel.
