The logistical challenges of the Christmas rush in warehouses and the key role of MDM
Every year, the year-end holiday rush puts warehouses to the test: order volumes explode, preparation times shorten and activity peaks occur unpredictably. These various events even force companies to hire temporary staff.
In this context, mobile devices such as tablets, scanners, PDAs and smartphones become necessary elements of the logistics chain. However, for these devices to remain operational, efficient and secure, they must absolutely be centrally managed.
MDM (Mobile Device Management) solutions offer the necessary response to these challenges. Much more than just software, MDM becomes a real lever for optimization for warehouses that must manage the peak activity as Christmas approaches.
Ensuring an always-operational device fleet
During the holiday rush, the slightest interruption can have a direct impact on productivity. A scanner that stops working, a poorly installed application or a forgotten update can slow down the entire preparation and shipping chain.
An MDM helps prevent these situations by:
- Automating business application updates and managing the timing of operating system (OS) updates at the end of the day for example.
- Preventing the installation of unauthorized applications, which could be a source of bugs or distractions for teams.
- Monitoring the status of devices in real time, whether it’s battery level or compliance.
- Quickly deploying new devices configured in minutes by the IT administrator and ready for use by temporary teams.
Mobile device management software allows warehouses to have a homogeneous and functional fleet, capable of supporting teams working continuously.
Optimizing logistics flows with a standardized work environment
At Christmas, warehouses become hubs where every moment counts. Teams must navigate between receiving pallets, preparing orders, as well as managing returns and coordinating with carriers. Added to this is the arrival of numerous temporary workers, often fast-tracked in their training, who must be operational quickly to manage the influx of orders.
In this situation, mobile devices play a key role: they are used to scan items, track locations, validate preparation steps or communicate between teams. But when devices have different configurations, along with a large number of applications and settings, errors and slowdowns multiply.
This heterogeneity complicates the work of employees by making them lose time, but also that of managers who must temporarily handle a larger number of employees.
Fortunately, an MDM solution helps avoid these inconveniences. With an MDM:
- Employees access the applications they need based on their position, which reduces errors and accelerates adoption.
- Settings are standardized: permissions, Wi-Fi networks, brightness, language, display… so that each device functions according to the warehouse’s needs.
- Temporary workers gain immediate autonomy, as they find an intuitive interface that is identical from one device to another.
Acting quickly in case of incidents and reducing downtime
The sustained pace imposed by the year-end holidays in warehouses implies many inevitable technical incidents. Such incidents, whether it’s a blocked application, a loss of network connection or a misplaced device, paralyze employees and bring the entire warehouse to a standstill.
To maintain operational continuity despite these unforeseen events, MDMs offer valuable features:
- Remote control of devices, allowing the IT team to instantly diagnose or correct a problem without immobilizing the employee or waiting for a technician to travel.
- Instant verification of device compliance to know if the device respects the planned policies and if it has a sufficient battery level for example.
- Device location, especially useful when a device is lost in a transit area.
Thanks to these features, incidents are resolved faster and work interruptions are limited.
Ultimately, MDM is an indispensable ally for warehouses during the holiday season. The TinyMDM tool, dedicated to Android mobile devices, ensures that the mobile fleet is always operational. It provides field teams with the stability and efficiency necessary to absorb very large order volumes. This way, warehouses gain reactivity, even during the most intense period of the year!